Leadership By Numbers

Category Linux



Playing the part of an industry spoiler for this week's Macworld, Microsoft is accusing Apple products of having an "Apple Tax." Of course, being that Windows market share is taking a dive, it's not an unexpected reaction. After all, not too long ago, Bill Gates was predicting that hardware would become nearly free, and he had some words left over to address the open-source community:

free software can do some good stuff, but not the really good stuff.

So, what's happened to the computing world since Bill made his guesses ? The most popular platforms for industry growth are Apple MacBooks and Netbooks with either open-source Linux or the older Windows XP. In the Fall, Microsoft noted their earnings were affected by Netbooks running Linux. Now days, Windows is being squeezed between a premium product line and a premium operating-system value.



In fact, Netbooks with Linux are probably a problem for Apple and even Linux manufacturers. Sooner or later, Apple is going to need to come to earth. And, even Linux stalwarts have been whip lashed by the uptake in Netbooks. MadTux, an on-line retailer for pre-loaded Linux systems, is closing shop. Linux is no longer esoteric, and has even become a commodity.



For instance, many users of Dell's Mini 9 Netbook, have noted that Ubuntu works well for them; "great computer, best computer I've ever owned," and "Ubuntu offers tons of software to keep you busy, full function computer to take anywhere." Almost everyone expects this trend for using Linux on low-cost Netbooks to steamroll forward.



Today, H-P has produced a Netbook that can run an amazing 8 hours on battery life. Consumers can select their operating system of choice: Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Novell SuSE. Even more amazing is the annoucment by Freescale Semiconductor, Inc that it's aiming at a $200 Linux Netbook.



As far as I can tell, Linux Netbooks are going to be a pervasive presence. I'm not sure if their popularity is going to flatten out in the manner of tablet laptops, or if they will have iPhone cachet. I just know that anyone with a Netbook is going to be wondering why anybody else in their right mind would be paying a Microsoft Tax.

Posted by Jack Dausman At 4:03 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (3)

Category IBM/Lotus Domino ND8


Some of the links for Linux requirements on Domino 8.5 or Notes 8.5 are wrong. Here are the correct ones:

Domino 8.5 - Detailed system requirements
Domino 8.5 - Required Linux packages and updates
Lotus Notes 8.5 - Detailed system requirements
Notes 8.5 - Required Linux packages and updates

And, for those lucky enough to be attending Lotusphere 2009, be sure to check out Daniel Nashed's excellent overview on Domino and Linux. There is also a session by Andrew Pollack, for those that have never worked with Domino on Linux.

Technorati Tags: Lotus Domino 8.5, Daniel Nashed, Linux

Posted by Jack Dausman At 1:13 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (0)

Category Administration IBM/Lotus Domino Linux Open Source


What does the Open Source community think of Lotus Notes ? The response ranges from tepid curiosity to those that predict significant benefits from forging stronger ties with IBM. Interestingly enough, no one mentions Free Open Source Lotus Notes, other than some in the Lotus community.



UbuntuPodcast #15 has a quick mention of the IBM/Lotus Microsoft-Free Client. If you fast forward to minute 54, you can catch a few words about the new IBM client packaging. The show hosts don't know a thing about Lotus Notes, but they do think it's cool for IBM to use an open-source oriented platform to bash on Microsoft. Being Anti-Microsoft, though, is more of a sub-culture meme than a corporate value to be posted with "we are about excellence." I'm not really looking for more T-Shirt wit, as I am for understanding deeper trends in Open Source and Open Standards. Who actually best represents the Open Source community ?



Well, The Linux Foundation is definitely at the core of Open Source. Lora Bentley interviewed Amanda McPherson for what her top five open source predictions would be. Amanda is a founding team member of the Linux Foundation and Vice President, Marketing and Developer Programs. Lotus Notes ranks as her number three prediction, only she never uses the words "Lotus Notes":

Corporate use of Linux on the desktop will make strides in '09. Look to IBM's Collaboration Client (virtualized Linux on the desktop bundled with open source productivity apps) to win some large-scale deals. Vista has made corporate America think twice. The new world of online apps is also contributing to this trend.

In an earlier December post on her blog, Amanda says, "Linux on the desktop combined with products like IBM's Collaboration Client are proving to be very attractive to certain enterprise computing segments."



To my thinking, McPherson understands what Lotus Notes brings to Open Source and she isn't arguing that it should be re-molded as a pure Open Source product. I have already suggested some ways to encourage more connectivity between Open Source and Lotus Notes. Lotus Foundations, Lotus Symphony, Ubuntu Notes, and The IBM Collaboration Client are making in-roads in Open Source. Want more ? Wouldn't it be interesting to work with Amazon's EC2 for hosting Domino on RHEL, CentOS or Ubuntu ?



There are a lot of opportunities for working with Lotus Notes in Open Source. I'm already looking forward to 2009.


Technorati Tags: Lotus Notes, Ubuntu, Linux, Amanda McPherson, Lora Bentley

Posted by Jack Dausman At 2:19 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (1)

Category IBM/Lotus Domino Linux Open Source Ubuntu
The topic is interesting, but not compelling. Let's start with an acknowledgment that I share with The 451 Group: Open source is not a business model. Certainly, it can be part of a business model, but it does not stand alone.

Now, "making Lotus Notes work better with open-source" is an idea I can support, wholeheartedly.

• Sell Lotus Domino on the Ubuntu Store. Why not? If you check the link, you'll see that IBM has already figured out how to sell DB2 on Ubuntu.

• Sell the Lotus Notes client as a mail client for anyone. Why is the Lotus Notes client the only mail client that an end-user has no reasonable means to purchase ? For example, if I look at Amazon, I can easily purchase Outlook, if I'm check for Lotus Notes, I get books.

• Encourage better open-source development, and foster that growth with IBM Business Partners. Lotus Symphony supports 3rd party plug-ins, and we have OpenNTF.org but it'd be really impressive to see something like what Ubuntu has done with Launchpad.

• Finally, get some real training out in front of this push. Sure, people learn differently, but most people learn best in the same way that they enjoy movies: in a crowd. If there aren't enough IBM/Lotus training centers to support orienting customers to open-source alternatives, then create a traveling show that floats from city to city. I'm sure that it could be a shared sponsorship.

Technorati Tags: Open Source, Lotus Notes, Ubuntu

Posted by Jack Dausman At 1:16 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (11)

Category Diversion Management


The 18 to 29 age group is reading more newsprint than last year. Slashdot (and the CNET source) is perpetuating the death-of-print-media, as reported by the Pew Research Center.

Now, as an employee of The Dead Tree Society, I'd just like to offer a note of caution in reading these results. After all, it turns out that while television is continuing to dive at a double-digit rate, newspapers seem to have caught on with the younger crowd. 2008 is up 5 percent from the year before, recapturing it's 2006 numbers. Hm. That's a pretty interesting trend.

The real issue has to do with whether or not newsprint distribution has reached a floor, or just an interruption before it chases after television for least influence. As for the ascendancy of the Internet, as many others are noting, the content is usually from newsprint.

Don't you think that in twenty years, these discussions will look awfully dated as we read about them in our Harry Potter style of newspaper with moving pictures ? I'm expecting convergence as the eventual product, not a bake-off between platforms. Or, maybe, we'll have direct neurological implants and I'll get a full sensory experience.

What would Marshall McLuhan think then about "the medium is the message ?"

Posted by Jack Dausman At 4:14 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (2)

Category Administration Open Source
Predictions are as boring as NASCAR racing with a Toyota Prius fleet. Real lessons in life come from the crashes and their tragedy. Here's my year of what-didn't-happen as I had thought it would:

• Mobile Web caught me more by surprise, and I had to really work to get a grip on it's implications. The breach in the Enterprise came from Apple's iPhone, which I didn't see as meeting IT standards, so I thought it would have minimal impact. I was absolutely steamrolled by the consumer demand for iPhone integration.
• 
  
• Virtualization is much more interesting than I had understood. Because I've built and used VM's from WMWare, Microsoft and Sun, I saw it more as consolidation of hardware resources. VDI and mobile VMs are changing my mind as what to expect from virtualization.
• 
  
• Apple Macs just can't be stamped out fast enough, can they? These are premium products in terms of their cost, but also in what they deliver. I mis-gauged their rise in popularity because of their expense. However, Vista's many disappointments laid a rail-track right to Apple. Today, desktop and laptop users are riding the Apple line.
• 
  
• Cloud Computing is, well, a good metaphor for itself: large, hard to define the borders, and the security is hazy. I was initially enamored by the concept, and some of the initial offerings. Now, I'm thinking that Cloud Computing could become the hedge funds of IT.
• 
  
• What is happening with Sun Microsystems ? It seems like they can turn gold in straw faster than a cold-fusion power plant. The Glassfish Enterprise Server, open-source Java, and MySQL just aren't doing anything for them.
• 
  
• IM and video collaboration are more difficult to bring into business processes than I thought they would be. It's hard enough creating a culture for e-mail as business communication, but video is still slow to move forward.
• 
  
• Open-source and open-standard adoption is failing to move in to the enterprise at a rate I had considered likely. I believe the low acceptance is really a response to the ease of which a successful test case can be made. I can set up a LAMP server in minutes, but the transition into large-scale deployment occurs at the same pace of commercial and proprietary offerings. Complexity can't be rushed.

Please feel free to add your own topics !

Posted by Jack Dausman At 12:02 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (0)

Category Administration IBM/Lotus Domino ND8



You don't need the Notes 8.5 Administration client to be able to use the Domino Configuration Tuner (DCT). There has been a lot of positive review comments by Domino professionals over DCT. But, you don't have to install 8.5 on your desktop to take advantage of it, it's just an application file.



The simplest way to add the DCT to any Lotus Notes 8 client, is to start by installing the Full Windows client on a USB drive. Now, you could actually choose to run the admin client on the USB flash drive, but it will crawl. So, find the DCT.NSF (and, if you like, the DCT.NTF)files and copy them over to your Notes data drive.



Now you'll be able to run very thorough scans of your infrastructure without a full install of Notes 8.5 on your workstation.



Technorati Tags: Domino Configuration Tuner, Lotus Notes 8.5

Posted by Jack Dausman At 5:07 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (1)

Category


David Allen is about to enter a lovefest that may surprise him at Lotusphere 2009. As the author of the acclaimed "Getting Things Done," his organizational acumen has taken hold to become nearly cultic. Those of us who follow Getting Things Done (GTD), understand that the method is worth the effort. I have a GTD graph pinned to the wall, two feet in front of me. My GTD buddies say things like, "what is the next step?" We know who we are.

But, those of us who are Lotus Notes professionals have a deeper affinity with David Allen than sharing office rituals. Because David Allen Gets-Things-Done with Notes, and he has done so for fifteen years. You just have to listen to the excellent podcast with David Allen, Eric Mack and Bruce Elgort. Listening to David, you'll find yourself saying, "I knew it, I knew it all along. Notes is the right platform." And, it's not just technology about which David has been so foretelling. It's also about how we think.

Turns out that while our techno-culture has been enhancing multi-tasking, we are really not very good about doing it (except for the simplest or most repetitive tasks). GTD is a terrific tool to pry free of doing too many things, simultaneously. How David Allen figured this out by observation is a mystery, but he gets the credit. Now days, with fMRI scans it's possible to measure the neurological confusion generated by multi-tasking.

The UCLA psychologist, Russel Poldrack explains that, "humans are not built to work this way. We're really built to focus. And when we sort of force ourselves to multitask, we're driving ourselves to perhaps be less efficient in the long run even though it sometimes feels like we're being more efficient."

