"IBM plans to announce today a software strategy for corporate desktop personal computers and hand-held devices - one that is firmly anchored in the company's strength in data centers. The IBM offerings include new Lotus Workplace software for PC's and hand-held devices, but most of the critical software resides on server computers in corporate data centers. Workers can tap into their e-mail messages, calendar, work group and other software using a Web browser. The approach harks back to a low-cost model of computing - known as "thin client" computing - promoted in the late 1990's by Sun Microsystems and Oracle as an alternative to Microsoft's hefty desktop programs," reports The New York Times [free reg req'd].
"A worker using the Workplace software by IBM can still run Microsoft Office programs. But IBM also offers alternatives, built on free software from the open source project OpenOffice.org, including a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation software."
Comment: It sounds rather like something Citrix, Microsoft and others have been doing for years (Citrix MetaFrame, Windows Terminal Services etc), but the price may make it interesting. Also, if IBM is re-using the Workplace name, does that mean it thinks everyone has forgotten how OS/2 crashed and burned?
