Party Time For Lotus

On May 12, some venerable alums are hosting a soiree on the River Charles. The Hyatt actually. So get yourself a ticket (They're not cheap at 100 clams.)

For that you're promised an open bar, music, video and (are you sitting down?) appearances by Mitch Kapor and Jim Manzi. Both have apparently RSVP'd in the affirmative. Party animal John Landry may also show.

Say what you will about Lotus, maybe it missed the Windows wave blah blah blah, but it also threw THE best parties.

Back in pre-history, those wacky Cantabridgians hosted what became one of the industry's most gala events at Atlanta's Fox Theater. It was before my time, but the tales live on. And on. And on. About the 50-yard-long dessert table. ALL chocolate. The mountains of southern delicacies. The full marching band that burst in and through.

"It was like a Roman orgy, only with a brass band," said one attendee who managed to survive and continues to cover tech.

Oddly enough, the correspondents are a little fuzzy on the actual product announced. Some say Symphony (Hence the band. Get it?) Others say Jazz for the Mac. (Also a band tie in.) Some say it was in 1984. Others contend it was 1985. It doesn't matter, the memory is indelible if fuzzy.

Then there was the Lotus tenth anniversary at the old Boston Garden. Ray Charles. Gladys Knight. Jim Manzi in drag. What else could you want?

Other fond Lotus memories: When Borland's Philippe Kahn tried to poach every Loti in sight, there seemed to be shuttle of execs and technologists between Cambridge and Scotts Valley daily. One product manager returned to say: "Man, I don't know why people are going there, our stuff is so much better."

Apparently IBM thought so. It bought Lotus for three-billion-and-change in 1995.

And then the parties ended.