July 2009

Go and hug your IT guy today

by Volker Weber

He will know why. If your IT guy is a girl and you work in the land of the free, ask first.

The smartest thing I read yesterday

by Volker Weber

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Send Google Mail through your own SMTP server

by Volker Weber

gmail2ownsmtp

You have been able to set your own mail address on Google for while. So I was able to set vowe@vowe.net as the from-address for outgoing mail. However, it was always sent through Google's server "on behalf of". Now Google lets you specify your outbound SMTP server and it will send the mail for you through this server.

Works with Android, BlackBerry BIS, not with Nokia Messaging so far.

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Old Sonos controller has some advantages

by Volker Weber

cr100ffwd

If you listen to Last.fm a lot, you have a very good reason to stay with your old CR100 instead of longing for the new sexy touchscreen beast: the skip forward button. Without even looking at the device you can hit the button to skip a track you don't like. This works in the current zone, no matter which screen you are looking at. Not so easy on the touchscreen controller, which has fewer buttons.

GMail.com funktioniert wieder in Deutschland

by Volker Weber

Ist mir gestern aufgefallen: gmail.com leitet wieder um auf Google Mail. Bis vor kurzem kam stets ein Hinweis (ohne Link), man möge mail.google.com in der Adresszeile eingeben. Seit wann geht das wieder?

OpenNTF continues to meet

by Volker Weber

Reading the latest meetings minutes at OpenNTF:

Technical Spokesperson: Steve Castledine
Steering Committee Spokesperson: Ludwig Nastansky

Both are very reasonable people. Will be interesting to see whether they do all the talking from now on.

There are two catalogs, one for the Apache license and the other for the GPL license

Hmmh. So there is still going to be different buckets for open source at OpenNTF. So far it does not really show in the UI, unless "Catalog" is for ASL and "Projects" is for GPL.

Still on the "to do" list: · Get code flowing into the Catalogs · Open up the Catalogs · Upgrade the Servers

Ah, there is the beef.

Rob Novak (SNAPPS) has resigned from the OpenNTF.org Steering Committee. However SNAPPS remains an Alliance member of OpenNTF.org.

I won't comment on Minus how much that is. There aren't many people in this community who I respect more than Rob.

Can't get TomTom to play nicely with Google Maps

by Volker Weber

googlemapstomtom1

This should have been working for a long time. Select an address in Google Maps, send it to your TomTom PND via TomTom Home, the desktop app. Alas, it doesn't. It never has:

googlemapstomtom2

It's all the latest and greatest (besides the map):

TomTom Home 2.6.2.264
Mac OS X 10.5.7
TomTom Go 940 Live w/ 8.379 (3361464/090717) BS:330021
GPS 1.20, Boot 5.5.120

But it's not good enough. Which is a pity, since this is the best satnav I have ever used.

My Name is E: Now on the iPhone

by Volker Weber

mynameiseiphone

About two months ago I told you about a poken for grown-ups. As of today they have an iPhone app:

E for iPhone allows you to exchange your E business cards from iPhone to iPhone (or iPod touch) with a simple flick of the wrist. Just select one of your cards, which are integrated with your favorite social networks, and flick iPhones towards each other to exchange. E makes sure that you get friended automatically on the selected social networks.

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Nikon D3000 teaches you new tricks

by Volker Weber

nikond3000

Interesting concept. I'd still prefer the D700. Have D70. Where can I get a zero? :-)

Cat in bath

by Volker Weber

Apple Claims New iPhone Only Visible To Most Loyal Of Customers

by Volker Weber

SAN FRANCISCO—In a move expected to revolutionize the mobile device industry, Apple launched its fastest and most powerful iPhone to date Tuesday, an innovative new model that can only be seen by the company's hippest and most dedicated customers.

The Onion of course. ;-)

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Presseagentur gesucht?

by Volker Weber

Wer immer schon einmal eine Presseagentur gesucht hat, die uninteressante Meldungen, etwa die Pillepalle AG aus Pusemuckel habe erneut ein SAP-Zertifikat erworben, das sie offenbar schon hatte, an in der Sache uninteressierte Journalisten verschickt, dem kann ich jetzt eine Agentur in Tübingen empfehlen.

Allen anderen empfehle ich eine knackig gute, die nicht in Tübingen beheimatet ist.

Weather looks promising at vowe's magic flying circus

by Volker Weber

Other yellow news

by Volker Weber

elgujiiqjam

Traveling ZonePlayer

by Volker Weber

sonos_ZP90_left

I have one spare Sonos ZonePlayer. Yesterday it moved to a new household. That is an easy installation if there is Internet access and an iPod touch or an iPhone in the house. Will be interesting to see how much financial damage the ZonePlayer will inflict. :-)

Confidentiality test

by Volker Weber

Sometimes I am tested how good I can keep a secret. There is a simple mechanism for that. I am being told a bogus secret. I am the only person who knows it. If that secret becomes public there is circumstantial evidence I can't keep it.

Now you apply that test to a machine, for instance a Sametime server. If the machine loses a secret invented for the server, some dishonest admin reads chat logs. Run more than one experiment.

Mit Diebstahlversicherung

by Volker Weber

mitdiebstahlversicherung

Thomas hat es mir gezeigt, Konstantin hat es auch entdeckt.

