IBM is fully committed. Oh, wait.
by Volker Weber
For the last two years, IBM UK have sponsored at Silver level. That's £1250 - or enough to support 12.5 people at the event (less than IBM actually have at the event!).
Comments
I'm afraid the same is true all over the world as user information and their feedback is expected to be provided and found in social networks.
Given the support I see at AUSLUG from IBM, I find this a little unusual for such a poor effort from IBM UK. Now that warren has vented, I suspect something will happen... hopefully.. maybe
@Giulio - I'm not betting on it...
If charging attendees ¢100-¢150 for an annual conference wont fly, then that is one seriously marginal technology community.
Notes is widely perceived as a dead technology. IBM's lack of marketing or backing for the product just reinforces that - it doesn't matter what it can actually do, it's not going to grow with those constraints.
I do feel for people that still promote and encourage it, and I can see its strengths, but it's not going to turn around without investment.
@Sam. There is marketing, but IBM's message is quite "noisy", they talk in big picture terms, (perhaps in crayon?), which has no sharp edges to it, and there is alot of it.
They promote Notes as email and "social" technology exclusively, custom Notes systems are no longer the flavour of the month, hasn't been for some time, despite it being one of the key strengths that supports their customer base all these years.
@Jeff Not surprised that it's a marginalised community considering IBM UK can only kick in ¢1250. It's less than a senior IBM exec's lunch money for a month. Something not right there. AUSLug is a smaller market with a much bigger contribution from IBM.
I should also say that AUSLug is always a great success. It does stir up market interest and enables me and other sponsors to generate leads and demonstrate that Notes/Domino can support new innovation for business.. Sales cycles are long, and events like this create an additional touch point for customers to invest in the people, not just the technology. (Yes, I know it sounds a bit corny, and No, I am not paid to say this).
Giulio - Just so you know UKLUG/BLUG etc are also always a great success. It's a "shot in the arm" for customers, partners and even the IBM people that attend. Just IBM (that multi billion $20 a-share-demanding) don't have the money to throw a few thousand at it.
@Paul. I understand. Please don't assume that I think the Euro/UK LUGs are not successful, I read the blogs and seen the photos, wish I could go, but it's too far away....
I think it’s important not to conflate ICON and the LUGs in general with Notes. There’s more to the offerings at these events than that.
If the LUGs were solely about coding Lotusscript the right way I’d understand IBM’s reticence.
I guess IBM UK just want to fly the flag for that shareholder value thing due in a couple of years. Whoop.
Ben - completely agree. The issue is the lack of style of IBM UK.
