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****************************** WarpCast ******************************
Source: Henry Ferlauto (ferlauto@mindspring.com)
Moderator: Thomas Bradford (admin@os2ss.com)
**********************************************************************
 
Title:  Lotus halts eSuite development 
Author:  Nancy Weil, IDG News Service\Boston Bureau 
Date:  September 9, 1999 

http://www.idg.net/idgns/1999/09/09/LotusHaltsESuiteDevelopm
ent.shtml

*** Text of Article Follows ***

BOSTON (09/09/99) - Rumors of the death of Lotus 
Development Corp.'s eSuite desktop software line proved 
true today as the company confirmed it has pulled the plug 
on marketing and development.

The Java-based set of business productivity applets that 
comprise the eSuite line "has not done as well in the 
market as the company had hoped," said Paul LaBelle, a 
Lotus spokesman. About 50 Lotus business partners globally 
have developed applications on or with eSuite "and a small 
handful of end-users are using it," but otherwise the line 
has languished.

The line, released with a splash in late 1997, was designed 
for the network computing model, which has users of desktop 
PCs or network computers accessing servers to download 
applets for desktop machines, as needed. The idea is that 
users won't need more expensive computers loaded with 
software, but will instead need only an Internet browser 
for use on machines that cost as little as a few hundred 
dollars. Dramatic drops in the prices of PCs seem to have 
derailed the market for network computing, which many users 
resisted because they want to have software on their 
desktops.

LaBelle said he wouldn't comment on why eSuite didn't sell 
as well as Lotus had hoped. While marketing and development 
for the line will end, Lotus will release eSuite Workplace 
2.0 by the end of next month and will continue to support 
the product line for existing customers until January 2001, 
LaBelle said. Workplace offers access to e-mail, Web 
browsing, file management and business productivity 
applets, including a word processor, calendar, address book 
and spread sheet.

Technology used in eSuite will be integrated into other 
Lotus software in the company's three key areas -- 
collaborative computing, distributed learning and knowledge 
management, LaBelle said. Which technology will be 
integrated and into what lines has yet to be decided.

About 200 Lotus employees worldwide work on developing and 
marketing eSuite and 50 of them will stay with the line to 
offer continued support and service, with 150 being moved 
to other areas in Lotus and its parent, IBM Corp.

Lotus, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, can be reached at +1-
617-577-8500 or at http://www.lotus.com.






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