Closing thoughts on Lotusphere 2011 - Review and Year ahead

Chris Connor  February 4 2011 08:34:49 AM

Got a couple of hours to spare before catching flight back to Scotland via JFK and Dublin. Can finally relax for an hour or two. This is my third Lotusphere and by far the best. I guess I am getting better at it and hopefully next year will be as good if not better again.

Stand out points for me?
 
1. The people - lots of good people doing well in our business. They are passionate and many (like me) pay personally to come here - it is expensive but we are really motivated to make it work. Got to meet a lot of good guys (Paul / Duncan @ intec, Andy @ Polymorph, David (Mr NotesIn9), Wayne / Phil, Darren Duke - the list is endless). The social part of the community is vital and it's easy to see that everyone gets the new social business message.
2. XPages - it is really getting a foothold now. The technology is rock solid and proven in customers. The difference in "show of hands" calls around XPages adoption questions in sessions between this year and last is stark. Bet David Leedy wishes he had a license fee for each one of his cheet sheets that were handed out....Glad that I made the big commitment a couple of years ago to make XPages my direction - it was absolutely the right choice for my customers too. I will continue to progress this and have some very interesting plans here moving forward.
3. "Notes Next" and the social business "features" of the project vulcan roadmap are starting to move from vapour-ware to product. Connections, Activity Streams, LotusLive Symphony, new APIs, Traveller / Mobile are all interesting and unique offerings - nobody else is doing it like IBM. XPages are the glue for all of this. Got confidence in the future and the timing could not be better.
4. Point 3 brings us to "Project Liberate". As a partner I should be more engaging with this. I wish IBM would increase awareness of this initiative a bit more. It is an excellent and valuable service offering. All we are asking is for a little of the customers time to see if we can same him money. Hundreds of customers have used this service and saved huge numbers - Nothing to lose and everything to gain...

So moving ahead next year? Got a lot to do - need to be more visible and work better with the people I have met. I know its going to be a good year. Just need to get home first (Aer Lingus are doing their utmost to stop me from leaving the country with their cancellation of flights - don't get me started!)
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