Beyond The Yellow Bubble (Comments)

Re: The Power Of Notes - Part 1: SearchingRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-09-09T00:50:54-04:00

Geez. Just when I think I thoroughly understand a feature of Notes, someone comes along and shows me something new. I knew about most of these, but I still learned something.

A list like this will go a long way toward giving users more confidence in their knowledge of Notes. How often have you heard someone say "I know Notes is powerful, but I don't know half the features." After 16 years I consider myself an expert, but reading articles like this, I feel the same way.

Nice work Peter. Looking forward to the sequel.Geez. Just when I think I thoroughly understand a feature of Notes, someone comes along and shows me something new. I knew about most of these, but I still learned something. A list like this will go a long way toward giving users more confidence in their...

Re: Yellowday: ∙dominoFramework 2.0 released on OpenNTFRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-09-08T13:14:17-04:00

Hejsan

are there any good 'getting started' or tutorials available for the framework?

I guess adaption lies for a lot of people understanding how to use the framework.Hejsan are there any good 'getting started' or tutorials available for the framework? I guess adaption lies for a lot of people understanding how to use the framework.

Re: The Power Of Notes - Part 1: SearchingRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-09-08T11:49:55-04:00

@Stephan. I could never figure out why it is possible to install Google Desktop to search local replicas but it is not yet possible to have a tool like this that searches all corporate Notes databases on a server. I suspect Project Vulcan involves pulling data from across the enterprise so perhaps a byproduct of that research will result in a solution to the search process.@Stephan. I could never figure out why it is possible to install Google Desktop to search local replicas but it is not yet possible to have a tool like this that searches all corporate Notes databases on a server. I suspect Project Vulcan involves pulling...

Re: The Power Of Notes - Part 1: SearchingRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-09-08T08:57:39-04:00

Good summaries of searching! This is a good read for new users and/or devs. You could make some analogies to the backend classes also (FTSearch, "Starts With" is similar to GetDocumentByKey, etc.) and this would be "The Ultimate Search List."

A few other comments:

#3 in particular is a fun one, as it can affect agents run in a client, also. If you wrote some code and always expect it to run on a set of docs in a specific order, your user may give you a surprise if they dynamically sort the view and then run the agent!

#6 is definitely lighter on the server than an FT search, but can take much longer if the views are large (especially any multi-category stuff). That's something to balance out in design and testing.
Good summaries of searching! This is a good read for new users and/or devs. You could make some analogies to the backend classes also (FTSearch, "Starts With" is similar to GetDocumentByKey, etc.) and this would be "The Ultimate Search List." A few other...

Re: The Power Of Notes - Part 1: SearchingRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-09-08T05:28:30-04:00

Peter, you are - of course - correct! There is only one way to spell COLOUR.

Search is THE amazing feature of Lotus Notes. My 'remedial' (read Notes Power User/Advanced) training always includes the search functionality that so few users - sadly - are even aware exists.

Great document summarising the myriad search options available.

@Nathan: you are lucky to have such an Aussie working in your crew ;-)

@Stephan: just try to get users to understand what a 'Domain Search' is - if it's even set up correctly.Peter, you are - of course - correct! There is only one way to spell COLOUR. Search is THE amazing feature of Lotus Notes. My 'remedial' (read Notes Power User/Advanced) training always includes the search functionality that so few users - sadly - are even...

Re: The Power Of Notes - Part 1: SearchingRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-09-08T00:17:10-04:00

P.S: Just to be clear, I'm very comfortable admitting that there are lots and lots of use cases for functions within the Notes client that I don't know about. Peter thinks my pride goes deeper than it does.

However something I am very proud of is Peter's documenting and automating nearly 3000 unit test cases for Notes already. I seriously doubt there is as comprehensive a set of test cases maintained anywhere for Notes as a dev platform. His diligence and meticulous precision in his new role has been astounding, and I am extremely pleased with his work.

Which would probably be a real nice thing to say if he were still on the market. Now I can just end with "na nah nanah nah! Peter works here and not for YOU!" :-PP.S: Just to be clear, I'm very comfortable admitting that there are lots and lots of use cases for functions within the Notes client that I don't know about. Peter thinks my pride goes deeper than it does. However something I am very proud of is Peter's...

