IBM to deliver server-based apps

IBM Corp. wants government agencies to use the same productivity applications, regardless of computing device and operating system, by running them off a server. The company's new Workplace Client Technology aims to create server-based applications that are easy to manage and can run on desktops, notebooks and wireless devices using Windows, Unix, Linux or another operating system.

Applications run in a Web browser with middleware handling access control and client management. IBM introduced a pair of server-based packages, Lotus Workplace Messaging and Lotus Workplace Documents, that offer the kind of collaboration features that Notes users would be familiar with.