IBM took the wraps off its Notes/Domino 7 platform today as it started shipping the latest version of its collaboration applications and development system. The new edition includes interface tweaks intended to please users and server software changes aimed at lowering overhead costs by using hardware resources more efficiently. It also marks a step toward IBM"s goal of smoothly blending its legacy Notes/Domino architecture with its newer, Java-based Workplace platform.
Changes to the Notes 7 client application include support for Microsoft Office 2003"s SmartTags and smoother integration of IBM"s Sametime instant messaging software. Some of the smallest adjustments have garnered the biggest cheers from early users, according to Ken Bisconti, IBM"s vice president of Workplace, portal, and collaboration products. He cited new message markers indicating whether an e-mail message has been sent only to the user or to a larger mailing list as one particularly popular addition. Another new client feature, "save window state," lets users capture all the documents they have open for viewing or modification when they shut down Notes. The software then restarts with everything displayed as it was before the software closed.