Sametime 7.5 demo server scoop

June 20 2006

So it seems the cat is out of the bag :-)

One of the interesting challenges of "corporate blogging" is that I often know stuff that I can't yet write about.  Outside IBM, others without similar constraints find out some news or information, and I feel the fool for not having written about my company's own news, first.  I suppose it is inevitable, and this is not much different than news leaks that result in "the company is expected to announce today" types of lead-in sentences.

With all that as prefix, Chris, Bruce, and Volker have all written now about a Sametime 7.5 beta demonstration server now running on IBM demoNET.  The only problem -- it wasn't exactly ready for public consumption.  The plan was to announce it to Lotus business partners later this week, along with a selected group of customers.  Then, as we got further along in the process, this server would become the public Sametime 7.5 beta.

Thus, we have a challenge.  Volker has already written a review of what he found -- even though he encountered known bugs and his readers have encountered other issues (notably that the server isn't exactly at 100% uptime while we bring it online).  If a potential Sametime 7.5 customer reads (or downloads) based on what's out there now, they might be disappointed.  They might judge the final product by what wasn't even anticipated to be public beta.

So, I'm asking for your help as a community.  I'm not putting the cat back into the bag -- the server is there and not going away.  Our intention all along was to outreach to bloggers and other customers who seem interested in taking a look at Sametime 7.5 -- you just got to it first.  Thus, if you check it out and write about it, I do please ask you to consider that this is beta code, not necessarily feature-complete, and things will change before release.

Ed Brill Boston, MA USA Category:  Sametime 7.5  Add/View Comments [37]

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  1. 1  Gerco Wolfswinkel http://www.domino-weblog.nl | 6/20/2006 3:18:53 PM

    ..I've updated my Dutch blog entry as well.

  1. 2  Mikkel Heisterberg http://lekkimworld.com | 6/20/2006 3:26:33 PM

    The energy and the vibrant nature of the Notes/Domino blogging community never stops to amaze me... The community is so eager to get their hands on the new Sametime that it starts testing the code before a beta is actually posted or publicly announced!

    I remember bloggers mentioning an expected slowdown in news and announcements after Lotusphere - when will this slowdown happen? :-)

    /lekkim

  1. 3  Flemming Riis  | 6/20/2006 3:26:40 PM

    -So it seems the cat is out of the bag :-)

    yeah must be 20kb/s download

  1. 4  Chris Whisonant http://cwhisonant.blogspot.com | 6/20/2006 3:44:51 PM

    Sorry... =) If I didn't do it, then someone else would have. Perhaps the option to disable the link for downloading the connect client could have been used. I've added a disclaimer to my post as well and you should have recieved an email regarding some minor things I have seen.

    Also, we were sort of notified of this availability by IBM via the reminder of the First Look Web Conference. After registering I was immediately taken to a screen with "Download Sametime 7.5" right in the middle. I couldn't resist downloading and telling others. ;)

    By the way, consider this more of a challenge to get the product finalized sooner... haha

  1. 5  Chris Miller http://www.IdoNotes.com | 6/20/2006 4:12:35 PM

    ugh...

  1. 6  Andrew Price www.healthspace.ca | 6/20/2006 4:19:06 PM

    This is a very classy way to handle this Ed.

  1. 7  tonyo  | 6/21/2006 12:17:30 AM

    please congrat the ST team on getting this together. It's crisp and clean - the video seems to work well as well ( in my own meeting of just me !)

  1. 8  Mike Brown  | 6/21/2006 2:40:04 AM

    Good to see simultaneous releases for Mac and Linux (as well as Windoze, of course). Unfortunately, the Mac installer doesn't run for me. It gives me the error:

    "The .command file 'st75_beta2_connectclient_mac.command' could not open. Most likey it is not exectuable"

    I've reported the problem on the ST demo site's feedback page.

    Cheers,

    - Mike

  1. 9  Volker Weber http://vowe.net | 6/21/2006 3:07:05 AM

    Mike, you may want to read this: { Link }

  1. 10  Dante Tribolde  | 6/21/2006 3:09:47 AM

    Though people did mention the server issues, which we can understand are being ramped up... the real issues that were written about on Vowe's site were:

    * bloated design - compare ST7.5 to the skype screenshot. 7.5 is more lipstick and rouge and has lost the goal of simplicity, functionality, and beauty.

    * bugs in ST code - which wont change as you ramp up the server.

  1. 11  Mike Brown  | 6/21/2006 3:55:57 AM

    Many thanks, Vowe. That did the trick.

    Ed, can you feed Vowe's comments about the Mac installer back to the appropriate people, please?

    Cheers,

    - Mike

  1. 12  Roberto Boccadoro  | 6/21/2006 4:13:57 AM

    @10 - Now... first everybody complains about ST client being "too simple, we need some eye-candy" and now you say we did too much. Guess is hard to make everybody happy :-)

    Bugs will be fixed. As Ed said, it is still beta, by the time we go in General Availability we will try to fix them.

