Business
On the Blackberry thing and questions to IBM
I've received a few e-mails, directly andthrough IBMers, asking me what "IBM's recommendation" is on theBlackberry/RIM vs. NTP thing. With the requisite caveat/reminderthat I am not necessarily representing the views, positions, strategiesor opinions of IBM Corporation or IBM management, I have to say that Idon't see why IBM should have a position on this at all.My logic is simple. A large ecosystem has developed around mobileand wireless solutions for Notes/Domino. Blackberry/RIMis a great partner, as are Nokia,Commontime,GoodTechnology, and others. IBM doesn't take formal positions on any one partner being betteror recommended in a particular market space. And RIMhas formally committed to a workaroundin the event of an injunction. Thus, what kind of useful answer couldIBM give to the question, anyway? In my opinion, a suggestion to switch to other mobile/wireless solutionsseems extremely short-sighted. RIM says (and I have no special insighton this) that they have solved the problem long-term and have a workaroundin place in the short term. They are going to be as important a partnerfor Notes/Domino customers next week as they are this week. I understand that contingency and "disaster" planning are allimportant parts of IT management. But the vendor says they have multipleplans in place. I'm certainly willing to trust them. IT departmentsplaying "what if" are wise to consider the question, "whatif RIM's workaround doesn't work"...but even that would, I believe,be only a short-term question. With more than four million users,RIM has their entire business at stake. No matter how the cards aredealt, I have to believe they are ready for any hand to play out.
I've received a few e-mails, directly and
through IBMers, asking me what "IBM's recommendation" is on the
Blackberry/RIM vs. NTP thing. With the requisite caveat/reminder
that I am not necessarily representing the views, positions, strategies
or opinions of IBM Corporation or IBM management, I have to say that I
don't see why IBM should have a position on this at all.
My logic is simple. A large ecosystem has developed around mobile and wireless solutions for Notes/Domino. Blackberry/RIM is a great partner, as are Nokia, Commontime, Good Technology, and others. IBM doesn't take formal positions on any one partner being better or recommended in a particular market space. And RIM has formally committed to a workaround in the event of an injunction. Thus, what kind of useful answer could IBM give to the question, anyway?
In my opinion, a suggestion to switch to other mobile/wireless solutions seems extremely short-sighted. RIM says (and I have no special insight on this) that they have solved the problem long-term and have a workaround in place in the short term. They are going to be as important a partner for Notes/Domino customers next week as they are this week.
I understand that contingency and "disaster" planning are all important parts of IT management. But the vendor says they have multiple plans in place. I'm certainly willing to trust them. IT departments playing "what if" are wise to consider the question, "what if RIM's workaround doesn't work"...but even that would, I believe, be only a short-term question. With more than four million users, RIM has their entire business at stake. No matter how the cards are dealt, I have to believe they are ready for any hand to play out.
My logic is simple. A large ecosystem has developed around mobile and wireless solutions for Notes/Domino. Blackberry/RIM is a great partner, as are Nokia, Commontime, Good Technology, and others. IBM doesn't take formal positions on any one partner being better or recommended in a particular market space. And RIM has formally committed to a workaround in the event of an injunction. Thus, what kind of useful answer could IBM give to the question, anyway?
In my opinion, a suggestion to switch to other mobile/wireless solutions seems extremely short-sighted. RIM says (and I have no special insight on this) that they have solved the problem long-term and have a workaround in place in the short term. They are going to be as important a partner for Notes/Domino customers next week as they are this week.
I understand that contingency and "disaster" planning are all important parts of IT management. But the vendor says they have multiple plans in place. I'm certainly willing to trust them. IT departments playing "what if" are wise to consider the question, "what if RIM's workaround doesn't work"...but even that would, I believe, be only a short-term question. With more than four million users, RIM has their entire business at stake. No matter how the cards are dealt, I have to believe they are ready for any hand to play out.
Originally by Ed Brill from Ed Brill on February 22, 2006, 6:56pm