IBMs Lotus software unit launched a new version of its Sametime collaboration package that allows companies to integrate the communications system with some of the most popular free instant messaging applications.
As expected, Lotus launched Sametime 7.5—which includes tools for Web conferencing and IM, as well as sharing and editing documents online—at Lotusphere in Orlando, Fla. The update includes several major additions previously detailed, most notably a new development platform aimed at giving companies the ability to create their own collaborative Web services programs.
However, in crafting the system into the mold of what IBM officials call a “real-time collaboration platform,” IBM surprised conference goers by announcing it also has established ties be- tween Sametime 7.5 and a number of free IM applications, as well as with companies providing widely used audio and video communications software.