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| IBM Lotus SmartSuite | |
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 Lotus SmartCenter icon and screenshot of the Lotus SmartCenter toolbar |
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| Developed by | IBM |
| Latest release | 9.8.5 / 2007 |
| OS | Microsoft Windows, OS/2 |
| Type | Office suite |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | http://www.ibm.com/software/lotus/products/smartsuite/ |
SmartSuite is an office suite from IBM's Lotus Software group. IBM purchased Lotus in 1995 and Lotus made versions for IBM's OS/2, as well as Windows versions.
SmartSuite is in maintenance mode, and supported with fixes and fixpacks on Windows 2000 and Windows XP. SmartSuite is not officially supported by IBM on the Windows Vista operating system, but it does work on the 32-bit version of Vista if the installer and applications are run in XP compatibility mode (this isn't needed to install or run Organizer 6). IBM has no plans to release specific Vista-compatible versions of SmartSuite or Organizer. [1]
In 2007, IBM introduced a new office suite called Lotus Symphony.
Contents |
Components
The following applications are included in SmartSuite for Microsoft Windows:
- Lotus Word Pro — word processor (previously called Ami Pro) - .lwp files
- Lotus 1-2-3 — spreadsheet - .123, .wk1, .wk3, .wk4 files
- Lotus Freelance Graphics — presentation software - .prz files
- Lotus Approach — relational database - .apr (data entry & reports), .dbf (database) files
- Lotus Organizer — personal information manager - .org .or2 .or3 files
- Lotus SmartCenter — a toolbar that let users quickly access programs, their calendar, Internet bookmarks, and other resources
- Lotus FastSite — web design software - .htm files
- Lotus ScreenCam — recording of screen activity for demos and tutorials - .scm, .exe, .wav files
Version history
Microsoft Windows
- 1994 — 2.1 (Ami Pro 3.0, 1-2-3 4.0, Freelance Graphics 2.0, Approach 2.0 and Organizer 1.1)
- SmartSuite 3.1 (Windows 3.11) — (Lotus 1-2-3 vers. 5, Approach 3.0, Ami Pro 3.1, Freelance Graphics 2.1, Organizer 2.1, ScreenCam 1.1).
- (1996) — SmartSuite 97 — Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 (1-2-3 97, Word Pro 97, Approach 97, Freelance Graphics 97, Organizer 97, ScreenCam 4.0 and SmartCenter)
- (1999) — SmartSuite Millennium Edition (9.5) — (Organizer 5.0, Fastsite release 2, WordPro Millennium Edition, 1-2-3 Millennium Edition, Freelance Graphics Millennium Edition, Approach Millennium Edition, SmartCenter and ScreenCam).
- October 2002: Latest version: SmartSuite Millennium Edition 9.8. Fixpack 3 was released in October 2005 and Fixpack 4 in October 2006. A subsequent Fixpack 5 was released in October 2007, although this Fixpack only contains changes to the Lotus Approach database software, perhaps indicating that active maintenance of this product is drawing to a close.[2]
Compatibility
Most or all SmartSuite programs are capable of reading and writing the corresponding Microsoft Office files. The Microsoft programs, however, are capable of reading only a few vintage formats of the Lotus programs, such as the older 1-2-3 .wks and .wk1 files. Furthermore, several of the SmartSuite components provide functionality not found in the Microsoft Office suite, for example Lotus FastSite and Lotus SmartCenter.
IBM versus Microsoft
In his finding of facts for United States v. Microsoft, Judge Jackson determined that because of IBM's marketing of Lotus SmartSuite, and other alternatives to Microsoft products, Microsoft "punished the IBM PC Company with higher prices, a late license for Windows 95, and the withholding of technical and marketing support."[3]
IBM wasn't granted OEM rights for Windows 95 until 15 minutes prior to the release of Windows 95, August 24, 1995. Because of this uncertainty, IBM machines were sold without Windows 95, while Compaq, HP and other indulgent companies sold machines with Windows 95 from day one. [4]
See also
References
External links
- Lotus SmartSuite page
- SmartSuite technical forum
- The XpertSS - Support for Users of the Lotus SmartSuite
- Free viewer for Lotus SmartSuite products (EXE)
- Fix list for SmartSuite for Windows 9.8 and fix packs
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