My recommendation for this year's Lotusphere '09 is simple. Get to the David Allen session early, take notes, and . . . focus.

Technorati Tags: Lotusphere09, David Allen, GTD

Posted by Jack Dausman At 5:07 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (1)

Category Administration IBM/Lotus Linux Management Open Source


There is a drama on the IT stage which features hardware vendors, open-source and commercial operating systems in turmoil and competition. I think that while the scale is puppet-show diminutive, the themes soar as large as any opera. There will be tragedy, and there is certainly comedy. The netbook has arrived, and it will impact messaging systems more than the next-gen phone architecture from Apple, Google, and Nokia.

The Economist has pronounced the union of netbook and Linux as a complete solution: "For many users, the basic, free software shipped with a netbook will be quite enough." Initially, the netbooks heavily favored Linux with their first outing by Asus, Acer and Dell. Lately, netbook vendors have begun to tilt more towards Windows XP, a trend that I expect to carry through the holidays and into the Spring. We are in a recession and there is a lot of inventory to move.

The drama is whether or not netbooks will return to Linux, or if their brief tenure with open-source was merely an interruption to Microsoft's dominance. The comedy is that I expect these jewel-box laptops with their teensy keyboards to become the face of consumer Linux.

The market force pushing netbooks is all about money, and Microsoft can't afford to keep Windows XP competitive against desktop Linux at the same time they are preparing a release of Windows 7. After all, Windows 7 requires system resources that a netbook lacks, and Windows XP is being retired. The hardware manufacturers are in a tough spot because perpetuating Windows XP is more expensive than slapping on Vista. A Vista netbook will be slow, but at least the hardware is supported. Security patches, hardware drivers, and the integration of new technology that was never envisioned at the time of XP's inception--all of it has to be pushed into the lifecycle of any netbook/laptop which is installed with Windows XP.

Let me see if I can summarize some of this stage play into some bullets:

• Windows XP is going to become more and more expensive for manufacturers and Microsoft to support.
  
• Windows XP lacks key architecture integration drivers and APIs for new technology, like Wi-Max.
  
• Windows Vista and Windows 7 are too resource intensive for netbooks
  
• Linux is built on a different distribution model that easily allows it to continue to support security patches and new device drivers.
  
• Linux comes "batteries-included" with the latest video drivers, multi-media codecs, full desktop office-suites, and heavy duty Internet applications.
  

Isn't it weird to think that a Linux netbook will continue to be supported and will stay current for years to come, while a Windows XP configuration for the same hardware will slowly become less and less supported ?

Finally, don't forget Apple. Steve Jobs has frowned on a $500 Apple netbook, which means that there is a ready audience for Apple-to-Linux-Netbook integration. If it becomes easy for me to sync up my Linux netbook with something running OS-X, then Apple is a winner at the expense of Microsoft. I expect this to happen within 18 months.

So, IT messaging is going to have to deal with netbooks. Cheap, omnipresent, always-connected, mobile web netbooks. We need to start thinking now, ahead of the curve, for identity protection and data security. I think the benchmark standard will be the IBM/Lotus Notes Linux client. Its configuration gives a 100% secure solution with enterprise collaboration.

This is a lot of drama on such a small stage.

Technorati Tags: netbook, linux, lotus notes

Posted by Jack Dausman At 5:34 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (3)

Category Administration IBM/Lotus Domino
NetworkWorld's review of archiving solutions bypasses Domino's unique capabilities. Here's what was missed. Logan Harbaugh provides a comprehensive, even impressive, overview of the nuances involved in messaging archiving that relies on third-party tools. Unfortunately, the review is limited to Microsoft Exchange, and I thought rather than lambast Mr. Harbaugh for his ommission, I would point out some archiving distinctions between Exchange and Domino. After all, in the Domino architecture, archiving isn't relegated to expensive add-ons.

Exchange has no native provision for server-side archiving that could be described as on-line, near-term storage. Exchange does support archiving, but it is achieved through the client (which Lotus Notes also includes). This means that the archive files are created as PSTs and can only be placed on a mapped network drive, or rely on local storage.

An Exchange archive file would not be exposed to OWA for web access, could not be shared by multiple users, and the storage requirements would be significantly greater. After all, on a file server holding hundreds or thousands of Exchange archives, there would not be any single-store retention for attachments that are common between the archives. This last point is interesting, because reducing storage resources is one of the rationalizations for implementing archiving. Harbaugh acknowledges that, "the driving purpose is decreasing the space used on the Exchange server."

Domino, on the other hand, fully supports a feature known as Server Side Archiving, which transfers documents from the primary mail file, to another instance on a second Domino server, which has been re-purposed for archiving. It works well, and it allows a cheaper server, with less-expensive storage to be used. The archive server is accessed less frequently, and doesn't require the same server resources for indexing and running agents.

So, just think about the differences between out-of-the-box archiving for Exchange and Domino:

• Both systems support client archiving.
• Domino supports Server Side Archiving (SSA).
• SSA can be configured by Domino Policies, and applied to large groups at once.
• SSA can also allow individual users to configure their own criteria.
• Domino archiving supports web access (the iNotes interface has a link for the archive, and allows some configuration from iNotes).
• Domino supports a mix of client OS, so the archive is equally accessible from a Windows, as a Linux or a Macintosh client.
• Domino allows mail files, and their server archives, to be accessed by multiple accounts. It's possible for a senior executive to delegate archive access to any number of staff.
• Domino archives can be accessed by POP3, IMAP4, even RSS (I don't know why someone would do it, but it's possible).
• Finally, Domino supports using mixed releases of clients and servers. So, the archive server could be 8.5, and take advantage of compression for documents, design elements and Domino Attachment and Object Service (DAOS).

With all this appreciation for Domino's SSA, there are some pain points to consider. First, the IBM/Lotus SSA solution is not about e-discovery or meeting document-retention compliance. SOX, HIPAA, et al., will require more investment than what Domino gives as a standard feature. And, there are some rough spots with SSA when it comes to mixing iNotes and Policies. IBM is considering a complete redress of SSA and iNotes with the final release of Domino 8.5. This is increasingly important, because there is always a percentage of users who only rely on iNotes, and never reach for a desktop Notes client.

Looking over at archiving for Exchange and Domino, I'm right back at the root justification for archiving: storage. Domino SSA is a tremendous bargain for reducing storage costs and still providing 24x7 access for an expansive range of clients.

Technorati Tags: DAOS, Microsoft Exchange, IBM/Lotus Domino, Archiving

Posted by Jack Dausman At 1:37 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (0)

Category Nyumbani



We are looking for a Domino Developer to contribute time for a very basic patient tracking system for Nyumbani.org. The application will be replacing a spreadsheet, which tracks treatments and medications.



Please send me an e-mail and a quick summary of your background (so I have an idea of the best way to apply your skills).



Really, could there be a better use of your holiday vacation time ?



Technorati Tags: Nyumbani

Posted by Jack Dausman At 5:28 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (2)

Category Administration IBM/Lotus Linux


CRN has announced The Best Products of 2008 with Lotus Symphony and Ubuntu winning in their categories. Hot on the heels of IBM's latest announcement for a Microsoft-Free desktop, this CRN win solidifies IBM's credibility.

Symphony was noted as a suitable desktop replacement:

The Office 2007 installation here at the Test Center by default saves documents in the Office 97-2003 format (in the interest of backward-compatibility) so there were no problems editing files created in Symphony under Office 2007, or vice versa. The Test Center found Symphony a snap to use, and switching to Symphony after years of using Microsoft Office was painless.

