Ubique
Encyclopedia
Ubique was a software company that developed instant messaging
and collaboration
products. It is best known for the Virtual Places software product and the technology used by
Lotus Sametime
. It is now part of IBM Haifa Labs
.
chat program in which users explore web sites together. It is used by providers such as VPChat and Digital Space and eventually evolved into Lotus Sametime
.
Virtual Places requires a server and client software. Users start Virtual Places along with a web
browser and sign-in to the Virtual Places server. Avatars
are overlaid onto the web browser and
users are able to collaborate with each other while they all visit web sites in real time.
Some Virtual Places consumer-oriented communities are still alive on the Web and are using the old version of it.
and
presence technology
platform which evolved into Lotus Sametime
.
and a group of scientists from
the Weizmann Institute to develop real-time
, distributing computing products. The
company developed a presence-based chat system known as Virtual Places along with real-time
instant messaging
and presence technology
software.
1995 – America Online Inc. purchased Ubique with the intention to use Ubique's Virtual
Places technology to enhance and expand its existing live online interactive communication for both the AOL consumer online service and the new GNN
brand service. Only the GNN-branded Virtual Places product was ever released.
1996 – GNN was discontinued in 1996. Ubique's management, with the support of AOL, decided to look for other markets for Virtual Places technology. The outcome was that Ubique shifted Virtual Places from the consumer market to focus on presence technology
and instant messaging
for the corporate market. AOL divested Ubique but remained as a principal investor while Ubique sought a new owner.
1998 - Ubique was acquired by Lotus
/IBM
to integrate the core
technology of instant messaging
and presence
functions into a software product integrated with Lotus
/IBM
.
2000 - Lotus announced Lotus Sametime
using Ubique's technology.
2006 - Elements of Ubique along with other Israeli-based companies were integrated into the
newly-created IBM Haifa Labs
. The Lab develops Session Initiation Protocol
(SIP) infrastructure and features of real-time collaboration, including session management, presence awareness, subscriptions and notifications, text messaging, developer toolkits, and mobile real-time messaging infrastructure.
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
and collaboration
products. It is best known for the Virtual Places software product and the technology used by
Lotus Sametime
Lotus Sametime
IBM Sametime is a client–server application and middleware platform that provides real-time, unified communications and collaboration for enterprises. Those capabilities include presence information, enterprise instant messaging, web conferencing, community collaboration, and telephony capabilities...
. It is now part of IBM Haifa Labs
IBM Haifa Labs
IBM is a globally integrated enterprise operating in 170 countries. IBM's R&D history in Israel began in 1972 when Professor Josef Raviv established the IBM Israel Scientific Center in the Technion's Computer Science Building in Haifa....
.
Virtual Places
Ubique's best-known product is Virtual Places, a presence-basedPresence information
In computer and telecommunications networks, presence information is a status indicator that conveys ability and willingness of a potential communication partner—for example a user--to communicate...
chat program in which users explore web sites together. It is used by providers such as VPChat and Digital Space and eventually evolved into Lotus Sametime
Lotus Sametime
IBM Sametime is a client–server application and middleware platform that provides real-time, unified communications and collaboration for enterprises. Those capabilities include presence information, enterprise instant messaging, web conferencing, community collaboration, and telephony capabilities...
.
Virtual Places requires a server and client software. Users start Virtual Places along with a web
browser and sign-in to the Virtual Places server. Avatars
Avatar (computing)
In computing, an avatar is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character. It may take either a three-dimensional form, as in games or virtual worlds, or a two-dimensional form as an icon in Internet forums and other online communities. It can also refer to a text...
are overlaid onto the web browser and
users are able to collaborate with each other while they all visit web sites in real time.
Some Virtual Places consumer-oriented communities are still alive on the Web and are using the old version of it.
