Firms not dumping Notes for Net--yet

The new breed of software vendors are pushing Internet technology hard as a low-cost alternative to groupware for helping groups of people communicate and collaborate, but U.S. companies remain divided over whether to abandon Lotus Notes in favor of Web browsers, according to a report from research firm International Data Corporation.

IDC's 1996 Global IT Survey research found that 40 percent of U.S. businesses intend to use the Web in 1996. But while 36 percent of U.S. businesses view Web software as an alternative to groupware such as Notes, just as many--37 percent--don't think Web browsers and servers are ready for prime time. Twenty-seven percent are still undecided on which technology direction is best, according to the survey.

The results were based on 12,000 interviews with small-, medium-, and large-sized businesses.