Lotus changes name to reflect IBM integration
IBM subsidiary Lotus Development is changing its name to Lotus Software Group as part of IBM's "ongoing integration" of Lotus,...
Stunkard said the name switch did not signal any radical changes. "They continue to be one of the four major brands within IBM Software," along with Tivoli, DB2 and WebSphere.
IBM acquired Lotus in 1995, but allowed the company to continue functioning fairly autonomously for several years. Earlier this year IBM and Lotus stepped up their integration efforts, reorganising Lotus internally and eliminating "redundancies" in their business operations.
Big Blue has been cagey about its integration of Lotus. While executives in Lotus' offices in Italy and the Philippines have said that Lotus will be completely absorbed by IBM by the end of this year, IBM and Lotus representatives frequently downplay or decline to comment on reports about the integration.
IBM is committed to the Lotus brand and products, Stunkard stressed, adding that Lotus still maintains its own sales and marketing forces.