Update: Sixt legt noch einmal nach:

ullahola

"Das ist ein illegales Programm von Microsoft"

by Volker Weber

How to make yourself independent of Apple's app store approval process

by Volker Weber

allappsareuptpdate

When Sonos updated to 2.8, they learned a hard lesson. And they learned it well. Sonos could not update the system software until Apple released the matching iPhone controller. And since Apple is very much unpredictable, that resulted in a very long night for Sonos support.

This time they found a solution. The "old" iPhone controller has been updated a few weeks ago and was silently upgraded to support 3.0, without adding any of the new functions. Now Sonos was free to update the system software to 3.0 at their leisure, and then have Apple update the iPhone controller. What you currently download (as of 1pm CEST) is not the latest controller. It is 2.8.2 which works with 3.0. The new controller has not yet been released to the store. Stay tuned.

Ben Langhinrichs: Protecting your company's reputation

by Volker Weber

This is a difficult post for me to write, as I don't want to get in the middle of all the nonsense which has been percolating in parts of the community, but I feel like it would be a disservice to keep quiet on this matter.

Go read it yourself. It does not need comment.

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Migros schließt Musik-Downloadshop und lässt Kunden im Regen stehen

by Volker Weber

PCtipp.ch berichtet dass die schweizerische Migros den Musik-Dowloadshop i-m.ch schließt:

Die erwähnten Lizenzen seien nur noch bis Ende 2011 gültig, schreibt Migros. Danach will die Konzern die Server ausschalten. Das bedeutet, dass Nutzer die gekaufte Musik ab diesem Zeitpunkt nicht mehr hören können. Gemäss eines PCtipp-Lesers ist das aber bereits passiert. Er kann seine gekaufte Musiksammlung nicht mehr benützen.

Netzwertig kommentiert:

Man kann es nicht oft genug sagen: DRM-Angebote sollte man als Kunde immer meiden, sofern es geht. Man erwirbt damit keine Produkte, sondern nur das vom Anbieter aus verschiedensten Gründen widerrufbare Nutzungsrecht. Die Abhängigkeit gegenüber dem Anbieter durch DRM ist für jeden Kunden eine tickende Zeitbombe.

Ein Freund hat letzte Woche erst sein Schutzgeld an Apple überwiesen, damit er seine bereits gekaufte Musik auch im Auto und auf seinem Sonos hören kann. Die FAZ hat DRM schon immer richtig erklärt: Digitale Rechteminderung. Wer ernsthaft glaubt, ein Amazon Kindle sei 'ne tolle Sache, der hat den Schuss noch nicht gehört.

Repeat after me: DRM is bad for the customer.

[via Hanno und Isotopp ]

Sonos finally has a new controller

by Volker Weber

A couple of weeks ago I received an anonymous email claiming that Sonos would be replacing the old Soviet iPod controller. That was a very credible rumor since the CR100 was getting very long in the tooth. I posted an Alex warning on my site, and was confronted with a very agitated PR manager who was asking, if not threatening me, to take down that post. After some consideration, I did that. Not because I had to, but there was not much to win for me, and a lot to lose for Sonos. I also told him how to prevent me from disclosing any secrets. Very simple: fill me in. I don't give away any secrets I heard from the original source.

I was quickly added to the very small beta program and had the chance to play with new Sonos 3.0 software, and then finally with the new controller. So there is a software and a hardware part. Software first:

The hardware part is well described on the Sonos website. Just a few items:

I don't expect too many people to ditch their CR100 and get a CR200. At 350 it is kind of expensive with strong competition from an iPod touch. With the BU250 bundle however, it is a no brainer.

The PC/Mac software is now the oldest part of the system and in need of some radical improvement. And I am a little bit disappointed that Sonos did not at least touch up the UI of the CR100 to keep it inline with the 3.0 user experience. No radical changes, just a bit of paint here and there. Sonos has so far done a great job at keeping existing customers happy by upgrading their equipment to all the latest functions. That is still true for everything besides the CR100.

RIM announces low budget BlackBerry

by Volker Weber

The Curve 8520 has half the screen resolution of the 8900 device, a 2MP camera, Wifi and quadband GSM/EDGE. It replaces the trackball with a new trackpad controller.

BlackBerry announces out of the box Mac support, so the Mac desktop software should be available real soon now.

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Original and Knock off

by Volker Weber

Original

Original: Stackoverflow.com

Knock off

Knock off: Elenchus

Why Google Latitude is (only) a web app on the iPhone

by Volker Weber

Google’s Mat Balez writes:

We worked closely with Apple to bring Latitude to the iPhone in a way Apple thought would be best for iPhone users. After we developed a Latitude application for the iPhone, Apple requested we release Latitude as a web application in order to avoid confusion with Maps on the iPhone, which uses Google to serve maps tiles.

John Gruber translates:

Apple rejected their native iPhone app.

And that of course means iPhone users miss out on one important feature:

Unfortunately, since there is no mechanism for applications to run in the background on iPhone (which applies to browser-based web apps as well), we're not able to provide continuous background location updates in the same way that we can for Latitude users on Android, Blackberry, Symbian and Windows Mobile.

My guess is that Apple does not really want people to get the Mobile Me function "Find my iPhone" for free.

A short history of Nokia phones I like

by Volker Weber

nokiae61iton86

The N82 is an exception. Feels too cheap, but has a great camera. The N86 gets it right. Great camera, E-series build quality.

Want your face to appear in Facebook advertisements? If not, check this out.

by Volker Weber

facebookads

Facebook occasionally pairs advertisements with relevant social actions from a user's friends to create Facebook Ads. Facebook Ads make advertisements more interesting and more tailored to you and your friends. These respect all privacy rules. You may opt out of appearing in your friends' Facebook Ads below.

Looks like you need to opt out of a scheme where Facebooks uses your photos to make your friends click on ads. The default is "Only my friends" and you want to set this to "No one".

If you are logged in, find the setting here >

Latitude requests

by Volker Weber

I have been using Latitude on the BlackBerry Bold, the Android G1 and more recently the Nokia N86. And I am getting quite a few sharing requests. Please understand that I have to turn most of them down.

Free S60 Twitter App

by Volker Weber

TweetS60 is a native S60 app for Twitter and quite usable. And it is one of those apps that can prioritize access points. Had some difficulties logging in the first time, but now it works.

How winners are made

by Volker Weber

IBM claims Coca Cola as a win. So does Microsoft. Today I learned that one is Coca Cola Cie, the other Coca Cola Enterprises.

Microsoft claims that 4.7 Mio Notes users started (!) switching to Exchange and Sharepoint. I wonder how many IBM claims to have won from Microsoft. Have not seen any numbers on that.

Palm releases webOS 1.1 for the Pre

by Volker Weber

From the Palm website:

Today we released Palm webOS 1.1, which brings several additions to our support for Exchange ActiveSync (EAS),

Gregg Ginsberg comments (details here), that his Pre now works with Traveler 8.5.1 on Lotus Greenhouse.

There is other cool stuff in webOS 1.1, for instance:

the ability to set “person reminders” in the contacts app (next time you get a message or phone call from that person, a message pops up showing you a reminder to ask them about their vacation in Maui -- cool, huh?)

And finally, the Pre now syncs with iTunes 8.2.1 - so it's up to Apple to kick Pre users in the nuts again with 8.2.2.

You are doing it wrong

by Volker Weber

slipway

Wired: Hacker Says iPhone 3GS Encryption Is ‘Useless’ for Businesses

by Volker Weber

Apple claims that hundreds of thousands of iPhones are being used by corporations and government agencies. What it won’t tell you is that the supposedly enterprise-friendly encryption included with the iPhone 3GS is so weak it can be cracked in two minutes with a few pieces of readily available freeware.

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Microsoft revenue down 17%, profits down almost 30%

by Volker Weber

Redmond, Wash. — July 23, 2009 — Microsoft Corp. today announced revenue of $13.10 billion for the fourth quarter ended June 30, 2009, a 17% decline from the same period of the prior year. Operating income, net income and diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $3.99 billion, $3.05 billion and $0.34 per share, which represented declines of 30%, 29% and 26%, respectively, when compared with the prior year period.

Well, if they give me $50,000,000 from last quarter, they are still making 3 billion. A quarter.

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Google Wave: Updates from today's hackathon

by Volker Weber

... we’ve already rolled out roughly 6,000 developer accounts and we’re working through an additional 20,000 requests over the course of the next month. If you haven't done so already, you’re welcome to request a sandbox account.

In other news: this morning we announced that we plan to start extending the Google Wave preview beyond developers on September 30th. This will take place on wave.google.com rather than the separate "sandbox" instance we are currently using, and we plan to involve about 100,000 users.

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Nirvana got rick rolled

by Volker Weber

Download this track here (mp3) or full album here (zip):



  1. Soilwork vs. Daft Punk - Blind Eye Harder Better Faster Stronger (0:52)
    Soilwork - Blind Eye Halo vs.
    Daft Punk - Harder Better Faster Stronger (Acapella)

  2. Pain vs. Black Sabbath - I'm Going Paranoid (3:18)
    Pain - I'm Going In (Instrumental & Original) vs.
    Black Sabbath - Paranoid (Acapella)

  3. The Prodigy vs. Judas Priest - You've Got Another Firestarter Comin' (3:41)
    The Prodigy - Firestarter (Instrumental) vs.
    Judas Priest - You've Got Another Thing Comin' (Acapella)

  4. Planetakis vs. 30 Seconds To Mars - The Dancing Pogo Is Killing Me (4:06)
    Planetakis - Pogo in the Shoes of Kylie Minogue vs.
    30 Seconds To Mars - The Kill (Acapella)

  5. The Killers vs. Tokio Hotel - Jenny's Monsoon (4:10)
    The Killers - Jenny (Instrumental) vs.
    Tokio Hotel - Monsoon (Acapella)

  6. Kill Hannah vs. Juli - Morgoth's Perfekte Welle (4:17)
    Kill Hannah - Scream (Instrumental) vs.
    Juli - Perfekte Welle (Acapella)

  7. Robbie Williams vs. The Temptations - My Girl Has Sin Sin Sin (3:01)
    Robbie Williams - Sin in Sin (Instrumental) vs.
    The Temptation - My Girl (Acapella)

  8. Jan Delay vs. Katy Perry - I Kissed A Fire Girl (3:32)
    Jan Delay - Feuer (Instrumental) vs.
    Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl (Acapella)

  9. Gorillaz vs. Motörhead - Ace Of Spades Feels Good (2:58)
    Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc. (Instrumental) vs.
    Motörhead - Ace Of Spades (Acapella)

  10. Nirvana vs. Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give Your Teen Spirit Up (3:51)
    Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Instrumental) vs.
    Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Acapella)

  11. Depeche Mode vs. Planetakis - Enjoy The Message (4:07)
    Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence (Ewan Pearson Radio Edit) vs.
    Planetakis - Messages (Acapella)

