Iris Associates: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|American technology company}} |
{{short description|American technology company}} |
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'''Iris Associates''' was an American [[software development]] company founded in 1984. It developed the software for [[Lotus Notes]] (subsequently IBM Notes). Iris worked under contract with [[Lotus Development]] Corporation until 1994, when it was bought by Lotus. |
'''Iris Associates''' was an American [[software development]] company founded in 1984. It developed the software for [[Lotus Notes]] (subsequently IBM Notes). Iris worked under contract with [[Lotus Development]] Corporation until 1994, when it was bought by Lotus.<ref name=":0" /> |
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==Founding== |
==Founding== |
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Iris Associates was founded in [[Westford, Massachusetts]] on December 7, 1984 by [[Ray Ozzie]]. Tim Halvorsen and [[Len Kawell]], who joined Iris shortly afterwards in January 1985, met Ray Ozzie years before when all of them were working on the [[University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign|University of Illinois]] [[PLATO system]]. They are widely regarded as the core team behind the creation of Lotus Notes. Len Kawell was the author of PDP-11 Notes and a predecessor of [[VAX Notes]], which shared similar functionality to Lotus Notes but predated the graphical interface of the PC. |
Iris Associates was founded in [[Westford, Massachusetts]] on December 7, 1984, by [[Ray Ozzie]]. Tim Halvorsen and [[Len Kawell]], who joined Iris shortly afterwards in January 1985, met Ray Ozzie years before when all of them were working on the [[University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign|University of Illinois]] [[PLATO system]]. They are widely regarded as the core team behind the creation of Lotus Notes. Len Kawell was the author of PDP-11 Notes and a predecessor of [[VAX Notes]], which shared similar functionality to Lotus Notes but predated the graphical interface of the PC. |
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==Relationship with Lotus Development Corporation== |
==Relationship with Lotus Development Corporation== |
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The company's primary funding came from a [[contract]]ual relationship with [[Lotus Development]] Corporation (later known as Lotus Software), best known at the time for its [[Lotus 1-2-3]] spreadsheet software. Lotus funded development of Iris's product (then code-named simply "Notes") in exchange for a future option to purchase exclusive [[intellectual property]], [[marketing]], and [[sales]] rights. After this option was exercised years later by Lotus, Iris was additionally compensated through [[royalties]] on gross product sales. Lotus Notes was brought to market on Iris's 5th anniversary, December 7, 1989. |
The company's primary funding came from a [[contract]]ual relationship with [[Lotus Development]] Corporation (later known as Lotus Software), best known at the time for its [[Lotus 1-2-3]] spreadsheet software. Lotus funded development of Iris's product (then code-named simply "Notes") in exchange for a future option to purchase exclusive [[intellectual property]], [[marketing]], and [[sales]] rights. After this option was exercised years later by Lotus, Iris was additionally compensated through [[royalties]] on gross product sales. Lotus Notes was brought to market on Iris's 5th anniversary, December 7, 1989. |
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The author/publisher contractual relationship between Iris Associates and Lotus Development continued until 1994, when Iris was purchased by Lotus for approximately US$84 million.<ref>{{cite news|title=COMPANY NEWS; Lotus Buying Developer Of Its Notes Software|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/24/business/company-news-lotus-buying-developer-of-its-notes-software.html|work=The New York Times|date=May 24, 1994}}</ref> |
The author/publisher contractual relationship between Iris Associates and Lotus Development continued until 1994, when Iris was purchased by Lotus for approximately US$84 million.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|title=COMPANY NEWS; Lotus Buying Developer Of Its Notes Software|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/24/business/company-news-lotus-buying-developer-of-its-notes-software.html|work=The New York Times|date=May 24, 1994}}</ref> |
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==Success of Lotus Notes== |
==Success of Lotus Notes== |
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[[Category:1984 establishments in Massachusetts]] |
[[Category:1984 establishments in Massachusetts]] |
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[[Category:1994 disestablishments in Massachusetts]] |
[[Category:1994 disestablishments in Massachusetts]] |
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[[Category:IBM subsidiaries]] |
[[Category:Former IBM subsidiaries]] |
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[[Category:1994 mergers and acquisitions]] |
[[Category:1994 mergers and acquisitions]] |
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Latest revision as of 05:12, 4 January 2022
Iris Associates was an American software development company founded in 1984. It developed the software for Lotus Notes (subsequently IBM Notes). Iris worked under contract with Lotus Development Corporation until 1994, when it was bought by Lotus.[1]
Founding[edit]
Iris Associates was founded in Westford, Massachusetts on December 7, 1984, by Ray Ozzie. Tim Halvorsen and Len Kawell, who joined Iris shortly afterwards in January 1985, met Ray Ozzie years before when all of them were working on the University of Illinois PLATO system. They are widely regarded as the core team behind the creation of Lotus Notes. Len Kawell was the author of PDP-11 Notes and a predecessor of VAX Notes, which shared similar functionality to Lotus Notes but predated the graphical interface of the PC.
Relationship with Lotus Development Corporation[edit]
The company's primary funding came from a contractual relationship with Lotus Development Corporation (later known as Lotus Software), best known at the time for its Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet software. Lotus funded development of Iris's product (then code-named simply "Notes") in exchange for a future option to purchase exclusive intellectual property, marketing, and sales rights. After this option was exercised years later by Lotus, Iris was additionally compensated through royalties on gross product sales. Lotus Notes was brought to market on Iris's 5th anniversary, December 7, 1989.
The author/publisher contractual relationship between Iris Associates and Lotus Development continued until 1994, when Iris was purchased by Lotus for approximately US$84 million.[1]
Success of Lotus Notes[edit]
Only a year later, in the face of the rapid decline of its desktop business, Lotus itself was purchased by IBM for approximately US$3.5 billion[2] and Notes became branded as IBM Notes. Approximately US$3 billion of this price is generally attributed to the purchase of the Notes business.
At the time of the IBM purchase, Lotus reported that Notes had approximately 2.2 million users. In 2004, nearing the 20th anniversary of the founding of Iris Associates, IBM reported that Notes has over 110 million users.
References[edit]
- ^ a b "COMPANY NEWS; Lotus Buying Developer Of Its Notes Software". The New York Times. May 24, 1994.
- ^ Rifkin, Glenn (January 15, 1996). "Lotus Notes And I.B.M.: Still Happy Together?". The New York Times.
External links[edit]
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- Defunct companies based in Massachusetts
- American companies established in 1984
- Software companies established in 1984
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- 1994 disestablishments in Massachusetts
- Former IBM subsidiaries
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