Ed Brill and Scott Souder presented a history of IBM Lotus Notes over its first 20 years. They discussed the early development of Notes 1.0 in 1989 by Ray Ozzie and Iris Associates. Notes expanded with new versions that added features like threading and document hierarchy. IBM acquired Lotus in 1995. Notes evolved to integrate with the internet and was redesigned as client/server software. It grew to millions of users but also faced competition from Microsoft Exchange and others. The presentation covered major releases through Notes 8.5 and how it remained focused on compatibility and collaboration over two decades.

1. INV107 An Oral History of IBM Lotus Notes:
The First Twenty Years
Ed Brill | Director, Product Management
Scott Souder | Sr. Product Manager, Product Management

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3. From the edge...
 A little passion...
 A handful of inspired visionaries...
 Some really skilled nerds...
 Some crazy sales people...
 A cool basement-building...
 Some sushi and really BIG burritos...
 A little luck...
 A whole lot of faith...
 20 years...the rest in history!

4. Lotus Notes® 1.0 – 1989
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6. Notes 2.0 – 1991
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Tradition of working on next release before shipping current
development effort began (e.g., V2 efforts started in 1989, V3
discussions started in 1991, etc.)
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7. Notes V3 – May, 1993
½ million users
First “mainstream”
Notes release
Suitable for 200
simultaneous
server-based
users
Added:
● Mac client
● Threading
● Document
hierarchy
● Windows server
● Full-text search
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8. 1993/1994 – Notes marketplace matures
● Lotus shipped additional templates to create vision
▬ CSERV customer service application
▬ The “Nifty Fifty”
● Partner community expanding rapidly
▬ Custom applications, extensions
● Acquisition of cc:Mail® – concept of customer-controlled
migration was introduced
▬ “Lotus Communications Server,” aka Notes R4, announced September, 1993
● Opening of the Internet to commercial interests introduced
pending intersection...or collision
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9. 1995 – IBM Acquisition
● Lotus stock had performed in a less than
stellar fashion
● AT&T® Network Notes introduced to huge
fanfare, but quickly devalued due to the
Internet
● Microsoft® Office™ and Windows™ 95
introduced into the market
● IBM acquires Lotus for US$3.5 billion in
July, 1995
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10. The first re-invention of Notes
IBM® Lotus Notes® R4.0
● Evolution into client/server messaging January, 1996
product
▬ New UI, new messaging capabilities
● First “Professional Programmer”
release
▬ Lotuscript introduced, new APIs, net tools
● Pressure to evolve more quickly
▬ “Internet time”
▬ Introduction of major features in point releases
▬ Introduction of “QMR” process
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11. 9 96
1
–
4.6
5/
R 4.
es
N ot
● First feature release since 1.1 within
a major release
● Introduction of Calendaring &
Scheduling
● Separate download for “Domino,” a web application server add-on – shipped as
“4.6”
● Added support for emerging Internet standards: POP, IMAP, LDAP, NNTP,
HTTP
● Added support for new platforms
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12. 1996 to 1998 – Explosive growth, explosive market
● Microsoft® Exchange™ 1.0 4.0 shipped in
April, 1996
▬ The “seat wars” were on...
▬ Notes price drop from US$270/user to ~US$70
● Netscape® announced groupware servers/
clients in October, 1996
▬ “IBM will no longer be recommending Netscape products to
it customers,” said John Patrick ,IBM vice president of
Internet technology
● 20 million seats, but...
▬ Longer release cycles
▬ “Notes is dead” – Internet seen as replacement
▬ “Decline and Fall of Lotus” written in Forbes magazine
▬ Realization that IBM integration should have begun sooner
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13. Notes R5 – March, 1999
First major
renovation of the
Notes user interface
Introduction of Java,
Javascript, CORBA/IIOP,
native SMTP/MIME
Introduction of
separate Domino
Administrator tool
Features released in
interim MRs included:
● 5.0.2 – Linux server
● 5.0.5 – “Bluejay,” iNotes Access for Microsoft® Outlook™,
OLE/DB connector, DNFS
● 5.0.8 – iNotes Web Access
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14. IBM Lotus Notes 6 / Domino® 6
October, 2002
The beginnings of
integrating with
the rest of the
IBM Software portfolio
Focus on mobility – IBM
Lotus Domino Everyplace®,
IBM Lotus EasySync® Pro,
etc.
Substantial
user interface
improvements
Improved system administration:
● Policy-based administration
● Server/performance
The last BIG release – monitor
Future releases faster, more focused
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15. Notes 6.5 / Domino 6.5 – September, 2003
● Integration of IBM Lotus Sametime® instant messaging into Notes
client at no additional charge
▬ Awareness, presence capabilities
● A dozen “best of breed” end-user features
● Mozilla browser support, first foray into supported Linux® clients
● More integration across IBM Software portfolio
● 6.5.1 – an aligned server release
▬ QuickPlace, Sametime, DomDoc® 6.5.1 all released within 90 days
▬ All supported on current, concurrent server level for the first time
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16. Notes 7 / Domino 7 – August, 2005
● Major update of Domino server architecture
▬ Massive scalability and performance enhancements
▬ Improvements to system administration and autonomic system management – Activity
trends, Domino Domain Monitor, policy-based administration, SmartUpgrade
▬ Introduction of Domino Web Services
▬ Limited introduction of IBM DB2® as alternative data store
● Major update to Domino Web Access
● New incremental client features
▬ Autosave, multi-threaded views, better window state management
● 7.0.2 “Innovation Pack” – blog template, sever RSS feeds, “Notes
on a USB stick”
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17. Notes 8 / Domino 8 – August, 2007
● First announced in Hannover, Germany – June, 2005
▬ Built on IBM Lotus Expeditor®, IBM's universal managed client software, which in turn, is built
on the Eclipse framework
▬ Wiring of Eclipse plug-ins with Notes applications – “Composite” applications – now possible
▬ Notes is now a Java-based platform!
● Sidebar to display context-sensitive information (Sametime
contacts, day-at-a-glance, RSS/ATOM feeds)
● Additional features
▬ Support for “activity-centric” computing, “productivity editors” based on ODF, mail
recall, “conversation mode” for e-mail threads, “Open” button for fast access to
applications
● Server improvements in performance, administration and
serviceability including support for RedHat® Linux 5
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18. Notes 8.5 / Domino 8.5
January, 2009
Xpages for
Notes client
AND browser
DCT Eclipse-based
Domino Designer®
DAOS refinements Notes Traveler 8.5.1
supports the Apple®
iPhone®
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20. “Proven in Production”
Release-to-release compatibility = Longer-lasting applications
“Laura Moyet”
“ODS 14”
“1989”
“A-O-D”
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23. Ed,
From my buying Notes to replace PROFS in 91-92 to make
the Vermont DMV collaborate, to solving the Purchase &
Use Tax refund crisis, to making sure Colin Powell
fnished his speech on time at the 99 convention, to
helping the Navies of the world fght pirates last year,
Notes/Domino has worked.
If the organization I m working in has Notes, most of the
battle has been teaching them how to use it and how
powerful it is.
Rob Novak and I are hoping to solve even more of the
government s information sharing problems before we re
done..
Talk to you soon,
Mike Grifes
Former DoD Senior Executive Service
US Navy Captain, Retired
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24. ca. January, 1997
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26. Here's to the next 20 years!!
ed_brill@us.ibm.com
scott_souder@us.ibm.com
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28. History of Lotus Notes – Videos used
during Lotusphere presentation
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