  12. Milk Inc. vs. Fall Out Boy - I Don't Care About Sunrise (3:45)
    Milk Inc. - Sunrise (Jackyll & Hyde Instrumental Extended Mix) vs.
    Fall Out Boy - I Don't Care (Acapella)

  13. Samael vs. DHT - Listen To Your Telepathic Heart (3:20)
    Samael - Telepathic (Instrumental) vs.
    DHT - Listen To Your Heart (Acapella)

  14. Planetakis vs. Deadlock - Martyr To Spam (2:37)
    Planetakis - Spam (Instrumental) vs.
    Deadlock - Martyr To Science (Acapella)

  15. And One vs. The Automatic - Driving With My Monster (2:50)
    And One - Driving With My Darling (Instrumental) vs.
    The Automatic - Monster (Acapella)

  16. Avril Lavigne vs. Testament - Complicated Crown (4:02)
    Avril Lavigne - Complicated (Instrumental) vs.
    Testament - Electric Crown (Acapella)

  17. Bloc Party vs. Ladyhawke - Back In Kreuzberg (5:00)
    Bloc Party - Kreuzberg (Instrumental) vs.
    Ladyhawke - Back Of The Van (Acapella)

  18. 2Pac vs. Coheed & Cambria - Welcome Home Mama (3:40)
    2Pac - Mama (Instrumental) vs.
    Coheed & Cambria - Welcome Home (Acapella)

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Zitat des Tages

by Volker Weber

Übrigens: Auch ich bin käuflich. Ich bin nur zu teuer.
Konstantin Klein

Lecker

by Volker Weber

Lecker

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Mixed Tape 27 is out

by Volker Weber

mixedtape27

Tracklist:

It's Not For Us - Audrey Ebbs
Can't Get Enough Of Me - Pauletta
My Benz - Snow Picnic
Down To The Streets - Empty Beauty
Do You See What I See - BROKOF
Stay Still - Anna Scott
Waterdrops - AnnA
New Age - Nine Dots
Emergency Disko - iKi BEAT
Love - Chantelle Nandi

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[via Alper]

Upgrading from Domino 6.5 to 8.5?

by Volker Weber

If you're upgrading from Lotus Domino Server 6.5 to 8.5, stop what you're doing, call IBM and get a hold of the hotfix for SPR's LMAN7R6L44, JCIK7PFGCT, which is one hotfix that you need to apply to your 8.5 servers BEFORE you move any data on to them. If you don't do this and apply 8.5 policies onto those 6.5 mail files, bad things will happen and your end users won't be able to user their mail files anymore, either with the Notes client or iNotes.

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Completely boring headline about OpenNTF

by Volker Weber

I was a little surprised today by this posting on Bruce Elgort's site: Elguji Software, LLC widthdraws from the OpenNTF Alliance. I thought everybody knew that. Then I read a comment thread on OpenNTF and found this;

But yet on the other hand, you, John and Ed demanded that I publish something on my blog. I didn't wan't too. There was no need too. So today I did so as I was again asked by one of you to do so. ...

The discussion revolves around the fact that OpenNTF tries to be as transparent as possible and therefore publishes recordings of the meetings. However, since there are confidential parts of those meetings they are not published entirely. In the past, part of the recordings had to be edited out because a member requested confidentiality. It is a delicate matter and I agree that you cannot publish everything.

The discussion dances around the fact that the ugly parts are not happening in meetings. They happen in background struggles and apparently Bruce is not happy about them:

I just sent another email off to the OpenNTF Steering Committee that really tells them how I REALLY FEEL. It is the actions of one single individual on the Steering Committee that pushed me to writing this email. I don't like being bullied.

While the meetings minutes suggest a professional attitude, the bullying is appalling. Example from a discussion I did not really want to have: (edited only by replacing names with A, B, C, X, Y, Z)

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Chiemsee

by Volker Weber

Brandhorst

by Volker Weber

Amazon Uses up the World's Irony

by Volker Weber

This means that all the reassuring talks by Amazon that e-books are just like books, but better is a load of absolute nonsense. You're not allowed to resell them, you're not allowed to give them away, and apparently, you don't even own them, as Amazon can delete them from your Kindle at any given moment.

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And the winner is ... the N86 8MP

by Volker Weber

nokia-n86-8mp

A few surprises from the lot that I took to the Frankfurt stock exchange for the TV interview:

Update: This is the trick to find out what kind of videos it likes. Shoot one with the camera and look at the properties. Apparently it uses a frame rate of 30.22 fps in MPEG4 H.263. Once I transcoded my videos to those settings they would play.


Wer ein Herz und eine Website hat ...

by Volker Weber

bitte-rettet-unseren-papa

bitte-rettet-unseren-papa


... schaltet bitte diese Banner. Es geht um Leben und Tod. Und es ist nicht mehr viel Zeit.

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IBM earnings

by Volker Weber

Waiting for the spin on these numbers - again :

Revenues from the WebSphere family of software products ... increased 8 percent year over year. ... revenues from Lotus software ... decreased 14 percent.