Instant Messaging and Chat
With the technology developed for Virtual Places, Ubique created an instant messagingInstant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
and
presence technology
Presence information
In computer and telecommunications networks, presence information is a status indicator that conveys ability and willingness of a potential communication partner—for example a user--to communicate...
platform which evolved into Lotus Sametime
Lotus Sametime
IBM Sametime is a client–server application and middleware platform that provides real-time, unified communications and collaboration for enterprises. Those capabilities include presence information, enterprise instant messaging, web conferencing, community collaboration, and telephony capabilities...
.
History
1994 – Ubique Ltd was founded in Israel by Ehud ShapiroEhud Shapiro
Ehud Shapiro is an Israeli computer scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science. He received his Ph.D from Yale for his dissertation entitled "Algorithmic Program Debugging" which was an ACM distinguished dissertation for 1982. He has been an exponent of the Prolog computer language and logic...
and a group of scientists from
the Weizmann Institute to develop real-time
Real-time computing
In computer science, real-time computing , or reactive computing, is the study of hardware and software systems that are subject to a "real-time constraint"— e.g. operational deadlines from event to system response. Real-time programs must guarantee response within strict time constraints...
, distributing computing products. The
company developed a presence-based chat system known as Virtual Places along with real-time
instant messaging
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
and presence technology
Presence information
In computer and telecommunications networks, presence information is a status indicator that conveys ability and willingness of a potential communication partner—for example a user--to communicate...
software.
1995 – America Online Inc. purchased Ubique with the intention to use Ubique's Virtual
Places technology to enhance and expand its existing live online interactive communication for both the AOL consumer online service and the new GNN
GNN
GNN can stand for:* *Global Network Navigator*Global News Network, a news channel in the Philippines*Goodnight Nurse, a New Zealand alternative rock band*Government News Network*Guerrilla News Network*The Great News Network...
brand service. Only the GNN-branded Virtual Places product was ever released.
1996 – GNN was discontinued in 1996. Ubique's management, with the support of AOL, decided to look for other markets for Virtual Places technology. The outcome was that Ubique shifted Virtual Places from the consumer market to focus on presence technology
Presence information
In computer and telecommunications networks, presence information is a status indicator that conveys ability and willingness of a potential communication partner—for example a user--to communicate...
and instant messaging
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
for the corporate market. AOL divested Ubique but remained as a principal investor while Ubique sought a new owner.
1998 - Ubique was acquired by Lotus
Lotus Software
Lotus Software is a software company with headquarters in Westford, Massachusetts...
/IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
to integrate the core
technology of instant messaging
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
and presence
Presence information
In computer and telecommunications networks, presence information is a status indicator that conveys ability and willingness of a potential communication partner—for example a user--to communicate...
functions into a software product integrated with Lotus
Lotus Software
Lotus Software is a software company with headquarters in Westford, Massachusetts...
/IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
.
2000 - Lotus announced Lotus Sametime
Lotus Sametime
IBM Sametime is a client–server application and middleware platform that provides real-time, unified communications and collaboration for enterprises. Those capabilities include presence information, enterprise instant messaging, web conferencing, community collaboration, and telephony capabilities...
using Ubique's technology.
2006 - Elements of Ubique along with other Israeli-based companies were integrated into the
newly-created IBM Haifa Labs
IBM Haifa Labs
IBM is a globally integrated enterprise operating in 170 countries. IBM's R&D history in Israel began in 1972 when Professor Josef Raviv established the IBM Israel Scientific Center in the Technion's Computer Science Building in Haifa....
. The Lab develops Session Initiation Protocol
Session Initiation Protocol
The Session Initiation Protocol is an IETF-defined signaling protocol widely used for controlling communication sessions such as voice and video calls over Internet Protocol . The protocol can be used for creating, modifying and terminating two-party or multiparty sessions...
(SIP) infrastructure and features of real-time collaboration, including session management, presence awareness, subscriptions and notifications, text messaging, developer toolkits, and mobile real-time messaging infrastructure.