The InfoWorld article said: “Sun’s Java Enterprise System, a package of tightly bundled server software, is available now for $100 per employee. It includes Sun’s application server, directory server, portal server and around a dozen or so other products… Hoping to spur wider use of its software, Sun said Wednesday that businesses with less than 100 employees can download the Java Enterprise System for free, minus any services and technical support.”
I doubt this will ever happen, but just think what a great thing it would be if Lotus let companies of less than 100 employees run Domino for free? Or even less than 25 employees? That would include most developers of course
Subject: Sun’s new deal - Lotus should do the same?
What can I say? As I’m working in a 25-seat company, I wouldn’t be angry to get my Lotus software for free, but I don’t think it would help to make Domino/Notes a more wanted product …If I compare with what M$ charges for M$-Office, I think Lotus has reasonable prices. If memory serves well, We pay something like € 1800 a year. And for that price I have a web, mail and application server. (and the clients!)
IMHO the best strategy is to work with schools and universities. Just like M$ does. Give them licences for free (or as good as free). IT-students can learn VB (=Lotusscript), Java, JavaScript and HTML on one system. They can learn how to use it on Windows, Linux and AIX.
They will learn that there is something else out there than Outlook and VB.
Subject: Schools and Universities CAN get Lotus Software for Free…
under the IBM Scholars Program. This program allows schools and universities free access to IBM software for teaching and research purposes (SANS support). The IBM Software group decided that this included the ability to deploy all Lotus software (except for LearningSpace) to all students, faculty, and researchers. In one case, we help a major MBA Program reduce their licensing cost form US$20K Plus down to US$396. All that has to be paid for is administrative seats. Unfortuantely many schools and universities do not know about this program or hate IBM so much they will not even look at it. For example, a major University in the south recently replaced a home-grown AIX mail system and would not even let IBM (or M$) make a presentation, even though they would have had more than 30,000 free seats! Why? because they hate IBM (and will tell you so to your face, on the record).
As far as for companies under 100 employees, the Domino Express offering is a great deal. To be able to deploy unlimited mail and application servers for US$89-129/user is a tremendous value AND includes support.
M$ has been successful because they own the desktop and put Outlook express out there for free. Too many users do not like Notes because it “is not enough like Outlook”.
…it seems Domino is cheap after all! And I didn’t know about the academic freebies - that’s really good. I must tell some of the schools in our area - I’ll bet they have no idea (this does apply in the UK too right?). The schools are so dominated by M$ software here.
I guess my only reservation then is for developers. Many small development companies are asked to pay for the software - that seems a shame. In these days of open source / free software it would be good to shout about how inexpensive Domino really is and make sure developers get free access to it. I believe the health of the developer community can only help sell Domino licenses to those big fee-paying corporates.
So IBM - let’s re-introduce free software for developers.
If your company joins Partnerworld for Software and buys the Run your business Software Offering (Currently US2,000 a year, not sure about Europe), not only do you get licenses for a wide range of run-your-business tools, but also tremendous education reimbursements. The more certifications on staff, the better the reimbursements. It more than pays for itself.
Christopher,Thanks, but $2000 is quite a lot for lone developers - fine for a company > 10 people as you suggest, but what about the rest? And it USED to be free!
Subject: Actually, it always cost something to be a BP, then for a short while it did not, then it cost something again.
I have been some form of Lotus Business partner since 1995, and an IBM developer partner (or whatever it used to be called) since a few years before that. The development tools, such a APIs, have always been free and continue to be free now. In the first few years as a Lotus BP, there was a fee each year. I think it was $1400 the first year and $1000 each year to renew. Then IBM incorporated the prtner program in theirs, and made membership free, but added value packs. For a while, it has been possible to get R&D versions for free, and run you business licenses have cost more. Mostly, they have just been closing loopholes since then so it is harder and harder to get the software without paying something.
The biggest problem isn’t even the cost, it is the incredible difficulty in finding out what you need to buy to get the software you need. The plans change constantly, the deliverables change within the plans, etc. I have not been able to figure out what to buy for about three years now. Also, the $2000 Value Pack (if that is what it is still called and that is what it still costs) no longer includes the slew of CDs the old partner program had. That is probably good for the environment, and for that I applaud, but it is a lot of money to have to spend to possibly be able to download the software you need when you need it, if the site isn’t down for its frequent maintenance, and if the title has actually been put up there.
Subject: RE: Actually, it always cost something to be a BP, then for a short while it did not, then it cost something again.
I have to measure the value in terms of ROI, Between all the software we get access to with the value package, as well as the training certification reimbursements, it more than pays for itself. Heck, We even got the loan of a free trade show booth out of it!
i would have liked to have seen a designer express license (limited such that only one of the express users would be licensed to use the designer client) to round out the collaboration express package.
it would mostly be used by those developers who play with domino/notes from a personal use point of view, but it would also allow the smb’s to take a look
Subject: RE: Schhols and Universities CAN get Lotus Software for Free…
Thank for the information …
Here in Belgium it is pretty much the same …
M$ is very agressive in the ‘educational’ market. Schools get their software as good as for free, and they get a lot of extra’s, like students and teachers getting softawre for free.
Students leave the school without even knowing that there are alternatives.