Re: The Power Of Notes - Part 1: SearchingRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-09-08T00:11:18-04:00

@Stephan, y'know, I've written a solution for that and published it on OpenNTF. It's a wonder no one has bothered to exploit it. I guess the demand just isn't really that great for such a solution, whatever noise people make about it.@Stephan, y'know, I've written a solution for that and published it on OpenNTF. It's a wonder no one has bothered to exploit it. I guess the demand just isn't really that great for such a solution, whatever noise people make about it.

Re: The Power Of Notes - Part 1: SearchingRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-09-07T22:56:44-04:00

the big shortfall of searching in the Notes client is the lack of cross-database search. The blandly obvious use case is the users need to "search in mail" --- regardless of the mail being in the mailbox or one of the configured archives. That's really missing (and a step back from 4.6 where you could mark multiple NSF before issuing a search) the big shortfall of searching in the Notes client is the lack of cross-database search. The blandly obvious use case is the users need to "search in mail" --- regardless of the mail being in the mailbox or one of the configured archives. That's really missing...

Re: The Notes Client Enters The CloudRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-08-20T20:40:49-04:00

Yes, it's all starting to look very inviting.

By the way, it's "retaining some parts on-premises" Pete, or perhaps "retaining some parts on the premises" (or even "on your premises") and definitely not "on-premise" -- based on the premise that one should use correct terminology when composing an article!

See my rant at http://www.bleedyellow.com/blogs/dotdomino/entry/the_notes_client_enters_the_cloud24?lang=en

- Your Down Under self-appointed watchman for use of correct terminology in Lotus blogsYes, it's all starting to look very inviting. By the way, it's "retaining some parts on-premises" Pete, or perhaps "retaining some parts on the premises" (or even "on your premises") and definitely not "on-premise" -- based on the premise that one should...

Re: @TodayInLotusDev (Special Yellow Day Edition)RecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-08-12T11:00:28-04:00

Thx Marie. I have updated the entry to better reflect that.Thx Marie. I have updated the entry to better reflect that.

Re: @TodayInLotusDev (Special Yellow Day Edition)RecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-08-12T10:57:29-04:00

Peter -- it was actually Kathy Brown who set up the NotesAdmnTips and NotesDevTips Twitter accounts. Garrett is a contributor to NotesAdmnTips.Peter -- it was actually Kathy Brown who set up the NotesAdmnTips and NotesDevTips Twitter accounts. Garrett is a contributor to NotesAdmnTips.

Re: Yellowday: ∙dominoFramework 2.0 released on OpenNTFRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-08-11T09:49:14-04:00

Hi Peter

Thanks for the kind words. I can easily attest that using .DominoFramework is/was instrumental in improving my productivity. Furthermore, it came along at a point where I was getting annoyed with code all over the place in forms and dealing with large amounts of code duplication.

.DominoFramework is a light introduction to using MVC, something that i've struggled a bit in the past. .DF's light approach to MVC made it easier to grasp the concepts. It struck the right balance between purist MVC and productivity and complexity. With .DF, my applications share a consistent look with Notes 8.5 and has been a big hit in my organization (gone are the christmas colored forms!)

Another positive step in using .DF is its Object-oriented nature. It allows developer to quickly create a lotusscript class from a form in 1 click. Also, using OO in lotusscript reduced my bug count tremendously because I no longer deal with the document itself, I deal with a higher concept, the class. This also circumvents the various bugs related to doing something like doc.someFieldNameWithATypo(0). The class builder converts your fields into appropriate objects (NotesName, string, integer, DominoArray) and you no longer have to guess what kind of data you are dealing with because DDE can now help you (for once!).

Here are the components that I couldn't live without since I began using .DF:
- consistent validation scheme
- extensible document numbering
- rapid creation of classes and properties
- consistent UI
- centralized admin/dev console
- Built in views to manage conflicts, locked documents, view with all docs arranged by form.
- extensible application configuration

And the nice thing is that I've only scratched the surface!

Thank you Peter for being my developer role model for the last few months. I wish I was not the single dev. at my org!Hi Peter Thanks for the kind words. I can easily attest that using .DominoFramework is/was instrumental in improving my productivity. Furthermore, it came along at a point where I was getting annoyed with code all over the place in forms and dealing with...

Re: The Big Lie From GartnerRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-08-10T11:57:08-04:00

Has anyone done a market analysis of Market Analysts? I wonder if Gartner would be in their own magic quadrant!

Just a thought...Has anyone done a market analysis of Market Analysts? I wonder if Gartner would be in their own magic quadrant! Just a thought...

