Portaldomosphere

 Yes - I used to HATE Websphere - and to some extent Portal. And I wondered today - why did I not like these products? (And you are asking why I ask myself question like this on the weekend) The more I thought about this, I came up with many answers.

My first answer came from the marketing that IBM and Lotus subjected us to from some years back. I think the biggest fears about Websphere taking over the Domino arena came with Workplace. Workplace was seen and marketed as the next big thing. Since Lotus was pushing this and just coasting around with Lotus Notes the community felt very much like I did - rejected. We have made Lotus Notes our friend and now the rules were completely changing. Luckily for us, the focus turned back on Lotus Notes. (And lucky for us that Workplace took so long to set up and configure that is was basically not worth the effort to mess with)

My second answer - I LOVE Lotus Notes. I am a yellow-bleeder for sure. I know this down in my heart that this software is like the perfect canvas for me to create something wonderful. So the thought of letting go of that turned my stomach and angered me. How dare they change everything I have been doing...

But the real reason - well, I did not know nor understand or really want to know anything about the Websphere brand. Even in all the training and early working with Websphere products - I still got a bad feeling about it. But in all of this I realized that IBM/Lotus did itself a horrible disjustice. The main reason is that Domino products and Websphere products are completely different. I mean this on all levels. Neither could do the others job - and I mean this in total. Totally from technical to the type of customer who would purchase each for each reason.

So - for all of you who felt this way before - have an open mind and try not to get caught up in the bad feeling you had before.

I cannot believe I am writing this post but I guess I am just picky.

Ok so - the software is sexy. But is sexy? Is sexy visually hot? Is it something really new? What exactly are we talking about here? Something can be new and visually hot and that is what I see as "sexy". I cannot see say embedding something on the Domino server as sexy because it is not a visual element.

Now - I know transferring this to the other version of sexy - referring to a sexy (insert sexual preference of mate here), this does not always have to do with the beauty on the outside. Sometimes, they can be somewhat mediocre visually but there is something about them that just make you crazy - thus makes you feel they are sexy. If this is what you are talking about as backend sexy then I understand that too.

So what do we call something that is implemented absolutely superbly but not necessarily new? Is it "sexy" or is it "hot" or maybe it just a "little hottie element". Not sure - of course part of this is tongue-in-cheek - but another part of this is truly trying to figure out the mnemonic to this new sexual side of software and code. Or is it defined? Or is this just cool slang? My problem is a usually insert the wrong thing when using new terms. I know this stems from noticing people using incorrect words and how much I feel embarrassed for them. I am sure I have even picked some some incorrect words for this post. It is nice when speaking to non-IT people that I use something that is universal across the industry.

 The one thing that I am seeing all over the place is this let down revolving around Lotusphere being over. Sure, we are not around 9000 fellow yellow-bleeding geeks, but who is to say Lotusphere is truly over. As an event - yes - we are not at the Swan and Dolphin and killing our normally dormant bodies - but is the idea of Lotusphere truly over.

So - what am I getting at? It is this -

The messages you heard, felt, blogged about, wrote notes on... etc etc... this is now YOUR time to turn in to the speaker. You have many people in your organization that did not here or see what you did as 'Sphere attendees. Pass the message along of what IBM/Lotus has given us. Get people excited about what speakers gave you.

We are Lotus Professionals. Argueably some of the most staunch supporters of our own products and craft. You have a drum - beat it. You have the message - shout it out. The energy you got from Lotusphere - drive it home. (And if you have Microsoft Professionals - make sure you rub it in their faces how cool your stuff is)

And last - but DEFINATELY not least - remember this site. Bleedyellow is not going ANYWHERE. It is here. It is NOT like Lotusphere Online that disappears after awhile. Keep blogging, keep checking, keep talking, keep up the message!

Thanks everyone for a great Lotusphere 2008!

 Over the next few days - I wil be posting about integrating Lotus Notes 8 Client and Portlet Factory 6.0.2 Portlets.

Assuming you will want to try this out, you will need the following software :

1. Lotus Notes 8 Designer
2. Portlet Factory 6.0.2 (I will not be using RAD in my examples)
3. Lotus Component Designer
4. Websphere Portal 6.0.1.1
5. Cloudscape 10.1
6. Derby Workbench (optional if you know how to use the command line tools for Cloudscape)

My first post will be in a couple of days.