Unlike recent years where we had little exposure in Israel about Lotusphere, this year is very different. The reason – Or Yaacov, editor at The People – every day Or publishes one or two separate articles from Lotusphere, reaching a wide audience of IT professionals, and making the necessary noise in the local online media. Case in point – the title of today’s article (page 1) was ‘Exchange is not the solution to every problem and need’, a quote by Bob Picciano, Lotus GM.
So, for those looking for Hebrew articles on Lotusphere, here’s a list of articles I found. If you want to contribute, feel free to comment with the link and I’ll insert it to this post (along with the contributer of course.. ;-).
IBM confirmed to vnunet.com that there will be four new product announcements at the event, and that new online collaboration services will be unveiled. IBM Lotus programme director Chris Reckling plans to demonstrate how new social software tools are needed to meet new communication challenges.
The increasing market share Lotus is enjoying, both through retaining existing clients and gaining significant numbers of new customers, suggests that IBM’s Lotus platform strategy is highly successful and sustainable.
Over the past 15 months ending in the third quarter of 2008, more than 12,000 new organizations bought their first Notes/Domino licenses, and more than half of the Fortune global 100 now use Lotus Notes and Domino. This includes more than 80 percent of the largest banks, consumer product, electronics, insurance, pharmaceutical and telecommunications companies — as well as more than 50 percent of America’s largest 100 companies.
The messaging service will become part of the IBM Lotus “Bluehouse” online social networking and collaboration project that’s currently in open beta, IBM said. The company is expected to disclose more details at next week’s Lotusphere conference in Orlando, Fla., about how the Outblaze assets will become part of IBM’s online portfolio.
When something bad happens you always look at it from a personal level, meaning – do I know someone who was involved, or worst – got hurt. Well, in this present operation (oh well, War, no point in beautifying it), my mother is involved. And it doesn’t get any more personal than this.
I’ve been tracking the internet ever since operation Cast Lead started, trying to ‘fight’ the social war that has been going on, and also got some requests and concerned emails from friends and colleagues to explain my perspective. I watch CNN, BBC, Aljazeera and the rest, so I know how this portrays elsewhere in the world and what images and videos you’re watching:
airstrikes? F-16s? isn’t that a bit of ‘over-kill’?
Well, first of, my mother is fine. She decided to leave Ashkelon (see map) Sunday (‘Dvir, I’m in the car, heading north’ were her exact words), and has been staying in our living room ever since. How’s living with my mother, again, after 7 years of freedom? A different discussion… She sends her regards btw.
In late 2005 Israel left Gaza strip, handing control to the Palestinian Authority. You can see in the graph below that 2005 registered almost the lowest level of attacks, which speaks for the validity of our disenagagement – we wanted to let the Palestinian Authority to govern. Without us. It worked for less than a year. Then Hamastook over. In 2007 Israel was hit by 1,645 rockets. 4 rockets a day. In 2008 (still counting, 2 days left) we’ll pass 2,000, going for 2,200. That’s more than 5 a day. On Dec. 24 alone some 60 rockets fell. Today, Dec. 29 – more than 80.
What’s the big deal you ask? Here’s what a Qassam hit looks like, as pictured in security cameras at Ashkelon. The rocket (90kg) appears in the first 30sec, one angle showing the hit itself, the other showing the shock wave. The kids filmed from 0:40 were in the house during the hit – it’s the first time they see the video.
Who are those 300+ people killed since the operation started? why civilians are injured? This video shows the Qassams operators – Hamas terrorists, preparing a rocket for launch. Sometimes, they even fire from within civilian population, like school and residential homes, into Israel. ‘If you sleep with a Qassam at night, don’t be surprised if you don’t wake up in the morning’.
Last week I had the pleasure of talking to a group of college students from Canada, who came to Israel with Hillel Foundation of Toronto. They visited IBM for half a day, and we had a good discussion about social media and how IBM adopted it internally. As anyone, they were looking for the ROI, so I gave them examples of how social media at IBM helps me on a daily basis. All of them were Gen Y of course, so at the first portion of my presentation (what is web/enterprise 2.0) I just hit ‘next’ all the time.. 😉
Since most participants knew what social media is, an interesting discussion started, of why it’s important and how such tools will benefit them – in the coming months. Some of the students were already part of the social media space, either working at VCs or other organizations aimed at helping SU companies in their early stages.
It was an excellent opportunity to share some of the work IBMers are doing using social media tools, for the past 5 years now! We have lots of social media tools (see slide above), some stay as research projects while others grow up and become IBM solutions (such as our social software solution – Lotus Connections).
The presentation from last week is available at my slideshare space. Feel free to leave your comments and thoughts!
Been working working hard this past month with our marketing and communications team on putting together something cool to end 2008, that would help strengthen the Lotus brand in Israel, and expose some of the great work our customers are doing with Lotus and WebSphere Portal solutions – should pop-up in the media…
I’ll have more to share with you coming Sunday Tuesday. Sorry about the delay – holidays… 😉
This is my personal blog. The postings here do not represent the thoughts, intentions, plans or strategies of my past employers or of my clients. It is solely my opinion.
Unlike recent years where we had little exposure in Israel about Lotusphere, this year is very different. The reason – Or Yaacov, editor at The People – every day Or publishes one or two separate articles from Lotusphere, reaching a wide audience of IT professionals, and making the necessary noise in the local online media. Case in point – the title of today’s article (page 1) was ‘Exchange is not the solution to every problem and need’, a quote by Bob Picciano, Lotus GM.
