Forrester analyst skeptical about CMIS

We've written a lot about the Content Management Interoperability Services (CMIS) [1] because it's an important initiative that could greatly simplify the exchange of information across disparate content management repositories--which is a big deal. Being able to move content across repositories, regardless of the vendor, would free content from silos and make it more useful and accessible. So what's not to like?

Well, Stephen Powers, an analyst at Forrester Research doesn't deny that it's an excellent idea, he just wonders if it will ever see the light of day as a true standard. And if it does become a standard, Powers isn't sure vendors will use it. He's skeptical because he's seen more than one standard come down the pike and, essentially, be ignored. He cites JSR-170, a standard, he says, he almost never hears about when talking to Forrester clients.

Powers has a point, but I think that CMIS will succeed where other content management standards have failed because there is such a huge need for this in the marketplace. John Newton, CTO and Chairman at Alfresco [2], said in a recent FierceContentManagement interview [3], "The pain of not having a standard has to be big enough for people to overcome their natural tendency to protect their own turf. That comes when a critical mass has been reached in the market."

I think we've reached that point in the market and the need to exchange data is so great that it forced the likes of IBM, Microsoft, EMC and other content management industry giants to sit down at the same table and hash out a draft standard. When you throw the weight of those players around, the chances of success are far greater. I think this time CMIS will succeed where others have failed, simply because it has to.

For more:
- see Powers' post [4] on CMIS

Related Articles:
Day CTO, David Nuscheler discusses CMIS [5]
Alfresco CTO John Newton talks about CMIS [3]
Major ECM vendors send content sharing standard to OASIS today [1]