IBM Lotus Symphony
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Developer(s) | IBM |
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Initial release | 2007[1] |
Last release | 3.0.1 FixPack 2 / 29 November 2012[2] |
Development status | discontinued in favour of Apache OpenOffice |
Operating system | Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. |
Type | Office suite, web browser |
License | Proprietary (registerware)[3] |
Website | {{ |
IBM Lotus Symphony is a suite of applications for creating, editing, and sharing text, spreadsheet, presentations and other documents and browsing the world wide web. It is distributed as freeware. First released in 2007,[1] the suite has a name similar to the 1980s DOS suite Lotus Symphony, but the two programs are otherwise unrelated. The previous Lotus application suite, Lotus SmartSuite, is also unrelated.
IBM discontinued development of Lotus Symphony in January 2012 with the final release of version 3.0.1, moving future development effort to Apache OpenOffice, and donating the source code to the Apache Software Foundation.[4]
Contents
Features
IBM Lotus Symphony consists of:
- IBM Lotus Symphony Documents, a word processor
- IBM Lotus Symphony Spreadsheets, a spreadsheet program
- IBM Lotus Symphony Presentations, a presentation program
- a web browser based on Firefox 3[5]
Each application is split into tabs.[6]
Symphony supports the OpenDocument formats as well as the binary Microsoft Office formats.[6][7] It can also export Portable Document Format (PDF) files and import Office Open XML files. Previous support for Lotus SmartSuite formats was disabled in Symphony 3.[7]
Symphony is based on Eclipse Rich Client Platform from IBM Lotus Expeditor (the shell) and OpenOffice.org 3 (the core office-suite code).[8][9]
In 2009, IBM created development tools for BlackBerry smartphones to link to IBM's business software, which also allow opening ODF file-formats,[10] following a full Symphony later.[11]
Lotus Symphony 3.0.1 added enhancements including support for one million spreadsheet rows, bubble charts, and a new design for the home page.[12] On 27 March 2012 a first fixpack update for Lotus Symphony 3.0.1 was released.[13] On 29 November 2012 a second fixpack update for Lotus Symphony 3.0.1 was released.[14]
A web based version of Symphony, called LotusLive Symphony, was launched in 2011.[15]
History
Symphony has its roots in the IBM Workplace Managed Client component of IBM Workplace. In 2006, IBM introduced Workplace Managed Client version 2.6, which included "productivity tools" — a word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation program — that supported ODF.[16][17] Workplace used code from OpenOffice.org version 1.1.4,[18] the last version released under the Sun Industry Standards Source License, which allowed for release of binaries of modified versions without releasing changes.
Later in 2006, IBM announced that Lotus Notes 8, which already incorporated Workplace technology,[19] would also include the same productivity tools as the Workplace Managed Client.[20][21] In 2007, IBM released Notes 8, and then released Notes' productivity tools as a standalone application, Symphony, in a beta one month later. The code in Symphony is the same as that for Notes 8's productivity tools.[22] IBM released version 1.0 of Lotus Symphony in May 2008 as a free download, and introduced three minor upgrades through 2008 and 2009.
In 2010, IBM released version 3.0.[23] Symphony 3.0 was based on OpenOffice.org 3.0, though not under the LGPL but under a special arrangement between IBM and Sun (who required copyright assignment of all outside OpenOffice.org contributions).[23] [24][25][26][27] and includes enhancements such as new sidebars in its user interface and support for Visual Basic for Applications macros,[15] OpenDocument Format 1.2, and OLE.[28] Symphony 3.0 was originally planned to include other existing OpenOffice.org modules, including an equation editor, database software, and a drawing program.[29]
The software was developed by IBM China Development Laboratory, located in Beijing,[30] which now develops Apache OpenOffice.
