June 23, 2008
Seven recent URLs worth reading
During my travels the last week, there have been a huge number of interesting postings on Lotus community blogs that have been worth reading. I haven't had a chance to link to them all real-time, but as a summary, I suggest you check these out:* Andrew Pollack on Lotus' Project "Atlantic":
Here's what made such a great impact on me:
It's a real integration, not a database driver. IBM and SAP have worked together to create an interface on the SAP side that's easily called from a bit of software that sits next to Domino and works with things at the higher level of workflow objects on the SAP side rather than table level integration.
* Rob McDonagh on XPages, being introduced in Domino 8.5:
Along with Andrew, Nathan and John (and quite a few others), I was at IBM in Westford this week for an class on XPages. We spent most of our time saying things like, "But that means we don't have to..." or "That means now we can..." The possibilities are endless. And I'm really - really - impressed. I've been beating IBM up privately over the fact that the shiny new LotusScript editor isn't in 8.50, and I thought that DDE without it wasn't enough of an improvement to bother with. I was wrong. Completely, totally, utterly wrong. If 8.50 included XPages and nothing else, it would still be the biggest thing that's ever happened to Domino development.That's a pretty big endorsement, especially from a customer...read what the business partners who were there wrote as well:
* Nathan Freeman on Xpages, includes a tutorial:
In the form of the now-ironically-named Xpages, the Yellowverse is going to get a lot of long-standing problems solved in a very short time. Much like learning to live with people that can walk through walls or read minds or shoot lasers from their eyes, it's going to require some getting used to. There will be prejudice, and a longing for the "old ways" and a few reactionaries will probably even want to do away with this new super-species of design. But those who embrace it will find themselves quickly getting back to building Super Human Software.
* John Head on Xpages:
XPages is going to change everything you know about Notes and Domino development. Why? Because it makes industry standard, and easy to hire skills, forefront in Domino. XML, JavaScript, and CSS is the core of XPages. You can take any web developer out there and get them building Domino XPages fairly quickly. You can take any Domino developer, who is scared of Java, and give them XPages and they will run wild.
XPages has the chance to be the first major revolution of the entire product since Notes 4.0, when LotusScript was added to the product. Remember those times? The explosion of the LAEC market. The BP and ISV groups cranked out products and tools. If anything can bring back a time of pure growth in the Domino world, it is XPages.
* Lotus Symphony review in CRN:
The Test Center found Symphony a snap to use, and switching to Symphony after years of using Microsoft Office was painless. While Open Office was a nice alternative, Symphony looks and works much more elegantly while keeping the free price tag.
* New IBM "Choose your collaboration destiny" flash demo: This interactive website helps users understand the value of using all of the Lotus product solutions together -- Notes/Domino, Sametime, Connections, Quickr.
* New IBM blog on Mashups, "Mix and Mash" (also hosted by PSC)
Location: London, England UK
You forgot to mention all those ever useful posts about the iPhone :-)
maybe add this one:
{ Link }
on 6/24/2008 2:05:12 AM -
Ed - what about this report in The Register about Salesforce having a go at Notes? { Link }
@3 that certainly backs up their actions with public words, and explains why we've been having a tough time of getting them to think about Notes 8 integration. I'll share with the team internally...
@3 I let out a big fat yawn after reading the salesforce.com is making Domino app conversion tools. Anyway since that's not the focus of this thread, enough with that.
I think John's quote should be sorted to the top- not taking away from Nathan and Rob, but his quote really leaves you with a "wow". A LOT of us remember the transition from 3.x-4.x, Lotuscript, new formulas, web, etc.
I'm actually going to take a look at the xpages hello world sample on the beta forum.
Oh for those of you using 8.5 beta(I am and have moved all our servers and several of my own workstaions to it), check out the "render rich text as javascript", you will have an OMG moment.
on 6/24/2008 12:31:28 PM -
I was actually thinking the same as Mike, that some answers doesn't fit in my mental map of this posting neither.
The decision of Salesforce to create yet another hopeless magic notes conversion tool has nothing to to with XPages or Project "Atlantic", which are on the very contrary efforts to put this whole notes app programming/integration thing on a new level, which hopefully will deter other vendors to start such will-never-ever-work-tooling effort.
@5 Thanks Mike. I think Rob's endorsement means the most .. he is a real world customer, not a BP. More customers needs need to speak out on how they see XPages.
Personally, XPages is one of the first things in years that makes me want to geek out on code. I can also not see any session I would propose for Lotusphere to not include XPages in some fashion .. even the integration with Office and Symphony. Yes, I believe XPages is that BIG a deal.
I got to admit though for something so radical as XPages, it's been played down quite a bit- meaning I've perceived it something maybe a little more important than extending the NotesSession class or adding a new formula. I did not know until this thread it's supposed to be something ground shaking.
Good stuff.
SAP integration is a real yawner of a topic, but do not miss watching the demo (I've posted a link to it). Take the time. We all have client sites that use SAP. They will all want this.
Vitor Pereira on 6/23/2008 5:58:11 PM - http://www.vitor-pereira.com