I don’t have a ship date yet for IBM Lotus Sametime 8.5.1, but (no surprise) I’m already using it. A couple of weeks ago I installed the Sametime Connect 8.5.1 client on Ubuntu 10.04, and this week (while enjoying some conference calls) I installed the ’embedded’ version of Sametime 8.5.1 into Lotus Notes 8.5.1.
As always with a point release there’s a few enhancements and a few bug fixes. But the really important thing about Sametime 8.5.1 in my humble opinion is that it supports all of Sametime’s extra trimmings – so now in one client you can enjoy the Advanced features (chat rooms, the broadcast suite), Sametime 8.5 meeting rooms, and Sametime Unified Telephony.
Click on the small image to see the entire Sametime family installed into the Notes side-bar.
Just to clarify in case anyone gets confused by this, this doesn’t mean you are entitled to use all the features. You are only entitled to use them if you have licensed them.
Good point Carl, and totally correct. This refers to them all working in one client assuming that you have a license.
Meetings are included with Sametime Standard and Advanced. If you have Advanced, it has all the Standard features and more.
Chat rooms and broadcast communities are part of Sametime Advanced.
Sametime Unified Telephony is a separate license and requires a Sametime Standard or Advanced license.
Does that mean, that if I install Sametime 8.5.1 client, it automatically installs all the plugins for advanced and standard, even if I dont want them to be installed or is the installer customizable?
I assume, it does not support a/v with lower versions of Sametime (8.0.x, 7.5.1)? 🙁
Dennis… re. the install, the short answer is I don’t know. The install package I get internally has everything enabled because we don’t have to worry about the license. Under Windows it runs from InstallShield, with my limited knowledge I’d say that can be modified before being pushed to users, right?
Regarding audio / video… again, I’m not the technical expert on this stuff and I don’t know enough about the architecture. I’ll see if I can find out though.
Thx Darren.
I guess the installer for the embedded ST8.5.1 client will be like ST8.5, that means it’s installed through the plugin manager, not from installshield, but we will see.
I can tell you that the embedded version I installed did use InstallShield, not through the plug-in manager.
ok 😉
Hello Darren
Nice to hear that Sametime 8.5.1 is getting better. Where can i get it? Shall i contact Akiba to apply for the Beta Program?
Cheers
Martin
Hi Martin… 8.5.1 is very close now (don’t know exact date). Therefore, no beta program to join.
Akiba has moved on from the Sametime team and joined the Information Management brand. John Delpizzo took over as the Sametime Program Director.
I am told that 8.5.1 is now available for download via Passport.