Bruce's Blog

   Hopefully this will be a little safer topic then my last two posts.  I was thinking that with the advent of XPages, all kinds of new and exciting applications are going to either be created and/or updated on OpenNTF.  I'm am currently playing with TaskJam, XPages Phonebook, & XPages Wiki on a test V8.5 server.  I'm loving what can be done with them and how they look.

   However, there is one issue I would have with moving them into my production environment (once I had a production V8.5 server that is).  The current design of all three applications (at least it looks likes it to me) is based on them being standalone websites (like IdeaJam.net is).  I would like to have some common branding across all of my internal website (which is currently Domino-based, although the code is atrocious V6 0, I hacked alot of it together so I should know - lol).  If we had some kind of central Theme Manager Application that could hold "global" css and images resources that other applications could reference it would be easier to make everything look like it was all part of the same website.

   I was thinking this would be done in similiar fashion to how a number of OpenNTF applications are now coming with the ability in the configuration of the application to choose wether to use the OpenLog application for all logging functions.  I know this would be more difficult because the application would have to be designed so it could either run as a standalone website or as part of a whole enterprise-wide website.

   I think I'll leave this idea for now and come back later with some thoughts on what the Theme Manager application would need to do.

UPDATE
My other related posts on this subject
Part 1 - Background
Part 2 - Signing Applications
Part 3 - Replicating Templates

   I have 2 questions.

   The first is I'm looking to implement transaction logging for the first time when I start implmenting Domino 8.5.  Is there any best practice/recommendation for the maximum logging size when you choose a logging style of circular?

   The second is more comlicated.  Currently, I have a 8.02 server environment that is clustered.  I want to install a new Domino 8.5 server on the Windoiws 2003 server that is running BackupExec.  This server would just have scheduled replication running to copy all the mail, archive mail, & application DB's to it so we caqn back them up.  The question is, should I put it in my existing domain even though it is not 8.5 yet or create a new domain just for this server?.  If I setup a new domain, it makes it easier to keep any of my users from accessing it, but I have to deal with drocss domain certification.

   Any thoughts would be appreciated/\.

   OK, so my last port started a little bit of a firestorm over in the IdeaJam area on OpenNTF.  If you thought that one was bad, wait for this one.  I'm actually not decided on this one myself, but I feel it's kind of a logical outgrowth of Part 2 - Signing Applications.  I'm not going to create a IdeaJam entry for this at the moment.  I should also say up front, that both this idea and the last one were meant for environments where you have experienced administrators running the show and/or a test/development environment you can use these two ideas in (not straight into production).

   So, what is the big deal you ask?  Well, how about the ability to replicate an application's template from OpenNTF to your test/development Domino environment directly.  I was thinking that this would let the new versions get to you easier.  Obviously, there would have to be alot of thought put into this (ie. who controls the replication, what is the schedule, etc).

   Well, there it is, have fun!

UPDATE
My other related posts on this subject
Part 1 - Background
Part 2 - Signing Applications
Part 4 - Theme Manager

Since I'm a Domino Administration is only part of my job responsibilites (and Application Development is even less) and we don't have anyone to do Application Development, I've had to rely on finding code and applications wherever I could find them.  The easier they are to move into production the better.  One thing that would make this process easier (for me at least) is for OpenNTF to have a single signing ID that applications are signed with before being released.  This would let me change my ECL's to allow these applications to just be dropped into my production environment (after testing) and work.

   I've added this on OpenNTF's IdeaJam space.  If you think this is a good idea, please go vote for it here.

UPDATE
My other related posts on this subject
Part 1 - Background
Part 3 - Replicating Templates
Part 4 - Theme Manager

   Over the last week or so, I've had a number of thoughts about OpenNTF.  I finally decided  I might as well share them and see if anyone else thinks they have merit or not.  I thought this was a good time for this because of a couple of things.  The first is the changes taking place at OpenNTF (IBM providing resources, adding/changing the functionality of the site, etc).  The second is the release of V8.5 and XPages.  I think these two items will mean alot of new applications being released on OpenNTF, existing applications getting a "facelift", and new functions and processes being implemented on the site.  What better time to suggest some changes I thought of.

   I want to start by saying I hope no one thinks I'm putting OpenNTF down in any way.  That is not my intention (it just might come across that way because I'm not a most tactful person or the best writer).  I happen to love what OpenNTF has done.  I use 4 applications in production at my job (Password Tracker, Vacation Request, Domino TeamMailbox, & OpenLog). I've looked at the code behind a bunch of other applications to see how they work to learn how to do things better myself.  I've also recently started playing with TaskJam, XPages Phonebook, & XPages Wiki on a test V8.5 server I installed.

   Well I think this pretty much sums up where these next few posts are coming from.  For info on my background, you can check out My First Post.  Have fun agreeing, disagreeing, or ridiculing any of my ideas over the next few posts.

UPDATE
My other related posts on this subject
Part 2 - Signing Applications
Part 3 - Replicating Templates
Part 4 - Theme Manager
  

  

We are looking for options for an outsourced BES environment for a SMB.  We have between 25 & 50 Blackberry users.  Anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks!