May 8th, 2008
Ed or Alan or Susan?
Everyone talks about how Ed and I are the same person, but it looks like Susan and I are now dressing alike!
photo by Chris.
May 7th, 2008
A Public Service Annoucment For Iron Man Movie Fans
I guess I should have posted this last Thursday before people went to see the movie opening weekend, but since Sametime currently does not provide time travel, I'll have to settle for posting now and hopefully help those that are still planning on going.
STAY ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF THE CLOSING CREDITS.
I'm not a huge fan of movies adding scenes at the end like this, but unfortunately it is happening more and more. Almost everyone I know that saw Iron Man this weekend missed something very cool. Same thing for XMen 3, where again if you did not stay, you missed a very big surprise at the end.
Click here for a hint/spoiler (go ahead, you know you want to)
May 7th, 2008
Introducing IBM Lotus Domino 8.0.1 Web Access Lite mode
Introducing IBM Lotus Domino 8.0.1 Web Access Lite mode - 6 May 2008
IBM® Lotus® Domino® Web Access Lite mode is an exciting new capability within the established Lotus Domino Web Access product that uses a new page architecture optimized for empty-cache or low-bandwidth scenarios. Learn how these innovative performance improvements are delivered to you in an updated user interface (UI) that more closely resembles your IBM Lotus Notes® client user experience.
May 6th, 2008
Lotus Notes Basics - Checkboxes and Radio Buttons
The blog entry "Text Fields and Rich Text Fields" explained how you can enter you own content (words, pictures, attachments, etc) when filling out information on a form. Sometimes instead of entering your own information, you are asked to choose from a predefined list of choices. This helps keep information consistent, reduces human error (like spelling mistakes), and also might control the workflow of a form. For example, you may be asked a Yes or No question, and depending on your response, the next question could be different.
The two fields below have the same values. In each case you can choose Red, Yellow, Blue, or Green. But can you spot the difference?
The field on the left is called a checkbox, and allows you to select one or more values from the list.
The field on the right is called a radio button, and only allows you to choose one value at a time. If you click on a second choice, the current one is de-selected. For example, click on Blue, and Yellow will no longer be selected.
Radio buttons and checkboxes can be displayed in multiple ways, their layout is controlled by the developer of the form.
May 5th, 2008
Lotus Notes Basics - Text Fields and Rich Text Fields
In the last blog entry I showed how Lotus Notes forms have fields on them which allow you to input information. Today we'll begin looking at the various types of fields, starting with plain text versus rich text.
A plain text field allows you to enter characters, but you can not apply any formatting (colour, size, font, style, etc) to them. You can't enter pictures, tables, or attach files.
An example of a text field is the subject line for an email.
A rich text field allows you to enter just about anything. This can be both good, and bad! It is good when you use pictures to tell a story. When you add tables to display information. When you use sections to display content. An example of bad use of a rich text is when you attach a 20 MB presentation to an email addressed to 100 people! ;-)
An example of a rich text field is the body of an email.
The type of field is decided when the developer builds the application. You can not change this.
Here is an example of plain text versus rich text.
May 5th, 2008
Lotus Notes Basics - Fields on a Form
It is easy enough to understand what a form is when thinking about paper. It could be a shopping list, a check (cheque) you are writing, a job application, a magazine subscription, or your taxes. Essentially, a form has fields where you enter information.
So now think of a Lotus Notes email message as a form. You enter information into fields, such as the recipient names and the subject.
A contact in your address book is a form. You enter the person's name, email, phone numbers, etc.
Entries on your calendar are forms. They have a date, time, subject, location, etc. So are To-dos, a blog posting, a question in a discussion database, a ticket in a Helpdesk application, or any one of a million other types of uses your company might have for Lotus Notes.
May 2nd, 2008
R2-D2 4U?
This seemed like a good Friday afternoon post for the geeks amongst us.
R2-D2 Projector in Action Video
April 30th, 2008
Lenovo X300 vs. Macbook Air Commercial
Watch all the way to the end.
Thanks for blogging about this Charles.
April 30th, 2008
The Future Of Document Creation Sharing and Storage
On Thursday at the The View Lotus Developer/Admin 2008 conference in Boston, I will speaking about emerging and future technologies around content creation.
