Lotus Brings Document Sharing To The Web

Lotus Development Corp. next month will ship a Webcollaboration package designed to let businesses use theInternet to let employees in different locations sharedocuments and work on them simultaneously. QuickPlace is aninexpensive alternative to intranet groupware packages such asNotes, Lotus says. It's designed to use the Web to set updocument libraries for nonspecialized, short-term projects.

The package is installed and run over the Web for users withPCs that have browsers. It includes typical components ofgroupware packages: document sharing, document libraries,calendaring, and more. QuickPlace includes easy developmenttools that let users build online document libraries withoutextensive training. It comes with an HTML editor so users cancreate HTML documents without having to do any codingthemselves.

Lotus will offer a number of packaging options. Customers canget QuickPlace through service providers such as AmericaOnline, or they can buy it and run it as part of an intranetor extranet. A standalone copy will be priced at $995;individual client licenses will be $40. Lotus will also bundleQuickPlace with its forthcoming Notes release 5 client. Usersdon't have to run Lotus Notes to use QuickPlace, but if theydo they can tie in Notes release 5 features.