Re: The Big Lie From GartnerRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-08-10T11:39:31-04:00

@Brett, Yes, I also tried to post a comment but it never appeared either. I guess that says a lot of the standards Tom sets for open, honest, and BALANCED discussion.@Brett, Yes, I also tried to post a comment but it never appeared either. I guess that says a lot of the standards Tom sets for open, honest, and BALANCED discussion.

Re: The Big Lie From GartnerRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-08-10T11:00:58-04:00

I called Tom out on the "truthiness" of his post and of his interpretation of the market. It wasn't rude or abusive at all, but it got dropped! My comment has still not appeared since my reply in the early afternoon yesterday.

Nice.I called Tom out on the "truthiness" of his post and of his interpretation of the market. It wasn't rude or abusive at all, but it got dropped! My comment has still not appeared since my reply in the early afternoon yesterday. Nice.

Re: The Big Lie From GartnerRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-08-09T21:21:51-04:00

Honestly, maybe it's because I'm such a fanboy, but I didn't even see much spin in Ed's post. Yes, he chose specific portions of the report to highlight, but if that alone - offering personal interpretations of excerpts out of context - automatically constitutes spin, then I'd suggest that nobody ever attend church again, just read the entire document yourself instead of allowing a specific "vendor" to tell you what it contains.

...Bazinga?

What struck me as interesting was that Tom did not dispute any of Ed's interpretations, merely hinted that no trailer is a substitute for the whole movie, and quoted a single statement from the report that Ed had chosen to omit, which he claims has significant implications for the market. The only implication I see is what you've suggested: that Microsoft has been more effective than IBM at providing the inception that organizations should abandon the platform they have invested in. However, his own report confirms what those of us who are close to tthe technology already know: that most companies who are willing to perform due dilligence based on rational business priorities prior to migration rather than leap before looking based on personal preference and other emotional factors rapidly discover that a messaging migration - in either direction - is rarely worth the expense.

See, we've already seen enough movies like this one to know that the trailer gave away everything that would make it interesting. Analyst reports are nearly always a substitute for being close to the technology yourself. If you understand why your organization is already invested in a technology, and understand what the competition has to offer, any analyst report can only tell you what you already know, or what decisions others are making... others whose needs and motivations likely differ from your own. It's an industry that preys upon the lazy and the dishonest - namely, those that are unwilling to perform due diligence themselves and are too disconnected from the needs of their organization to know what will meet those needs, and those who KNOW that what they personally want will not provide true value to their organization but want to do it anyway, and are therefore looking for third-party justification for that decision. Ed's post, in attempting to shed light on discrepancies between the title of Gartner's report and the tone of the actual content of the report, also showed that those described in the report ended up making predictable decisions without the benefit of already having the report, which is evidence that performing your own due diligence is more worthwhile than asking someone else to due it for you. Though not the intent of the post, it still aims a pointy stick at Gartner's entire business model, so Tom's response is, in my opinion, disappointing, but not altogether unsurprising.
Honestly, maybe it's because I'm such a fanboy, but I didn't even see much spin in Ed's post. Yes, he chose specific portions of the report to highlight, but if that alone - offering personal interpretations of excerpts out of context - automatically...

Re: Discussion Databases: Lotus Notes or Lotus Connections?RecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-27T04:42:33-04:00

it's simple: we have not choosen for Lotus Connections or Websphere, just Notes. So having discussion solutions in Lotus Connections does not help us.

LC is also not a cheap solution, so for smaller businesses LC is out of scope for many of them.

I guess Google wave must be considered as a highly advanced type of discussion or service. Most request we get for discussions or buleltin boards are rather basic.

So add a modern, decent discussion template to the Domino product, IBM.it's simple: we have not choosen for Lotus Connections or Websphere, just Notes. So having discussion solutions in Lotus Connections does not help us. LC is also not a cheap solution, so for smaller businesses LC is out of scope for many of them. I guess...

Re: SharePoint Fails To Make The QuadrantRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-24T14:23:46-04:00

Peter, I had an interesting realization reading your post:

We (I) often beat up on IBM Lotus for having a great product but failing to market it against Microsoft and Sharepoint. That's because we are passionate about the Notes and the Lotus Brand.

If we (I) used other products -- if the tables were turned -- we'd (I'd) probably be beating up Microsoft for having great marketing but failing to deliver a great product.

Interesting...

Peter, I had an interesting realization reading your post: We (I) often beat up on IBM Lotus for having a great product but failing to market it against Microsoft and Sharepoint. That's because we are passionate about the Notes and the Lotus Brand. If we...