New methods of content creation, storage, and sharing are enabling teams to work together to author content, and to store information in shared places. Even the content itself is changing, from text and clipart to richer forms of media such as podcasts, videos, 3D drawings, and more.
Come to the Birds-Of-A-Feather: IBM Focus Group- The Future of Collaborative Authoring, Storing and Sharing of Content - Thursday from 1:00pm - 1:45pm in the Commonwealth Ballroom.
This won't just be me talking, I want to hear what challenges your company is facing, and what best practices you are using.
I'll also be at the Ask the Experts, 6:00pm - 7:00pm.
After that, I'll be at the bar. ;-0
April 29th, 2008
Printing Envelopes from your Contacts
I love when I get to share a tip with you, and I don't have to do any of the work!
My friend and colleague Robert Brooks has created a blog entry titled Printing Envelopes from a Notes Address Book, please take a look.
He has other goodies on his blog, I suggest you add him to your RSS reader.
April 29th, 2008
Video Demo of IBM Lotus Notes version 8.0.1 features
Here is a nice new 4:30 min video about Lotus Notes 8.
April 25th, 2008
Its new. Its shiny. And you want one.
One of the themes I've been discuss lately (on this blog, on twitter, in IM conversations, etc.) is how people are always interested in what is new or trendy. That is not a criticism, heck I'm more guilty of this than most people. My manager refers to this as shiny object syndrome. "Oh look Friendster, no MySpace, no Facebook, no Second Life, no Twitter" and on and on and on. The entire web2.0 world lives by this "what is new and cool" meme. Just take a look at Go2Web2.0, and you'll see what I mean.
The problem with this is you often just run into walls, fall into traps, or just end up dizzy and stumble around.
My blog entry the other day cynically poked at this, highlighting how Lotus Notes if introduced today, could easily fulfill all the current hot topics (and do better in security, off-line, replication, directory, ... , ..., ... , than any new product I see today, but I digress). However, the "magic in the bottle" that any product really needs to succeed is the buzz and momentum. My IBM colleague Lauren Cooney, (whom I met on Twitter!) pointed me to some great content from the Harvard Business Review about the importance of Word of Mouth marketing.
So based on the enthusiasm around all these new web2.0, buzz word compliant, virally adopted, super hyped-up products, I've made a huge decision. It is time for me to go after my own millions, ride the wave, and create my own startup.
So I introduce to you... enthewsed (pronounced ĕn-thūz-d)
(logo created here)
My new company will provide Emersive Networking Through Holographic Environments With Smell Enchanted Display. It is the ultimate social network, allowing you to see, interact, and smell all your friends.
Place your order today, and tell all your friends Business Partners interested in signing up, please contact me.
April 23rd, 2008
Introducing a revolutionary software platform... LND
Introducing a revolutionary software platform that allows content to be automatically synchronized between multiple machines, even across multiple operating systems including Apple Macintosh, Microsoft Windows, and several Linux distributions.
Introducing... LND.
LND provides a platform for collaborative applications, messaging, blogging, directory services, and a web server all in one convenient, easy to install package. And a worldwide LND business partner community, and open source community, provides thousands of additional applications and services.
The LND client is built on top of the open Eclipse platform, allowing for endless possibilities in customization and enhancements. In addition to the LND client, users can also access the LND server using today's popular web browsers including Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer.
What if you have employees who don't all work at the same office? No problem! LND allows people to work remotely, and even access applications and information while off-line or disconnected. When they reconnect to the network, any changes are automatically sent to the LND server, and new changes made by others will be synchronized to your machine. Now the hotel, the airport, ever the local coffee shop can be your office!
Speaking of being mobile, you can access LND features from a huge variety of mobile devices.
But does that raise security concerns? Of course not! LND enables information to be secured seamlessly with built in encryption, both while data is being synchronized, as well as when it is stored.
Speaking of storage, free your content from the confines of your employee's personal machines, and instead centrally store your information "in the cloud". (it's all the rage!) LND supports storage in either your company's own datacenter, or hosted by an application service provider.
What about controlling access? Well, LND allows you to easily manage who can read or edit content. Access control can be enforced at either at the application level, or down to the individual fields on a document!
Finally, the LND client and server are available for companies of any size, from the smallest businesses to the world's largest enterprises.