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Whose side is Apple on?

by Volker Weber

While I like using a Mac and most of Apple's other offerings, its control-freakery is appaling. Either you use those products within the limits Apple sets for you, or you are facing an uphill battle. Three examples:

  1. iPhone: Apple controls what you can install, which carrier you may use, what features you have. Carrier does not want you to tether? Apple is going to prevent it. Found out how trivial it is to enable a feature like tethering? Apple will fix it for you, so it no longer works.
  2. iTunes: Apple controls which devices work with iTunes. Want to buy something else? Tough luck. Apple is going to fix iTunes for you, so it no longer works with your other equipment.
  3. AppleTV: Want to add features to it? You again face an uphill battle. Hack the OS to get control, break the update mechanism to prevent Apple from "fixing" things for you, then add your applications.

Apple has some great products, but you need to know that Apple is never on your side of a struggle.

What a power hungry lot

by Volker Weber

border

Top, left to right: Samsung HD, Nokia N86
Middle: Samsung Galaxy, Samsung Jet, Nokia N97, iPhone
Bottom: G1, BlackBerry Bold and Storm, Nokia E75

Generation Kleingedrucktes

by Volker Weber

Vodafone sucht den Dialog mit der "Generation Upload". Den hat sie jetzt:

bei vodafone hat man sich offenbar nico lummas rat zu herzen genommen und versucht jetzt so viele fehler wie möglich zu machen, um daraus irgendwann mal was zu lernen. oder eben auch nicht.

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iPhone shorthand conversation

by Volker Weber

[via IM, source unknown]

The Register: BlackBerry update bursting with spyware

by Volker Weber

An update pushed out to BlackBerry users on the Etisalat network in the United Arab Emirates appears to contain remotely-triggered spyware that allows the interception of messages and emails, as well as crippling battery life.

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It is the apps, stupid

by Volker Weber

Every time somebody offers migration tools away from Notes, or some company actually does a migration, the Notes faithful repeat their mantra: "you cannot migrate the apps". And as carriers fear the word "bitpipe" the Notes aficionados are up in arms when they hear "asbestos", because of this rather stupid article, which contains a lot of rubbish and one interesting parallel: "It was really easy to install, but ... it was very expensive to get out".

A company, which uses Notes for mail and calendaring only, is an easy target for a migration. If they are using customs apps, replacing those won't be easy. However, actually telling your customers, they can't get away from their Notes apps, would make them feel like being taken hostage.

There are Notes customers out there, that have expressed this concern and have implemented "no Notes development" policies while maintaining their existing infrastructure. I have even seen some less understandable policies like "Notes apps only in Java" as if those would be more easily portable down the road.

Enter Xpages. IBM once promised you could use your Notes apps in a browser, automagically. Turned out that was not so easy either. So IBM did not promise you could easily turn your Notes apps into Xpages apps. And you can't. You rebuild them as Xpages. Rip and replace.

The question that customers are pondering is "should we do that"? In this light I would not make too much noise about the asbestos problem.

Google eases move from Notes to Goole Apps with free migration tool

by Volker Weber

Google Apps Migration for Lotus Notes quickly migrates user data such as email, contacts, and calendar events to Google Apps. It also includes coexistence tools for calendaring, which allow users on Lotus Notes servers to interoperate with users on Google Apps Calendar by exposing when users are free or busy, regardless of which system they use. Powerful management features - including automatic sending of notification email messages to users, support for migrating encrypted mailboxes, and the ability to migrate multiple users simultaneously - also add functionality to this migration tool. Google Apps Migration for Lotus Notes helps make switching to Google easy and fast.

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Imagine

by Volker Weber

Imagine you have Damien Katz on your payroll. Imagine you pay him to build this great open source database, that is an offspring of his Notes experience. Imagine the BBC is using it. Imagine Ubuntu is building their One service on it. Imagine there is another biggie coming out this month or next month.

Imagine, you don't use it anywhere for your own stuff. You are IBM.

The HD is dead. Long live the HD.

by Volker Weber

samsung320

Today, the HD in Raven, my black MacBook, died. The computer originally came with an 80 gig drive, which I later upgraded to 160. Now this drive died, and since the computer is still in fine working condition, I am doubling the capacity again. And although I have a full backup of the old drive, I am going to give it a fresh installation without any baggage.

And when it's all done, I am going to sync the data back in from Mobile Me and Windows Live Sync.

Let this be a reminder to you not to trust your data to a single drive. Never.

Rekursion

by Volker Weber

apfelsaft

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Seven posts, eight authors, and a great future

by Volker Weber

This is how to do it: put the best of the best experts on one blog. This promises to be educating.

Amazing stop motion video

by Volker Weber

Neues Wort: "gleich mal voweativ eine Meldung von IBM bearbeiten"

by Volker Weber

voweativ

Das steht hier und verlinkt diesen Beitrag. Muss ich mal ins Wörterbuch übernehmen:

voweativ2

Absurdes T-heater

by Volker Weber

Zitieren wir mal Leo:

iPhone-Kunden bei T-Mobile Deutschland, die sich ihren Complete-Vertrag der 1. Generation bewahrt haben, dürfen das jeweils enthaltene Datenvolumen bekanntlich auch außerhalb des iPhones oder eines anderen Mobiltelefons frei nutzen - beispielsweise mit einem HSPA-USB-Stick oder in einem Netbook mit integriertem UMTS-Modem.

Mit anderen Worten: Wer seine 5 GB Inklusiv-Volumen nicht mit dem iPhone verbraten kann, der "darf" das auch mit seinem Notebook tun. Dazu steckt man einfach eine weitere SIM-Karte in ein UMTS-Modem und damit geht das dann.

