Hello?
by Volker Weber
According to Ed Brill, Lotus is coming out with the most important update to Notes in ten years. I am one of the parties clearly interested. Wouldn't you think that Lotus press would ask me, whether I would like to review the software and then help me do just that?
Well, they don't. And when you feel like complaining that Lotus is largely ignored in the press then please remember this posting.
How does it happen anyway? I can't tell you. But you know what it looks like:
BTW: What is "Linux for System x"?
Comments
Did they really forget to gzip that tar file? Almost 1GB? ouch.
IE. Why?
Because IBM Download Director locks up Firefox tight as a drum.
Back onto the original topic, I got the impression that IBM had turned the tables for this release.
Instead of the sales team such as Ed asking analysts for feedback, Mary Beth Raven's team were engaged to get REAL feedback from REAL users.
Reading an article in a car magazine about how well the new Mercedes drove around a test track for an hour doesn't mean all that much to your sales rep who pounds up and down the motorways doing 100k miles a year.
Everybody was invited to test this one. Those who chose to give feedback, downloaded the beta and have been giving feedback via Mary Beth's blog and the beta forums for months. Open test labs and workshops were there for people to partake in.
I had the pleasure of meeting Mary Beth in Dublin at ILUG and she even took time to interview me and get feedback on the Domino Admin client that may well be re-worked in the next 8.x release.
Never before have I really felt my personal feedback counted for so much, it's a refreshing change.
That must really feel nice, somebody actually listening to you. SCNR. :-)
But I fail to see how this relates to the original topic of this post.
I don't know why IBM doesn't use a better approach for the software download. I prefer to spend more time at the beginning and use HTTP download and FDM (Free Download Manager) to speed up the process. That applet is so ugly and inefficient.
.::AleX::.
Andy: The actual file is ~500mb for the linux client, volker just has another file queued in the download director.
And no, they did not forget to gzip that tar. Inside there are plenty of .z files and those again would not reduce the size once again ;)
Volker: System x..
There is System i, formerly known as iSeries = AS/400
There is System z, zSeries = OS/390
and my guess is that System x is the former xSeries that used to be IA32 architecture. So that looks like the regular everyday pc with linux on it.
Alex, one can actually choose between http and download director at least at ibm partnerworld.
Volker, you're starting to sound a bit like Dave Winer now ;)
I guess you could translate Linux for System x into the Linux release for x86-architecture.
Frank, ouch, ouch, ouch. ;-)
Hey Volker,
by the by, I don't have any problems with DownloadDirector and Safari on my Mac... ;-)
(And before anybody asks: "WTF, why download it on Mac since there is no Mac client?!?" Yes, I am going to use it in a virtual machine.)
M.
Anyone could review the software - there was an open beta for it!
The single download for System i is ~880 MB. Unpacks to around 1.3 GB.
Anyone could review the software - there was an open beta for it!
Great idea. Remember The Rules?
@Chris: Journalists like to look at pre-releases to get an idea, perhaps even write an "early look" type article. But they want the production code for teh big/final review, otherwise the comment from the vendor will be "Well, you reviewed a beta, that was fixed in the release".
I lost count how many times I did hear that when I tested pre-release software...
And I agree with Volker, vendors should rush release code to journalists, at least for major products. To compare, when Windows 95 was released, I was standing in the local Microsoft office with an internal(!) hard drive, we opened up a PC and hooked it up, then downloaded the less than 8 hour old final release directly from the Redmond server. I had it installed at home less than 12 hours after the code went to manufacturing... I then had several days to test it before the actual release date, and to write a review of the final code.
If Lotus want good coverage, go the extra mile to provide journalists with what they need to do their job...
I wouldn't even know where to start trying to get myself a copy and, so, I won't bother. Not for next year or so anyway...
Karl-Henry, I second that. I got the released code on thursday and my deadline for the four-page review is tomorrow, so at least I got a few days running the real deal...
Meanwhile IBM renamed the Domino 8 for System x to:
"IBM Lotus Domino Server 8.0 Linux for x86 English (C13NJEN)"
on PartnerWorld
Domino 8 Linux on System x = Linux on IBM's version of an x86-architecture machine. However, the download site has been updated to show this more general, accurate and inclusive description ....
IBM Lotus Domino 8.0 Linux for x86