Ubuntu was identified as a full-featured Desktop operating system:

Here's the bottom line: Ubuntu 8.10 Desktop Edition easily ranks higher than any other Linux desktop operating system we've looked at in the Test Center. Based on performance numbers, its Ethernet and wireless management and zero licensing cost, this is an operating system that we can recommend to VARs-not just as an alternative to Windows but as a strong operating system in its own right.

Technorati Tags: Ubuntu, Lotus Symphony

Posted by Jack Dausman At 8:29 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (0)

Category Administration IBM/Lotus Linux Ubuntu


IBM has announced another Microsoft-Free desktop solution. Early this year, it was with RedHat, and now Ubuntu has been added into the fold. "Microsoft-Free" is nothing less than an IBM war banner. I'm curious who else IBM is marshalling for its support beyond RedHat and Ubuntu.

IBM's Open Collaboration Client Solution (OCCS) is not a tack-on, but a nuanced and fully client-integrated desktop package. The software vendors have been lined up (IBM, RedHat and Ubuntu). So, who are the hardware vendors and ISVs that will push this solution ?

The biggest winner for OCCS implementations could be Dell. After all, Dell already offers Ubuntu as a consumer option (not just for enterprises that purchase in blocks of a hundred). Even better yet, if your work site has an Inspiron 530, 1420, 1525; XPS m1330, 1530; or the Studio 15, guess what ? Dell already has a free Ubuntu ISO for these models !

The OCCS is promising, and may even be brilliant, but in order for IBM to take away Microsoft market share, IBM is going to have to partner, partner, partner. Forget counting seat conversions, I'm not going to measure the success of OCCS by nothing less than the support channel. If there are enough partners for it, then it'll work.

As for Dell ? If they don't have something prepped for Lotusphere '09, then they need a new marketing team. Lotusphere will give them an excellent opportunity to reap the benefit of all their hard work with Linux and showcase their products.

Technorati Tags: Lotusphere2009, Dell Computers, Ubuntu, OCCS, Lotus Notes

Posted by Jack Dausman At 12:35 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (1)

Category Administration IBM/Lotus Domino ND8 Security
Notes 8.5 continues to support Notes-on-a-stick, also known as Nomad and Wanda:

You can install the IBM Lotus Notes basic configuration client on a USB drive. Users can then log in and run Notes basic configuration from the USB drive, not a drive on their client desktop.

When IBM/Lotus first featured the USB drive installation for Notes, flash drives were slow, expensive, and limited in capacity. A few years has done wonders for flash technology and it may be time to reconsider the feasibility of supporting Notes on USB drives. Fortunately, the drives no longer have to be created one-at-a-time, as there are a couple of USB duplicators on the market. Make a basic 8.5 installation on a flash drive as a master copy, and duplicate out as many instances as you need.

And, what about security with all these little flash drives ? Notes has always supported encrypting local databases (including the users local contact directory), and network encryption. You just need good passwords.

Technorati Tags: Lotus Notes 8.5

Posted by Jack Dausman At 10:59 PM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (2)

Category Administration Open Source
The most interesting revelations of this study is identifying what is hot and what is not. Open Source Paves The Way For The Next Generation Of Enterprise IT explains that while low-cost usually starts the dialog, the surprise is that these OSS solutions can stand on their own. Here are the points that I found the most intriguing:

• OSS was able to successfully deliver on reducing costs, but received the most criticism for insufficient support to open-standards.
  
• OS programming languages were more easily adopted than OS IDEs.
  
• In terms of business apps, OS office suites and messaging were on top, but content management and Business Process Management were on the bottom shelf.
  
• First time adopters were concerned most about security, and least about licenses.
  
• Enterprise IT is mostly interested in reducing cost, and not really concerned about the philosophy behind OSS.
  
• OSS code is preferred to reside within the enterprise, rather than hosted via a cloud solution.
  

Clearly, the acceptance of OSS is gaining a foothold in Enterprise IT.

Technorati Tags: Forrester Research, Open Source Software

Posted by Jack Dausman At 3:49 AM Location Washington, DC | Permalink | Comments (0)