Notes users can also start a Sametime chat from a SharePoint document, and transfer documents within the Sametime instant messaging client.

Notes users can also access team contacts from Notes. Future releases will federate team calendars into Lotus Notes calendars and provide offline access to SharePoint documents.

Mainsoft also enables enterprise IT to incorporate email into an enterprise content management solution based on SharePoint. Users can capture, manage, and protect Notes email in SharePoint, meeting compliance requirements and minimizing the risk of information loss. Email messages can be stored alongside relevant documents and files, providing the context to business decisions.

Finally, we support business mashups and composite applications running on the Notes desktop. Data and business logic from different systems -- SharePoint, Notes and Domino, Java and .NET applications -- can be integrated into business processes without the cost and expense of re-coding everything onto a single platform.

David: Have you done any sort of implementation-cost comparison between, say, buying your product and doing a migration to Exchange?

Philippe: The cost of a migration varies significantly depending on the number of Lotus Notes users in your organization; the number and complexity of your Domino applications, your existing hardware, software, and so on.

Coexistence using Mainsoft software and services costs a fraction of the cost of a migration because you're reusing the assets you already have. You maintain your Notes investments, including your Domino applications, licenses, hardware, and IT staffing. There's no need to invest in new licenses, hardware, storage, server operating systems, etc.

David: I understand your product is a Notes 8 product. Can you tell me about that?

Philippe: Mainsoft SharePoint Integrator is a Lotus Notes 8 sidebar application that leverages the Notes 8 Eclipse-based architecture. It's developed with the Eclipse RCP Framework and integrates with the Notes infrastructure, including Notes user preferences and the Notes account framework.

At the other end, Mainsoft SharePoint Integrator works with SharePoint (WSS and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server) using the documented Web interfaces.

David: What does 8.5 offer to you as a developer on 8.5 vs. 8.0?

Philippe: Basing Notes 8.0 on the Eclipse RPC framework was a great improvement for developers. The new open, plug-in-based architecture of Notes made it easier for developers to extend Notes in ways they never thought would be possible. Mainsoft used many of the new extension points in the SharePoint Integrator. For example, we used the org.eclipse.ui.preferencePages extension to add a new page to Notes configuration settings. Another example is the com.ibm.rcp.ui.shelfViews extension, which helped us add a SharePoint Documents panel to the Notes sidebar.

With Notes 8.5, IBM will add additional extension points and APIs that help developers leverage the Notes platform. For example, Notes 8.5 will allow you to add external content to the Calendar, Contacts, and To Do applications using a new interface called IExternalContentDelegate. Mainsoft will use this interface to federate SharePoint calendars, contacts, and tasks inside Notes PIM applications.