Added to the existing browser support will be Domino Off-Line Services. DOLS brings an almost replication-like ability to browser users that will allow disconnected browser access to Domino-based applications. I asked Donna if this was just a repackaging of the old Weblicator product. She replied that while some of the underlying technical plumbing was very similar, no more than 10% to 15% of the DOLS product is from Weblicator.

The iNotes CAL is also what will allow Outlook users to access Domino servers. Lotus has promised iNotes for the second half of 2000. By the way, they're currently only promising support for Outlook '98 and Outlook '2000 so you might want to start budgeting for those Win2K upgrades soon.

See Figure B for a 50,000 foot view of the new "Notes" product landscape (15,240 meters).

FIGURE B


Here's a 50,000 foot view of the new Notes product landscape. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Now let's talk about those fabulous prizes
I don't know about you, but I don't think that any review of a conference would be complete without the author giving out some gratuitous prizes, so here are mine:

Best marketing activity
TeamStudio hired an airplane with a banner to fly above the Swan and Dolphin hotel grounds before the Sunday night kick-off party. Honorable mention goes to The AS/400 group from IBM who also hired an illuminated blimp to fly around late into the night. Despite all the press it would have gotten them, the Ives plane didn't attack the blimp. Not even once. Too bad.

Best prize giveaway
The IBM AS/400 team gave away a bright yellow corvette. Honorable mention goes to AT&T for the bright yellow Lotus mobile phones that were seen everywhere during the 'sphere. They were pre-loaded with two weeks of unlimited US of A long distance for free! Ya gotta love that.

Best giveaway
How'd you like to add the specimen shown in Figure C to your personal address book?

FIGURE C


If only I had won this car. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Most annoying giveaway
The damn yellow AT&T phone that one out of ten people were carrying around. It was painfully obvious by Monday morning that at least a third of the people who had gotten the phones had never, ever had a mobile phone before in their lives. They were calling and talking over lunch while eating, calling in the middle of breakout sessions, making calls from the bathroom (no, I'm not making that up). It got real annoying, real fast, as shown in Figure D. AT&T gave away 1,000 of these babies and there was a lot of grumbling about how some people were invited to participate and others were not. My personal opinion is that only people that live in areas that have PocketNet service were invited to the party.

FIGURE D


Look Boss, the pain, the pain! Roll over picture for a larger image.

Best Vendor Party
Speaking of parties, hands down, this one goes to Internoded. I've got just three words for you on this subject: frozen vodka shots.

Worst Beacon Award Selection
Lotus gave AVT the Beacon award for Best Messaging Solution. Oh, by the way, maybe Lotus forgot to mention that AVT is the same company that they just formed a strategic alliance with. Good one Lotus. The Lotus Business Partner program really needs to clean up its act before the Beacon Award is seen as a beauty contest for Lotus' favorites only.