Re: WOW, What An Amazing WeekRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-19T08:39:05-04:00

Great to have you on board, Peter. It was a pleasure playing host and moderator. Part of me is happy to be returning to a little more normalcy this week, though, as we get to work on all the grand designs from last week! :-)Great to have you on board, Peter. It was a pleasure playing host and moderator. Part of me is happy to be returning to a little more normalcy this week, though, as we get to work on all the grand designs from last week! :-)

Re: WOW, What An Amazing WeekRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-19T07:28:22-04:00

Congrats, Peter. I'm glad you were able to up your career potential!

I think you'll like Atlanta (if you don't already.) Southern hospitality plus big-city style.Congrats, Peter. I'm glad you were able to up your career potential! I think you'll like Atlanta (if you don't already.) Southern hospitality plus big-city style.

Re: WOW, What An Amazing WeekRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-19T07:27:00-04:00

"Google is getting a lot of attention but does not seem to have any clear vision of where it is heading as a development platform."
What is wrong with GWT??
My Group shares could need a boost so all the best for you and your team."Google is getting a lot of attention but does not seem to have any clear vision of where it is heading as a development platform." What is wrong with GWT?? My Group shares could need a boost so all the best for you and your team.

Re: WOW, What An Amazing WeekRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-19T01:28:35-04:00

Congratulations, Peter, and best wishes for success at GROUP. I did not realize that we were neighbors (almost, I'm at Mt. Pinos) in So Cal. That's a big move to ATL. Best of success to you and your family. I look forward to reading about your adventures at GROUP on your blog.

ericCongratulations, Peter, and best wishes for success at GROUP. I did not realize that we were neighbors (almost, I'm at Mt. Pinos) in So Cal. That's a big move to ATL. Best of success to you and your family. I look forward to reading about your adventures at...

Re: @TodayInLotusDevRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-14T07:54:44-04:00

re: This Week In Lotus Episode 7... you missed Kathy Brown... she was there also.re: This Week In Lotus Episode 7... you missed Kathy Brown... she was there also.

Re: Accessing the selected documents in an embedded viewRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-13T02:33:02-04:00

One thing I don't understand: Where do you initialise ViewNoteID? I see no point where you pass the viewname, and class variables don't seem to occur. One thing I don't understand: Where do you initialise ViewNoteID? I see no point where you pass the viewname, and class variables don't seem to occur.

Re: HP: I Give Up - But You Sure SuckRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-08T14:03:38-04:00

Sorry to hear that my attempted intervention didn't get the results you needed. Glad you know that HP does have employees who care. I assure you I'm not the only one. Anyhow, I do need to correct one thing: HP is not a Notes shop. We were at one time a long time ago, but we are Exchange for email, and have been for many years. We do produce some products for the Notes/Domino market, like the email archiving system that I work on.Sorry to hear that my attempted intervention didn't get the results you needed. Glad you know that HP does have employees who care. I assure you I'm not the only one. Anyhow, I do need to correct one thing: HP is not a Notes shop. We were at one time a long...

Re: Real Notes ProgrammersRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-07T15:44:57-04:00

So I now have one more...
11. Real Notes Programmers... COMPILE code... they don't see the point to having a decompiler.So I now have one more... 11. Real Notes Programmers... COMPILE code... they don't see the point to having a decompiler.

Re: Real Notes ProgrammersRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-07T14:59:32-04:00

@NathanTFreeman - OUCH! I'm hurt.... In another life I did some Notes programming, but now I can just grab somebody here! :)@NathanTFreeman - OUCH! I'm hurt.... In another life I did some Notes programming, but now I can just grab somebody here! :)

Re: Real Notes ProgrammersRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-07T14:41:26-04:00

We don't have any programmers here. We have engineers. :-)

(Okay, maybe Chris Whisonant is a programmer.)We don't have any programmers here. We have engineers. :-) (Okay, maybe Chris Whisonant is a programmer.)

Re: Real Notes ProgrammersRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-07T14:35:15-04:00

Soon you'll be unreal. Reality is highly overrated ;-)Soon you'll be unreal. Reality is highly overrated ;-)

Re: Real Notes ProgrammersRecommendationsBeyond The Yellow Bubble - Comments

2010-07-07T14:27:09-04:00

Indeed we do, Peter:

"Developer" !== "Programmer"Indeed we do, Peter: "Developer" !== "Programmer"

Comments (0) - Read and Add your own Comments