The Rain in Spain falls mainly in the Plane

Off to Spain (Madrid, Barcelona & Seville, with a couple of side trips) for 2 weeks. Please, don't hate me. So, apart from a cybercafe posting with I might try, not much new new stuff till I get back and then a flood of crap no doubt. Don't forget to Vote Nov 11. Honor for brave defenders (Nov 11) and Have fun, cause I (we) will !

The Future of Notes / Domino

Internet Week > Lotus Domino > Lotus Preaches Richness, Open Source For Future Domino Apps > November 5, 2003 provides a badly need vision for the direction of the Lotus notes client (if not the Domino Server) in an age of internet thin clients (the browser) and new thick clients (such as demo in Microsoft's "Longhorn" FUD demos just recently)

the goal for Domino 7 and 8 over the next few years is to provide full "rich" client access to applications whether the user is connected or disconnected from the Web...This rich client will be based on open-source Eclipse code.

The Eclipse code demonstrated the performance and functionality that a end user client needed, much better that others that were unacceptably sluggish.

Domino 7.0 is due in the fourth quarter of 2004 and promises DB2 support, enhanced portlet support, and integration with Lotus' other Workplace offerings.

Further DB2/portal and integration (beyond what is already available in Lotus R6.5) is all very good. The time frame is going to be tricky for firms now looking to move from R5 to R6 infrastructure (do they go forward or delay?).

The continued existence of Domino, even as its underpinnings shift from proprietary code to a standards-based J2EE foundation, is no small matter.

No kidding! It a huge deal for the developer community who need to re-skill. If it can be done so as to preserve the existing investment in applications, which IBM/Lotus is promising, is however badly needed.

Moving to a J2EE foundation (JSP and servlets, plus relational DB ) would allow a huge improvement in development practices : unit test, tag libraries, object coding (too painful under LotusScript).

Currently it is very diffused to justify Domino as a server versus Websphere. Domino wins as a mail server, as a document workflow environment, as a RAD tool. Websphere wins for raw functionality (sometimes too raw) and scalability, and for it java skill set. If a shop does not currently use Domino or have mobile users that worked unconnected to the internet, I would not endorse Domino as a Application server. (Which is painful to say). When Domino (or at least the Mail and NSF (database format) portions) get abjured by WebSphere+DB/2 then a new Lotus Notes Client (with single user version of Websphere and DB/2) can gain new marketshare.


updated 1 Via Ed Brill a IBM pdf :
protect and enrich Domino investments

update 2 from John D. Head aka "Starfish"he future of Notes, Domino, and Workplace ...


I'll think about thiis more...after...

Novell to acquire SUSE LINUX

Via Slashdork: News for nerds, stuff that matters: "'Novell today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire SUSE LINUX, one of the world's leading enterprise Linux companies, expanding Novell's ability to provide enterprise-class services and support on the Linux platform. Novell expects the transaction to close by the end of its first fiscal quarter (January 2004). This latest move follows Novell's August purchase of Ximian.'"

Very good news. Novell's new products (built and bought) bring new exciting alternatives to the Microsoft monopoly. Novell lost a great change to do this in the early 90's (or very late 80's early, I can't remember) when the acquired Unix (the brand, code and intellectual property) from AT&T and then did nothing with it. There where no Netware application (developing or porting them was too hard ) but Novell did little to allow Unix server to co habitat with a Dos and Netware network environment (this was in window 3.0 days, so DOS and IPX ruled and IP stacks were extra). Over the next five years the Unix or Window NT servers used to host the applications took over the file and print network services provided by netware. Now, perhaps a reborn Novell can start rebuilding based on Linux servers providing File, print, identity and other servers based on Netware technology. This will also help SUSE Linux get a higher profile outside Europe (where they have their home base), and compete against the Red Hat brand. Also, give SCO brain dead lawsuit, and the fact the Novell still holds most of the IP (I think they just reneted it to SCO ??), should protect them in the worst case and during the FUD period (IANAL). (I hope this does not lead to IBM acquiring Red Hat) Still Novell needs good marketing, as always, not just kick ass technology.

Update : I read some more. IBM put $50 megabucks in Novell, so clearly IBM acquiring Red Hat is unlikely. More like IBM is ensuring there is a strong cpmpetitor to Red Hat. This (SUSE 9 Hits American Shores) from Oct 30th covers who and what SUSE is about. NewsForge had a nice Putting Novell's SuSE purchase into perspective piece.

The World's Most Opinionated Guide to Hong Kong Blogs

Hemlock (of semi-blog format) has publish a useful lists : one being a Guide to Hong Kong Bloggers (most of which are familiar to me and are my primary sources to amuse my lovely HK born wife) and includes a link to
A Guide to China related Blogs