    RoB

  1. 13  Mike Brown  | 6/21/2006 4:35:42 AM

    Anyone tell me how to edit my Business Card? I can't see the option anywhere!

    cheers,

    - Mike

  1. 14  DiGGeR2  | 6/21/2006 6:28:50 AM

    Hi, is there a way to report error on IBM about this beta version, I just see on error when you try to setup in "french".

    Best regards.

  1. 15  Dave Harris http://www.wavysworld.com | 6/21/2006 9:38:45 AM

    I like this so far. The timestamps have already proved their worth for me, but most of all it just feels so much more friendly so much credit for whoever did the UI.

    I'm really looking forward to running this against a beta version of the server (at the same time (pls forgive the pun)as a 7.0 server - was logging onto 2 communities possible before?).

  1. 16  Jon Nailer http://www.dek.com | 6/21/2006 9:49:45 AM

    Absolutley fantastic... So much better to play with something than just drool at pictures.

    Thanks loads Ed for posting the link. My boss will be thrilled to see how this version is coming along.

  1. 17  Bruce Elgort http://takingnotes.openntf.org | 6/21/2006 9:51:50 AM

    @15,

    Logging in to two or communities is possible in 7.0 however, you will have a separate Sametime window for each community.

    See this post for more info:

    { Link }

  1. 18  Chris Whisonant http://cwhisonant.blogspot.com | 6/21/2006 10:20:45 AM

    @12 - By GA, we certainly hope that the bugs will be gone. I think we as customers would much rather have a stable product than one with known bugs. But you know that already.

    @13 - File > Preferences > Location Settings. However, I see no way to change the image yet.

  1. 19  Ed Brill www.edbrill.com | 6/21/2006 2:34:35 PM

    As for the comments on how to report a problem, there is a link in the upper right - "Read the FAQ and discuss this site with other users". Follow that link - IBM personnel are monitoring that discussion forum. (Thanks, Janet)

  1. 20  Adam Brown http://www.isw.com.au/brownblog | 6/21/2006 9:40:34 PM

    Even though the cat got out of the bag I think this is great. One sure fire way to gather a heap of feedback on the beta is to get this group of users playing with it.

    What I am keen to get more info on is the extensibility of Sametime 7.5 clients. Does anyone know of any documentation on how to develop eclipes plugins etc for the client?

  1. 21  Chris Miller http://www.IdoNotes.com | 6/22/2006 11:57:39 AM

    @20 - there will be a basic guide and samples come with the beta

  1. 22  Adam Gartenberg  | 6/22/2006 12:42:32 PM

    I wanted to thank everyone for their feedback so far (positive and negative) - the point of sharing beta code is to get that feedback. That said, there are a lot of known issues in this beta build that have already been cleaned up by our development team, and to be sure that we're providing everyone with the most up to date code, we are temporarily removing the Sametime IM client from the server. We will be posting an updated version of the client soon, and will let you all know when that's available.

  1. 23  Chris Whisonant http://cwhisonant.blogspot.com | 6/22/2006 8:19:24 PM

    Thanks for the update Adam!! That's great to hear.

  1. 24  Irv Schor  | 6/23/2006 1:05:03 PM

    Will Sametime itself run a a Domino Mail server running on the Linux OS?

  1. 25  Charles Robinson  | 6/23/2006 2:35:16 PM

    @24 - No, the Sametime server does not run on Linux. I have not heard anything concrete about plans to support it.

  1. 26  John foldager  | 6/26/2006 1:45:34 PM

    Does anybody know of a faq about system requirements, supported platforms etc. for both client and server?

    As with one of my previous posts I would like to know if and when the server is ready for i5/OS and Linux? I know Charles @25 just said that there are no concrete plans to support Linux, but hey.... it's IBM... of course there is. Otherwise it would be crazy to still promote Linux and System i for customers if they had to buy their first Windows servers :-D That would not be god for ROI ;-)

  1. 27  Ed Brill www.edbrill.com | 6/26/2006 2:54:20 PM

    @26 the beta release notes happen to be posted on the demo server at { Link }

    They do not indicate support for iSeries or Linux servers at this time. There is an intention to do a Linux server implementation, but no formal announcement has been made.

  1. 28  John Foldager  | 6/27/2006 6:14:37 PM

    @27 It's too bad that IBM won't go "all the way" and make client and/or server versions of their products for the major platforms which I believe is something like: z/OS, i5/OS, Linux, Solaris, Mac OS X and Windows. I believe that if IBM continues to leave fx. Linux and i5/OS customers behind then they will for certain loose market share to M$. IBM Linux and i5/OS customers is that because they believe in the ROI for those platforms compared to Windows. But what should leave them on these platforms if they can't get the solutions for it?

