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Lotus-IBM launch Lotus Notes in Hindi and Tamil

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DQW Bureau
New Update

Cyber News Service


New Delhi, Sep 11

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Lotus-IBM recently announced the launch of Lotus' flagship groupware,

messaging and collaboration product, Lotus Notes version 5.0.4 in Hindi and

Tamil. This version will support two primary scripts--Devanagari and

Tamil--which would also enable the usage of Marathi and Konkani at a later

stage. This launch is the first in a series of other software in local

languages. Another two or three months will see the launch of Universal Database

2, IBM's database product in local languages. In 2001, the local version of

Websphere, a software for Web enabling business applications, will be launched.

Thereafter, the RISC UNIX OS will support Hindi, following which OS/400, IBM's

mid-range operating system will also be available in Hindi.

Priced at Rs 5,000 per seat (same as the English version), Lotus Notes in

Hindi will be targeted primarily at the government and public sector

organizations, banking, finance and insurance companies, the education sector,

private corporates, social welfare organizations and NGOs.

Lotus is currently doing a ‘Notes in Hindi’ pilot project for the

Rajasthan government. It is also in talks with the UP government and other

non-government public sector organizations for the deployment of Notes in Hindi.

However, according to Souma S Das, Country Manager, Lotus India, none of the

deals have been finalized as yet.

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The product will also be sold to independent software vendors, application

developers and existing business partners. New business partners in the B and C

class town and cities will also be appointed.

Talking about the potential of the local language market in India, Vishwesh

Padmanabhan, Country Manager (Software and Solution Developer Marketing), IBM

India, said, "In a study commissioned by IBM to IIIT Bangalore, it was

found out that this segment could become a $ 29 million opportunity over the

next five years. It is seeing this opportunity that IBM decided to focus on

focusing on the local languages."

IBM has not set itself a target, in terms of revenues, installed base or

marketshare for Notes in Hindi. Said Padmanabhan, "It is very difficult to

estimate the market size. All we have is the figure from the study that we

commissioned to IIIT Bangalore."

IBM had in 1997 launched the Hindi version of DOS. Though Padmanabhan could

not give any figures in terms of installed base of the product, he did say that

it was an extremely popular and a well-received product.

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