I noticed that IBM released a new Redbook this month: “Linux Client Migration Cookbook — A Practical Planning and Implementation Guide for Migrating to Desktop Linux” Among the most interesting topics which are focused on the desktop deployment and technology are the chapters about “Migration best practices” and “Desktop automation and scripting”.
The question is, how seriously can we take IBM’s commitment to the Linux desktop when there is no native version of Lotus Notes?
“The question is, how seriously can we take IBM’s commitment to the Linux desktop when there is no native version of Lotus Notes?
”
when did lotus notes become a “desktop” application. if and when paying customers demand a port, IBM as a business will be forced to port it. looks like people are just talk for now
“when did lotus notes become a “desktop” application”
Uh, when they wrote it? If not a desktop application, what is it then? Certainly not a server application. That would be Lotus Domino.
We’re seriously considering implementing Lotus Notes. We told them of our intention to switch at least partially to Linux desktops across the board, and the best they could tell us is that we could still use the web portal, and that they had heard that Notes runs OK in Wine. You’d expect a better answer than that from someone who’s pushing Linux so hard.
”
Uh, when they wrote it? If not a desktop application, what is it then? Certainly not a server application. That would be Lotus Domino.
”
workstation app?
“You’d expect a better answer than that from someone who’s pushing Linux so hard.”
true. but if people like you are significant enough for IBM it would wierd if they didnt work on a port. I suspect the demand for it is just “noise” and not good enough to overweight the cost of the port
After all look at the kernel changelogs, the fact they actually sell Linux powered solutions, created udev, open sourced Eclipse and recently held a Open Source development contest.
“After all look at the kernel changelogs, the fact they actually sell Linux powered solutions, created udev, open sourced Eclipse and recently held a Open Source development contest.
”
those things arent as relevant to the desktop as various other apps.
Udev was written by Greg KH who is sponsored by IBM
“open sourced Eclipse”
Eclipse afaik has always been open source right from start
just to make things clear
“Eclipse afaik has always been open source right from start ”
No, Eclipse is a subset of WebSphere. Both are descents of the proprietary VisualAge product from IBM. The base of WebSphere (Eclipse) was only open-sourced around 2001-ish.
Also, the new version of Lotus Notes that is forthcoming is based on the Eclipse RCP and is cross-platform (as Eclipse is Java-based).
This redbook is great.
“No, Eclipse is a subset of WebSphere. Both are descents of the proprietary VisualAge product from IBM. The base of WebSphere (Eclipse) was only open-sourced around 2001-ish. ”
ok. wasnt aware of that. thanks
Hmm, I’d consider it a desktop app cause the secretary that’s doing meeting requests using Notes is not really running a workstation. A business desktop app is probably the most appropriate term.
But anyway, IBM is more than a passive receptor of requests for Linux desktop apps, they’re actually a big driving force in the adoption of Linux in the enterprise, to the point where if someone asks me about the viability of Linux, I can just say “Look at IBM” and they’ll calm down a bit.
Right now we’re going to do a major revamp of software at my workplace, getting new groupware, ERP, and other things, and we’ve managed to satisfy all needs on Linux, including finding ERP packages with Linux (or at least Java) clients, and the missing piece is groupware. The irony is that in order to run a native Linux groupware client, I’d have to settle with Evolution using Connector talking to an Exchange server.
Anyway, we let them know that Lotus on Linux is something we’d be very interested in.
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Right now we’re going to do a major revamp of software at my workplace, getting new groupware, ERP, and other things, and we’ve managed to satisfy all needs on Linux, including finding ERP packages with Linux (or at least Java) clients, and the missing piece is groupware”
have you looked at the other options including openxchange, opengroupware, kolab and novell ?
On a thread on here about a year ago a couple of contributors claimed to have seen a working native Linux Notes client developed at an IBM research centre in Switzerland. This was claimed to be a real native client not the skunkworks Notes Under Linux (NUL) rpm that use Wine and circulates within IBM.
It was suggest that IBM were not selling this because in the long term they wish to promote Websphere over Domino ( and eventually kill Domino). Does anyone Know anything about these rumours (ideally an IBM insider) eh! This seems especially relevent with development of Workplace 2 and the Eclipse based “rich” client.
… like you can it the way you use Active Directory (with GPOs and this like that) ?
This isn’t mentioned in the “Cookbook” ….
But, let me see … in fact, nobody needs some Microsoft-Crap like this because Linux is so good, you don’t need no centralized directory service at all which has more features than acting as an authentification server …
And for the bizarre rest who wants to be able e. g. to forbid their users to change the proxy settings – buy some software from IBM or Novell ord write some scripts.
In fact, “write some scripts” is always the best, cheapest and fastest solution. And anybody who has ever had to analyze the scripts of another ganja-smokin-admin was always very pleased to do so.
This is soooo much better than M$ …
Nice. I love free technical books.
“The question is, how seriously can we take IBM’s commitment to the Linux desktop when there is no native version of Lotus Notes?”
when did lotus notes become a “desktop” application. if and when paying customers demand a port, IBM as a business will be forced to port it. looks like people are just talk for now
back to troll, and badly quote some more are we?
Notes and Smart Suite are desktop enterprise applications. With that being said, I wouldn’t wish Notes on my worst enemy. IMHO, if you want a solution, look at either Novell Groupwise or SUNs stack, which includes a calendering server, messenging, IM server and a whole heap of other server stuff for $100 an employee.