  1. 29  Chris Whisonant http://cwhisonant.blogspot.com | 6/28/2006 12:12:38 PM

    Adam has stated elsewhere that Sametime 7.5 will run on iSeries:

    { Link }

  1. 30  John Foldager  | 6/28/2006 2:39:07 PM

    @29 Super! But why doesn't IBM write this somewhere???

    For what it's worth it just says "...will be a supported platform...". When? At the AIX/Solaris/Windows GA or in 2010 or...?

    I have several customers who asks for support for all the great products that IBM love so much to talk about but I just can't tell them when and if it will come to their beloved platforms. A shame really...

  1. 31  John Foldager  | 6/29/2006 4:16:00 AM

    Just as much as Ed Brill talks about customers having "...no sense of how strategic Notes is in their environment" [Ref: "Situational applications" { Link } just as much iSeries customers know how much "iSeries is *the* strategic platform in their environment".

    A unique IBM platform that just works, running 24x7 with an average uptime of over 99,99 compared to other platforms (besied the i5/OS) and *should* therefore be marketed, pushed and supported much more by IBM!

    How many times haven't we seen reports from Gartner, IDC and others stating ROI is so much better on iSeries than on other platforms? And how many times haven't we seen IBM ads talking about ROI? So why not take the best of the best and make IBM stay on the edge of things?

    I really hate all the articles floating around on the Internet, in magazines, newspapers etc. talking about "now we all have to run 64 bit"... which most people have talked about for years now... iSeries customers have done this for "ages"... notable without having to recompile or rewrite applications to take advantage of it. A shame IBM can't see it... ;o)

  1. 32  Chris Whisonant http://cwhisonant.blogspot.com | 6/29/2006 7:38:27 AM

    @31 - I can understand your frustration John. However, I would like to add something. Back in the early ND 6.0.x releases, we would see the Domino for iSeries GA lagging about a month behind the others. I asked someone at support about this and was told that it was like this because the iSeries code had to be ported from the *NIX code. I was also told that in the future the code releases would be closer together. I will give IBM credit because they have held true to this. Through all the 6.5.x and 7.0.x releases I can remember the iSeries GA being the same as the GA for all other platforms. This is for Sametime and Domino, at least, which is what we use. I think QP 7.0 was the same as well.

    Also, I blogged in May about the new System i "Collaborative Edition" that I haven't really heard anyone else mention:

    { Link }

    It's basically another stripped-down Dedicated Server for Domino (DSD) that should provide a lot of value to SMBs. But it needs marketing!!

    Regarding 64-bit on AS/400, you're right. It's been that way forever! I have a book by Frank Soltis (creator of AS/400) and he basically states that it was made to be 96-bit capable but they scaled it back! I couldn't find the quote, but I also remember him writing that 128 bit could be just around the corner with a few tweaks whenever it was needed. He wrote this back in 1997! I even posted some quotes from that book at my site in May 2005:

    { Link }

    (sorry for the site pimping!) ;)

  1. 33  Adam Gartenberg  | 6/29/2006 9:06:10 AM

    @30 - Thanks for sharing your passion around iSeries! I'm sorry if we didn't make it clearer earlier, but iSeries support for Sametime 7.5 will be available at the same time as the other operating systems when the product GAs.

    (And before all the Linux devotees out there jump on me, I don't have anything more to share at this time regarding Sametime on Linux server. We know you want it... and as always I'd welcome you to e-mail me with specifics of your situation or any concerns.)

  1. 34  Chris Whisonant http://cwhisonant.blogspot.com | 6/29/2006 3:02:09 PM

    Adam, thanks for the clarification! That's what I understood you to mean from your response at the TakingNotes site but I didn't want to presume the GA dates to be the same. Although that was sort of the point to my comment that the GA has been inline with other platforms for a while now. Thanks again.

  1. 35  John Foldager  | 6/30/2006 4:10:36 PM

    @32 Chris you're right about the iSeries support has always come close to the Windows and AIX builds. That is good and it's okay for iSeries customers because they are used to have really-really well-tested software comming out from Rochester (or whereever Domino, Sametime, QuickPlace, Workplace etc. comes from?). The not-so-good part is IBM's "marketing"... see my answer to @33 below.

    @33 Adam it is SOOOOO great to hear! I guess it does help to scream in here ;-) It's great we can have the clarifications on this site where when it is not possible to find relevant info on ibm.com. I really appreciate your information :-)

    For the Sametime Linux server support I will just hope that it will be comming ;-)

  1. 36  B Mohan  | 7/20/2006 7:16:15 AM

    Cool it is ..and IBM has proved to the critics that it has the power to do anythign under the Sun by itself ....

  1. 37  Marco Foellmer http://www.ebf.de | 7/24/2006 6:14:17 PM

    Vote yes for Sametime server support on LINUX,

    Vote Yes for Quickplace Server support on LINUX

    Vote Yes for more than 2Gig Support of nsf files on Mac Client 7.0.2