But wait, that is not all! LND also provides built in instant messaging, central storage/management for file attachments, and a full suite of spreadsheet, document, and presentation software supporting open industry standards. All at no extra charge.
Sound too good to be true? Well it is not, and it is available today. Act now!
April 23rd, 2008
Once again Lotus was so ahead of the game
Mesh. Mesh. Mesh. Mesh. Mesh. Seems like that is all anyone is asking me about today!
Cutting past the Microsoft marketing hype, here is a great article you should read that asks some of the hard questions about Microsoft's plans.
Now here is where I want to cry... The author points out "Synchronization is this computing era's Holy Grail.". He talks about Apple and Google, and things like SynchML, iTunes, and Gears.
Repeat after me. LOTUS NOTES REPLICATION.
Once again, Lotus technology (which Ray Ozzie obviously was a key part of) is amazing, and no one of the "new generation" knows about it.
What if we came out with a press release about how Lotus Notes allows you to synchronize data across multiple machines and even across multiple operating systems, allows multiple users to perform updates, handles changes at the database, document, or even field level, supports working disconnected/off-line, and supports full end to end encryption! Wow sounds like a 2008 Web 2.0 dream.... but we've been doing it for a decade.
April 23rd, 2008
After a month with my iPod Touch
There are a million reviews out there already, but I figured since I got so many emails, IMs, and other comments when I mentioned wanting an iPhone/Touch, that I owed you a follow up post covering my thoughts.
First of all, I bought an iPod Touch, not an iPhone, so perhaps some of these comments could vary, but I think they hold across both.
Second, I barely use the Touch for music! For me it is an awesome mobile internet device and photo sharing portfolio. The fact that it is an iPod is far less important to me. How funny is that!
So here are some of my thoughts, not in an particular relevance order:
Positives |
Negatives |
| - The incredible overall polish of the user experience. From the way you can scroll between homepages and the icons just float across, to the way icons wiggle when you change their location, to the pin drop animation on maps, to the "rotating dial" used to set the time on the clock, to the way large pages gently scroll up and down the screen, etc, etc, etc... you just want to play with this thing. I find myself moving the home pages back and forth, or rotating photos, just to watch they way it works! - The wi-fi finder is great, why is it so much harder to set up and access networks in Microsoft Windows? - Photo viewing is fantastic. The pictures look great, and it is FUN to look at them on the device. - Safari is incredible. The ease and accuracy of zooming into web pages is excellent. It seems to know exactly where to zoom when you tap. (on a picture, on a columns, on a frame, on a link, etc) Many web sites even now have iPhone optimized versions. - I can't image having this device without it being jailbreak'd. I've added dozens of applications, games, themes, system tools, etc. - The Stock and Weather apps are fantastic. - My springboard is NewsGator, PlanetLotus, iTweet, and Gmail. These four apps allow me to stay very connected. (too much at times!) - iSolitaire, Backgammon, and Tris (a Tetris clone) are very very addictive. |
- The lack of copy/paste (clipboard) drives me nuts a dozen times a day - I wish I could pause on a letter on the keyboard to capitalize it, similar to the way it works on a Blackberry. - I wish I could add custom auto-correct entries, similar to the way it works on a Blackberry. For example, I'd like to type "myblog" and have "http://www.alanlepofsky.net" filled in. - When you are at the start of a line of text (i.e. cursor before the first character) I wish the delete key would delete the next character. Today it only acts as "backspace". - I wish I could search in Contacts. ex: type Ala... and have all the matching entries filtered. - I wish I could tag photos, and have a tag cloud explorer to navigate to photos, instead of just having them sorted into albums. - I'd like the World Clock and Weather apps to synch the cities that I enter, so I don't have to do it twice. Better yet, I wish world clock would also show me the current weather for the city. - It should have a built in speaker. - I'd like to be able to close a web page, without having to first click on the right bottom corner, then click the red X on the thumbnail. That is too many steps. - It is silly to having to jailbreak. - Safari really needs to support Flash. - I'd like to be able to synch Contacts, Calendar, and Journal with Lotus Notes. (today I export ical and vcard files from Notes to my Mac. Then I synch from there. This is a manual process, but at least it works pretty easily.) |
