1 post tagged “lotusphereogs”
Wow, wow, and thrice wow!
Managed to get a front row centre position, right in front of the main Lotusphere Stage, 7000+ people sat right behind. It's 8am, the session is scheduled for 8:30am, eager folks are pouring into the room. It's so full folks are standing at the back and around the sides. The main Dolphin Ballroom is vast, simply vast. So big in fact that they need to have four sets of screen hung from the ceiling to allow everyone to see the events unfolding. There is definitely a buzz about the place this year, far more than any previous 'Sphere I've been to.
The A-list bloggers have seats on the front row too, left and right. I see Bruce, Volker, Bill (kilt and lightsabre at the ready).
The IBMers begin to come in, Mike Rhodin (Lotus GM), Ed, Alan, Ken and all the usual suspects, they have front row seats too.
The stage is vast, the screen at the back simply amazing - it's huge, incredible detail and luscious wonderful graphics are being displayed. The theme for Lotusphere 2007 is writ large "IT revolves around YOU". The stage is set up with a desk ready for the demos (cue Ron Sebastian we expect), and there is a set for the band on the far right, a big band too it looks...
8:15, The lights dim, on comes the band. Wow, they're good. Beatles, Bowie and more play. People are up on their feet dancing. Again more buzz, more showmanship than I ever remember apart from the '99 I AM days.
8:30, on comes Mike Rhodin (I'll some up the keynote later...).
Introduces the guest speaker, better than anyone had predicted - Neil Armstrong! Wow, standing ovation all round. An incredible moment. He explains the IT that backed up the moon landing - computer with 4kb memory and one 7-digit register. Describes the accuracy of the ocean drop (aircraft carrier in Carribean, landed in Pacific!), and some anecdotes too. Awesome stuff - though frail and slightly faltering of speach, he holds the audience supremely well, and everyone is reveted. Standing ovation as he leaves the stage.
Keynotes follow, announcing updates to Sametime and Notes. New version of Quickplace (Lotus Quickr - I love it!) that is free for the Personal Edition. New version of Portal Express, death of (doesnot)Workplace, about time.
Last but not least, Lotus Connections - blogging, wikis, shared bookmarks and activity-based computing for the masses. This is going to be big. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the time for talking about the value of Social Networking in business is over, the time for making it happen is now...
A wonderful Opening Session... More detailed analysis and updates later, but for now, I am sure this is going to be a great conference...
