-- Lotus Sametime unified communications, instant messaging and and collaboration software.

-- Websphere Portal 6.0 for building portal applications and services accessed with Web browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Inc.'s Safari.

-- Lotus Expeditor, an Eclipse-based Rich Client Platform for deploying applications across the IBM and Lotus portfolio.

One reason behind the offering is that some corporate customers have been eyeing Microsoft's Vista operating system and aren't ready to commit to the hardware upgrades or replacements it will require, Jollans said. "With Vista, the hardware requirements will go up," he said. But with the new IBM software, customers can more easily continue to use their existing hardware and operating systems, he said.

"I think this is about opening up the clients and giving more flexibility and choice to customers," Jollans said.