Nun kann man mit iPhone 3.0 auch das Telefon selbst als Modem nutzen. Dazu muss man lediglich ein passendes Profil mit dem richtigen Access Point generieren und in das Telefon laden. Eigentlich kein Problem. Aber dafür will die T-Mobile, wie auch andere Carrier ein Extrageld haben. Höchstwahrscheinlich jeden Monat. Noch traut sich dort niemand zu sagen, was das denn kosten soll. Nur, dass es etwas kosten soll:

Auch für Kunden mit einem Complete-Vertrag der 1. Generation wird das iPhone-Tethering auf offiziellem Wege allerdings nur in Form der kostenpflichtigen Option aktiviert und nicht etwa kostenlos freigeschaltet.

Bei den Complete-Tarifen, die der Carrier derzeit anbietet, ist ja die Nutzung des Inklusiv-Volumens außerhalb des Telefons ohnehin nicht mehr "gestattet". Wie auch die Nutzung zur IP-Telefonie, oder auch nur zum Chatten.

Das ist alles so unglaublich bescheuert, dass man es eigentlich nur immer wieder erzählen muss, um sämtliche Marketing-Euros nutzlos verpuffen zu lassen.

Heinerfest Feuerwerk

by Volker Weber


Photo Matthias Welwarsky

Macht doch einfach gescheite Produkte, liebe Carrier

by Volker Weber

Viel wurde diese Woche über Vodafone geredet. Reden wir statt dessen doch mal über Produkte und Tarife. Denn mit unverständlichen Tarifen, langen Laufzeiten und komplizierten Einstellungen haben die Carrier bisher jeden gelehrt, dass Internet auf dem Handy schlecht und teuer ist.

Die Netze können es, jedenfalls bei T-Mobile, Vodafone und O2. Mit E-Plus habe ich nur schlechte Erfahrungen und schon lange gar keine mehr gemacht. Wenn das bei E-Plus jemand liest, der mich vom Gegenteil überzeugen will, soll er mir mal 'ne SIM schicken und ich werde es ausprobieren.

Produkte also. Handy plus Tarif. Den Durchbruch hat sicher das iPhone gebracht. Geht einfach, ist aber auch leider teuer. Und das begrenzt einfach den potentiellen Käuferkreis. iPhone gibt es bei T-Mobile und die sind gut aufgestellt. Flächendeckend EDGE, so dass schon das Original-iPhone gut ging, und die nicht so teueren BlackBerrys ohne UMTS. Nur bei den Tarifen sind sie, wie die Kollegen von Vodafone, uninteressant. Zu lange Laufzeiten, zu viele Sternchen, zu viel Geld.

O2 dagegen stellt sich gut auf. Android jetzt, mit dem tollen Samsung, Palm Pre vor Weihnachten. Laufzeittarife ohne Grundgebühr, man zahlt nur, was man vertelefoniert oder verSMSt. Handys werden subventioniert, aber als Extraleistung; Ratenkauf statt Tarifgeschummel. Dazu Datenpakete mit einer Laufzeit von drei Monaten; warum eigentlich nicht einer? Wenn der Kunde es mag, wird er auch nicht kündigen. Was noch nicht stimmt, ist die Volumenstaffelung. 200 MB für 10 Euro oder 5 GB für 25 Euro. Danach geht es runter auf GPRS. 200 MB sind zu wenig, 5 GB normalerweise zu viel.

Was können sie besser machen? Sucker them in! 1GB UMTS für 5 Euro. Nochmal 1 GB für nochmal 5 Euro. Und so weiter. Der Kunde soll festlegen, wieviel er maximal ausgeben will, aber er zahlt in 5ern nur so viel, wie er verbraucht. Und dann geht es halt runter auf GPRS. Nur so eine Idee, wie man das Modell ändern könnte, ohne es zu zerbrechen. So oder so: der Kunde will wissen, was er verbraucht. Also her mit der Website, die das anzeigt. Auf dem Handy.

Und was die Sternchen angeht: die Leute wollen Internet. Nicht Internet minus Chat minus Skype. Wer sparen will oder muss, dessen Geld kriegt ihr sowieso nicht. Die Leute wollen Bilder hochladen, die sie schießen, und mit den vielen Megapixeln, die in Euren Kameras drin sind, sind die 200 MB dermaßen schnell verbraucht, dass Ihr schon wieder einen sauren Kunden habt. Und jeder Saure säuert hundert andere.

Es geht nicht um die "Generation Upload". Es geht um alle Menschen, die Internet nicht nur am Schreibtisch erleben wollen.

Minus three

by Volker Weber

Declan Sciolla-Lynch is out:

OpenNTF, I Tried, You Failed.

He is pulling all his projects, amongst them the ever popular BlogSphere.

declanprojectsopenntf

Not only that, he is also urging other contributors to follow suit and gives instructions on how to do it:

If you are also an OpenNTF Project Owner that I urge you to do the exact same. We only get one vote on how OpenNTF is run and that is by voting with our feet and walking away from the disaster it has become.

More >

Bayer to start migration to Microsoft next year

by Volker Weber

Published on the Bayer News Channel:

Leverkusen. Send electronic messages instantly, collaborate on documents or hold a video conference - all from your own desk and with just a few mouse clicks. That's what the new "Personalized WorkPlace" program will soon mean for the Bayer world. In late 2010, Bayer will begin the multi-year migration to a new technology based on email and teamwork functions from Microsoft.

As you can see from the URL, currently a Notes customer. With more than 100,000 seats ...

More >

Update: IBM has asked me to also tell you about their win. There you go.

