Posted on 12/08/2002 11:31:34 AM PST by chance33_98
Yes that's quite right. At present there is only one IDE for Notes, and that is the Designer. This is going to change, though quite how I cannot say - this subject gets a little beyond my understanding. There are a lot of interesting things going on:
-A Java API was added in R5 (March 99). It's quite similar to the Lotusscript API. More cleanly object oriented.
-Notes 6 supports WebDAV, a sort of standard for using other authoring tools to create design elements for a Notes app
-Notes 6 includes export-to-XML and import-from-XML in the LotusScript API, for both data notes and design notes. In theory, you could design a Notes form in some other tool, export it to XML, and import it into Designer. Ditto with documents - you can extract them to XML, modify them as you like, and re-import them to Notes.
-COM. The COM interface is nearly identical to the Lotusscript interface. COM was introduced in 5.02b.
-Domino Network File Store (introduced in R5): If your server is on NT you can publish a Notes database as a file system. Dropping a file onto the file system stores the file as a Notes attachment, with corresponding document-level security etc.
DECS - Domino Enterprise Connection Services (introduced in R5): DECS is much more tightly integrated in R6. Makes it easy to integrate Notes with relational systems like SQL server. (There are several ways to so that actually. Lotusscript for simple jobs, DECS for bigger jobs, and Lotus Enterprise Integrator for really big jobs.) Notes fields are associated with relational fields, and tied to form events. When a user opens a document, the relational data is retrieved and placed in the fields. You can store the relational data in SQL server and the Rich text in Notes; the effect of DECS is to make them appear as a single data source.
-Notes forms are much more browser-like. Supports framesets and layers. The client can render HTML.
I'm no fan of Exchange; I was only pointing out how much better it is doing in Sales and Usage than Notes.
I'm no Exchange defender.
I disagree. I have been in sites where they use Notes very effectively and can't ever remember doing without it, and I've also been in places where they rue the day they ever bought the crap.
In my experience, sites that try to make Notes be an e-mail client and discussion database and nothing else end up making themselves operate inefficiently and make Notes look bad. Sites that actually make use of the powerful database programmer's interface and ability to interoperate with TeamRooms, mail, and custom databases are the ones who kiss the CD they installed from...
I guess, as with all computer topics, YMMV...
Plus, I think that Microsoft disagrees with you too, because their next version of Windows, Longhorn, is supposedly based on XML as an underpinning, which basically makes it data-centric from the core, and would serve to do an end-run around Notes, if they don't screw it up. Who knows...
As for the powerful database programmers interface......I just dont have enough time, partner. Sopranos time, ya know?
Ok, fine...you know what I am talking about. The next major Windows revision is XML based. Just because you count the Advanced Server version of what is essentially XP Pro with .NET Server bundled as the "next" version of Windows doesn't matter.
My point, which we should remain focused on, is that Microsoft seems to have embraced the whole totally-integreated application scheme that Notes adopted years ago. What remains to be seen is if Microsoft can pull off what is essentially a rewrite of what Notes does, but based on XML technology and integration with their Office apps and do it better than Lotus did and what IBM has maintained.
I happen to think they can, if they stay focused. I know I have certainly spent many many hours wondering what I alone could do with a good piece of B+tree code and some free time to make Notes be what I want it to be :-)
As for the powerful database programmers interface......
Well, that is certainly subjective. I think it is powerful. And I have seen people with very little formal CS education and very little training do some pretty cool stuff with it. In fact, I have seen a few administrative assistants transcend from "secretary" status to "programmer" status by simply taking a Lotus Notes database programming class (and running with it, of course).
And I have also been at times very frustrated with it. But on the whole, I think it *is* powerful, if not exactly what I would want it to be.
I just dont have enough time, partner. Sopranos time, ya know?
Ah...trading one religion for another :-)
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