On 13 July 2011, IBM announced that it would donate Lotus Symphony to the Apache Foundation.[12][31] On 23 January 2012, IBM announced version 3.0.1 would be the last version Lotus Symphony and their efforts would be going into the Apache OpenOffice project,[32] including the Symphony user interface.[33] IBM planned to release an "Apache OpenOffice IBM Edition" after the release of Apache OpenOffice 4,[34] but later decided that it would offer the stock Apache OpenOffice with IBM extensions.[35]
There were complaints that IBM and the Apache Software Foundation didn't really provide an open-source release of the Lotus Symphony code, although IBM promised to donate the code to Apache. It was reported that some LibreOffice developers wanted to overtake some code parts and bug fixes which IBM already fixed in their OpenOffice fork.[36]
During the Lotusphere event in 2009, IBM confirmed its cost-reduction effort using Lotus Symphony, with the company migrating its 400,000 users from Microsoft Office to Lotus Symphony.[37] In June 2008 IBM urged its 20 000 'strong-techies' employees to use Symphony instead of Microsoft Office[38] and later in September 2009 IBM forced all 360 000 employees to use Symphony.[39]
In March 2009, a study showed that Lotus Symphony had a 2% market share in the corporate market.[40]
As of February 2010[update], IBM stated that Lotus Symphony had 12 million users[41] with 50 million downloads in January 2011.[15]
Version release dates
- Beta 1
-
- Released on 18 September 2007[42]
- Beta 2
-
- Released on 5 November 2007[43]
- Beta 4
- Version 1.0
-
- Released on 30 May 2008[48]
- Version 1.1
-
- Released on 29 August 2008[49]
- Version 3 Beta
-
- Released on 4 February 2010[54]
- Version 3 Beta 2
- Version 3 Beta 3
-
- Released on 7 June 2010
- Version 3 Beta 4
-
- Released on 26 August 2010[56]
- Version 3.0
-
- Released 21 October 2010[57]
- Version 3.0 FixPack 1
-
- Released 13 January 2011[58]
- Version 3.0 FixPack 2
-
- Released 20 April 2011[59]
- Version 3.0 FixPack 3
-
- Released 20 July 2011[60]
- Version 3.0.1
-
- Released 23 January 2012[61]
- Version 3.0.1 FixPack 1
-
- Released 27 March 2012[13]
- Version 3.0.1 FixPack 2
-
- Released 29 November 2012[2]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 IBM Lotus Symphony - Buzz: Symphony 3.0.1 FIXPACK 2 is Now AVAILABLE
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ IBM Lotus Symphony: Buzz Lotus Symphony Version 3 is NOW AVAILABLE, 21 October 2010
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 IBM Lotus Symphony - Buzz: Symphony 3.0.1 FIXPACK 1 is Now AVAILABLE
- ↑ Symphony 3.0.1 FIXPACK 2 is Now AVAILABLE
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Todd Weiss, IBM Workplace client to support Open Document Format in '06, Computerworld, 4 December 2005
- ↑ IBM Press Release, IBM Announces New Version of Workplace Products With Enhanced Support for Open Standards and Improved SOA Functionality, 23 January 2006
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Ed Brill, "Hannover" — announcing the next (post 7.0) version of Lotus Notes, 14 June 2005
- ↑ IBM Press Release, IBM Makes Collaborative Innovation Real With Preview of Next Generation IBM Lotus Notes Client, 16 May 2006.
- ↑ Candace Lombardi, IBM backs OpenDocument in Lotus Notes, CNET News, 16 May 2006.
- ↑ Ed Brill, Introducing IBM Lotus Symphony, desktop productivity software at no charge, 18 September 2007 — see comment 41
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Edward Mendelson, IBM Lotus Symphony Beta review, "...Now the Bad News" section, 21 September 2007
- ↑ IBM Translates Lotus Symphony for a Globally Integrated World
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found..
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lotus Symphony code for OpenOffice coming soon [LWN.net]
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Symphony 3.0 beta signals IBM attack on Office
- ↑ IBM Press Release, IBM Releases Office Desktop Software at No Charge to Foster Collaboration and Innovation, 18 September 2007
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, Lotus Symphony Beta 2 Release Now Available, 5 November 2007
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, Lotus Symphony Beta 3 Release Now Available, 17 December 2007
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, Lotus Symphony Beta 3 Now Available in 23 Languages, 7 January 2008
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, Lotus Symphony Beta 4 Has Arrived, 1 February 2008
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, Symphony Beta 4 Code Update Now Available, 3 March 2008
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, Announcing — IBM Lotus Symphony Version 1.0 is Now Available, 30 May 2008
- ↑ Ed Brill, Lotus Symphony 1.1 is now available, 29 August 2008
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, Lotus Symphony Release 1.2 with Mac OS X Support Available, 4 November 2008
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, Symphony version 1.2 refresh available, 23 February 2009
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, Lotus Symphony 1.3 is HERE, 10 June 2009
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, What fixes are included in the IBM Lotus Symphony 1.3 refresh version?, 1 September 2009
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, IBM launches Lotus Symphony 3 beta, 4 February 2010
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, IBM Lotus Symphony 3 Beta 2 is now available, 4 February 2010
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, IBM Lotus Symphony 3 Beta 4 is now available, 26 August 2010
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, Lotus Symphony Version 3 is NOW AVAILABLE, 21 October 2010
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, [1], 13 January 2011
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, [2], 20 April 2011
- ↑ Lotus Symphony Buzz, [3], 20 July 2011
- ↑ IBM Lotus Symphony 3.0.1 is now available, [4], 23 January 2012
External links
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- Office suites
- 2007 software
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- Office suites for Linux
- Lotus Software software
- OpenOffice
- Office suites for OS X
- OS X word processors
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suites for Windows