Lotus beefs up browser-based Notes client
 
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Lotus Tuesday released iNotes Web Access, its best effort to date to provide browser-based client access to the messaging and collaboration features of its Domino server.
The iNotes client allows online and offline use of e-mail, calendar, contacts, journal and to-do features of Domino. Users also can get online access to Domino-based applications.
Offline access to applications through iNotes Web Access using Domino replication, however, will require some modifications to existing applications using the Domino Offline Services tool kit.
"The primary focus is on e-mail and calendar," says Mark Levitt, an analyst with IDC. "It's a rev of a product that finally gives acceptable performance and support for a number of users per server." IDC predicts that more than 30 million mailboxes will be accessed primarily with a Web browser in North America by 2003.
Lotus claims to have 80 million seats of Notes compared to Microsoft's 78 million seats of Exchange. Microsoft also offers a browser-based client called Outlook Web Access, which works with the Exchange server.
The iNotes client was supposed to be delivered late last year, but Lotus held off as it worked to boost the number of iNotes clients a Domino server could support.
IT managers want the browser-based client because it will reduce setup and management, as Notes clients will not have to be installed at each desktop. The iNotes client software can be pushed out over a network to any user with Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser.
The client is a desired option for mobile users or those that just need messaging and calendars. The iNotes client is an upgrade to Lotus' WebMail client, which only supports access to e-mail. In addition, iNotes Web Access integrates with Lotus Sametime and QuickPlace, which provide access to instant messaging and team workspaces.
Lotus is positioning iNotes as an option to the full Notes client, which provides offline access to applications using replication.
"We don't expect the existing install base to make a large migration to iNotes. It is a supplement to the full Notes client," says Ed Brill, director of strategic marketing for iNotes. "Going forward, we see 80% of customers on the full client and 20% on iNotes."
iNotes Web Access, along with iNotes Access for Microsoft Outlook released last September, is Lotus' answer to customer demand for replication in clients beyond the bulky Notes client. Replication is a distinguishing feature of Domino but has only been available in a full Notes client.
The iNotes client software runs only on Internet Explorer 5.0 and above. A beta version for Netscape will be available at the end of this month as part of the beta 3 of RNext, the next version of Notes and Domino.
The client only works with Domino 5.0.8, which also was released Tuesday.
Pricing for iNotes with the messaging and calendar functions is $35 per user. iNotes with support for applications is $48 per user. For enterprises with existing licenses, the software is free.
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