IBM needs to find a new word for "residency"

by Volker Weber

Great new opportunity. Let me help with a brief translation, tongue firmly in cheek:

Residents will have an opportunity to be involved in a team effort, utilizing various collaboration tools to create an IBM Redbooks wiki providing a Deployment Guide for Lotus Notes and Domino Version 8.5.

You co-author a wiki.

This is a great way to give back to the community and your professions by sharing your expertise and experience while learning new skills and increasing your network of peers.

You don't get paid.

The structure of the guide will be based on the current IBM Redbooks publication "IBM Lotus Notes and Domino Version 8 Deployment Guide". The contents will be updated to reflect new function, capabilities and best deployment practices for Version 8.5.

Wikis, like books, don't magically update themselves.

This is purely a remote / virtual residency, which means you will not need to travel to participate. The ITSO will not pay for any expenses incurred during your involvement with this residency.

You are a resident of your home.

You will be expect to attend various kickoff, status, and review meetings (via conference calls and/or using other collaboration tools ...

Just as if you worked for IBM.

Quote of the day

by Volker Weber

The difference between theory and practice is in theory somewhat smaller than in practice.
— Source unknown

Ok, there were even better quotes, but this one seemed more publishable. :-)

Microsoft Silverlight 3

by Volker Weber

Upgrade Microsoft Silverlight
for a better Web experience

Please upgrade to the latest version
Silverlight 3 RTW (3.0.40624.0)

Not sure. Do I want that? So far not many websites outside of Microsoft have asked for it. Actually I can't think of a single one.

More >

Minus two

by Volker Weber

Tuesday afternoon Elguji Software, LLC has informed the chairman of the OpenNTF Alliance of the withdrawal of Elguji from the Alliance. Two days later this change has not been propagated to the OpenNTF website, which was to be expected.

Elguji's flagship product is the award-winning IdeaJam, decorated with multiple Lotus Awards and an IBM Beacon Award. Maybe more importantly, Elguji was represented by Bruce "OpenNTF" Elgort. I am not going to speculate about reasons; you can imagine that Bruce would not abandon his child light-heartedly.

As I said at Minus one, I am going to count the bodies.

Google announces hardware partners for Chrome OS

by Volker Weber

What companies is Google working with to support Google Chrome OS?

The Google Chrome OS team is currently working with a number of technology companies to design and build devices that deliver an extraordinary end user experience. Among others, these companies include Acer, Adobe, ASUS, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and Toshiba.

That's about everyone.

More >

Fairchild Semiconductor dumps Notes for Google Apps

by Volker Weber

Google ... said Fairchild Semiconductor has moved its 5,500 employees to Google Apps Premier Edition (GAPE) from IBM Lotus Notes, the latest coup for the company's growing effort in cloud computing.

5500 seats are not going to make a big dent in IBM's revenue. But there are more clients working on this switch.

More >

Biggest news of the day: Google Chrome OS

by Volker Weber

It's been an exciting nine months since we launched the Google Chrome browser. ... today, we're announcing a new project that's a natural extension of Google Chrome — the Google Chrome Operating System.

If Google Chrome (browser) is any indication, then Microsoft execs should be shitting their pants. Once you start using Chrome everything else feels so last century. Slow, bloated, outdated.

An operating system is a more daunting task. Device drivers, software etc. How does Google tackle that? A new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. That's good, because Linux needs a new, much leaner windowing system with some vendor punch behind it.

Wake-up call to all software vendors: make sure your web apps run on Chrome. And start using Gears. You have approximately one year.

More >

New Sonos controller leaked by ... Sonos

by Volker Weber

sonos-cr200-leak

If you browse through the Engadget gallery, you know almost everything you need to know about the new Sonos touchscreen controller. Note to Sonos: if you stage new websites, put a password on them.

American film actors Paul Mooney, Bob Balaban, Charles Robinson

by Volker Weber

americanfilmactors

[Thanks, Andre]

Five girls and a Formula Student race car

by Volker Weber

dartdelta2009

Tonight DART Racing unveiled their Delta 2009 car for this season.

More >

Look what's missing

by Volker Weber

googlemail

Schwindelig gespielt

by Volker Weber

Humanoide "Darmstadt Dribblers" gewinnen überlegen bei RoboCup-Weltmeisterschaft: Weltmeistertitel, Luis Vuitton Best Humanoid Award und Technical Challenge

More >

Massive what?

by Volker Weber

massivejobs

Slow food: Schwein gehabt

by Volker Weber

Porkcamp wird eine Veranstaltung Ende Januar 2010 in Hamburg sein, bei der über ein Wochenende hinweg ein Schwein geschlachtet und verarbeitet wird. Wir werden uns am Freitag abend treffen, etwas trinken und uns kennenlernen. Am Samstag morgen werden wir ein möglichst gut aufgezogenes Schwein von 200 Kilogramm mithilfe eines Metzgers schlachten und zerlegen, alle anderen Schritte des Wochenendes ergeben sich daraus: Wir werden wursten und braten, Metzgerfrühstücke zu uns nehmen und zu unseligen Zeiten unfiltriertes Landbier trinken. Wir werden uns über Tierhaltung unterhalten, über alte Rezepte und neue Ideen. Und wir werden das ganze Schwein von Kopf bis Fuss verarbeiten und essen.