IMHO, with all the great deals offered by SUN, one would have to be brain dead to turn down some of the licenses offers that they have available.
we’ve managed to satisfy all needs on Linux, including finding ERP packages with Linux (or at least Java) clients
Out of interest which ERP system? My company is now looking at a new ERP as well (focused on manufacturing), so just interested in which ones were able to work on Linux.
PS. The top 4 contenders for us (client wise) are all Win-only based.
“Notes and Smart Suite are desktop enterprise applications. ”
desktop enterprise?. you guys sure know how to spew crap. notes is not a typical desktop app. period
when people talk about desktop it usually means home user desktop. got that>?
> and the missing piece is groupware.
Kontact (http://www.kontact.org) together with egroupware (http://www.egrupware) or Kolab (http://www.kolab.org) works very well (It also supports OpenXChange, OpenGroupware and Novell Groupwise).
“Notes and Smart Suite are desktop enterprise applications.”
desktop enterprise?. you guys sure know how to spew crap. notes is not a typical desktop app. period
when people talk about desktop it usually means home user desktop. got that>?
Ok darling, here it is, broken down for simple minded folks like yourself.
1) What is Lotus Notes? Lotus Notes is a drop in replacement for Outlook, Domino is a replacement for Exchange.
2) What does Lotus Notes run on? It runs on a desktop OR workstation, normally with in a large enterprise setting.
3) What do you mean by desktop? a desktop is a machine which the end user has running on his or her desk, and runs his or her applications on.
4) What is an enterprise? a very large business; similar to the “Very Large Corporation of America”.
“1) What is Lotus Notes? Lotus Notes is a drop in replacement for Outlook”
its not
“2) What does Lotus Notes run on? ”
who cares. it might even run in a IBM 360 mainframe but that doesnt make it a mainframe application
“a desktop is a machine which the end user has running on his or her desk, and runs his or her applications on.
”
not specific enough
In fact, “write some scripts” is always the best, cheapest and fastest solution. And anybody who has ever had to analyze the scripts of another ganja-smokin-admin was always very pleased to do so.
Like an undocumented Windows network with random hacks and shit by a “ganja-smokin-admin” would be any easier? Please.
Set up a sane network, avoid hacks, and document everything.
I think those recommendations could apply to a Windows or Linux network.
We use Lotus Notes and it stinks, crashes all the time,even on AS400.
Your better off going with a pure SMTP based solution and use something else for appliction/database developement.
Open Exchange server from Suse looks nice as does Samsung Contact. (formerly HP open mail)
Notes is also extremely slow over slow connections, I really don’t recommend it after using it since 1997.
The PDF properties are:
Title SG246380.book
…
Creator: FrameMaker 7.0
Producer: Acrobat Distiller 5.0.5 (Windows)
…
Interesting isn’t it ?
Olivier
I rarely read OSNews comments these days, but in the last 2 days I’ve read 2 threads, and both have had you spewing bile about stuff you know nothing about.
Why don’t you just get a life? Seriously just stop trolling. It doesn’t get you any friends, nor does it get you laid. You are nothing but another example of the “Greater Internet F**kwad Theory”.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2004-03-19
It’s strange that not more than a couple of week ago, it was published the news that IBM was about to find an agreement with a PC vendor (from China) to sell them their desktop division.
I tried to migrate my housemate to Linux recently (Xandros 3.0). He was fed up with spyware/adware/viruses, so I figured him for a good candidate. I was wrong. Turns out his ipod was on the list of ‘must-haves’ and I had a bit of trouble getting this to mount/umount smoothly. So, in a wink, he was back to windows.
I have to admit though, I was relieved. The prospect of acting as 24-hour tech-support was less than appealing.
I’ve must have been to at least 10 product demos, out of which about half support linux in some capacity.
So far I’m very impressed with a couple, including QAD MFG/PRO. That’s the one I remember off the top of my head. Today we looked at Glovia, which runs on Oracle. Desktop linux support usually means some sort of richer-than-usual web based client.
I hear you man. But as far as groupware is concerned, my boss pretty much said we can have anything, as long as it’s Lotus Notes
Notes works as a basic groupware client: e.g. mail, calendar, contacts etc.
However notes also works as a basic database system (like a simplified Access, except files are stored on the Domino server).
It also does a few other things as well, including reports.
People who call it a “drop-in” replacement for Outlook haven’t the faintest notion what they’re talking about.
Incidentally, it’s a very complicated beast to use, the whole UI could do with some work. That said though, the main reason the UI is so bad is because it has to accomodate an application that does so much, too much in my opinion. This is probably why IBM don’t tout it as much as they used to.
With regard to SmartSuite, I’ve experimented with it in the past and I can tell you that even kludgy old-fashioned OpenOffice is miles better.
IBM is not about to dedicate serious resources to port two products that have proved unsuccessful and are becoming increasingly anachronous. Personally, I’d advocate the Novell solutions for the time being.
I think this is a great thing for IBM to do. These are the kind of resources I love to read.
As far as Lotus Notes goes, its complete garbage IMHO. I’m so glad we just migrated off it to Novell Groupwise. Its been 2 weeks since our migration and everyone is singing Groupwise praises and Ding Dong Notes is dead.