More >

O2 to sell the Palm Pre in Spain, United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany

by Volker Weber

Slough, UK, 7 July 2009 — Telefónica and Palm, Inc. today announced an exclusive agreement to sell the Palm® Pre™ phone initially in Spain, United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany when the device is launched in Europe in time for the winter holidays.

More >

New poll: do you use GPL-licensed open source software at work?

by Volker Weber

I have heard some arguments about how and why companies can and cannot use software licensed under the GPL. Time for a reality check. To the best of your knowledge, do you use open source software at work which is licensed under the GPL? A prime example is Linux. There are three answers:

  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. I have no idea

The results:

pollresultsgpl.png

Free: The Future of a Radical Price

by Volker Weber

Download the audiobook. For free. Or buy it on Amazon. Not for free.

Duke Nukem's disease

by Volker Weber

The Guardian: Nokia turns to Android in smartphone wars

by Volker Weber

Nokia is understood to be developing a mobile phone that runs on Google's Android software platform in a strategic U-turn for the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer.

The new touchscreen device will be unveiled at the Nokia World conference in September, say industry insiders, as the Finnish handset giant tries to revive its fortunes in the smartphone market.

Nothing but a rumor. But what a great one.

More >

Update: As expected, Nokia denies the rumor:

"Absolutely no truth to this whatsoever," said a Nokia spokesman. ... "Everyone knows that Symbian is our preferred platform for advanced mobile devices."

Quote of the day

by Volker Weber

Nothing is more humiliating than to see idiots succeed in enterprises we have failed in.
Gustave Flaubert

[via Peter Glaser]

Men at work

by Volker Weber

Flickr removed this image

Klaus Wrede: Lasst sie laufen!

by Volker Weber

DRM ist nutzerunfreundlich und als Konzept vermutlich schon gescheitert (siehe Musikindustrie).

DRM ist schlecht für den Kunden. Und was schlecht ist für den Kunden, ist schlecht für den Lieferanten.

More >

PS: Repeat after me: DRM is bad for the customer.

[Thanks, Hanno]

Nice try

by Volker Weber

090703nicetry

From my inbox

by Volker Weber

lotusnotes4nokian97

Lotus Notes for Nokia N97? Nope. Traveler? Neither.

Overheard in New York

by Volker Weber

Big guy: I read the other day on the internet that masturbating can really make you retarded.
Clerk: Really? (long pause) Wow!

More >

Holy moly

by Volker Weber

Why is Nokia such a complete failure?

by Volker Weber

Latest press release (in German):

Espoo, 02.07.2009 - Die neueste Version von Nokia Maps ist ab sofort verfügbar. Nokia Maps 3.0 für Mobiltelefone zeichnet sich durch ...

Die neueste Version von Nokia Maps für Mobiltelefone kann unter www.nokia.com/maps heruntergeladen werden.

Download at www.nokia.com/maps? Ok, let me grab the E75. Here is what you see:

nokiamapsdownloadfail

I need to install Flash? OK, let's check the OVI store. Not in "Recommended". Let's search for "Nokia Maps". Result:

nokiamapsdownloadfail2

"Can you spell 'fuck' as in 'Nokia Maps'?" - "There is no fuckin Nokia Maps." - "Yup, that's what I am trying to tell you."

But wait, there is more:

nokiamapsdownloadfail3

Mac support coming soon. What for? Ah, the download is Setup_Nokia_Maps_Updater_1.0.7.exe. An executable? And what does it do? It grabs an S60 installer from the web and tries to push it to the device.

Who invented this? Why not let the phone grab the installer without requiring Flash and a special piece of PC hardware? Nokia, you are so backwards, that it is unbelievable. Buy everyone in the company an iPhone and task them with blowing our socks off.

Or step aside lest you be run over by the competition.

New Sonos CR200 Controller

by Volker Weber

Automated Home reports:

We've just seen this first image of the new Sonos controller. The CR200 uses a touch screen and comes complete with a charging cradle. There's no word on pricing but it should be available pretty much immediately.

We're also told that Sonos will be releasing a new bundle. The BU150 now changes to the BU250 which includes the CR200. There also is a slight colour change with the zoneplayers hardware to match the new controller but there are no technical changes & will still be named the ZP120 & ZP90.

Notice how they say nothing about pricing, features and availability. And I have nothing to add. ;-)

EMC Honored by Microsoft as 2009 Notes Transition Partner of the Year

by Volker Weber

HOPKINTON, Mass., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC), the world leader in information infrastructure solutions, today announced it has been selected as the 2009 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference Awards winner for Notes Transition Partner of the Year, marking the company's 19th Microsoft Partner of the Year distinction. ...EMC won the distinction ... for its comprehensive set of capabilities delivered in accordance with EMC's NoteSwitch Complete Framework, and specifically for its work at a global manufacturing company and a leading pharmaceutical company.

More >

"Walled In!" Germany's inner border

by Volker Weber

For 28 years, a nearly insurmountable barrier kept people from fleeing East Germany. But then, the dramatic night of November 9, 1989, saw the fall of the Wall that divided Germany. Today, it is difficult to imagine what was bitter reality just a few decades ago.

For the first time, a realistic computer animation reveals the vast security system of Germany's inner border and the Berlin Wall, both of which were recreated virtually in the greatest detail.

Same movie in German.

Eingemauert

by Volker Weber

Can't get it out of my head

by Volker Weber

And don't even want to.

Old vowe.net archive pages

I explain difficult concepts in simple ways. For free, and for money. Clue procurement and bullshit detection.

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