Over the years I have seen some discussion on this, but I have never seen anything actually come out of it.
It would be really good if there were a few useful applications which could be bundled with Lotus Domino Server to make it look a bit more attractive from the application level. Okay, the Lotus community knows that great applications can be developed, but a potential new client really has no idea.
With the likes of OpenNTF which is managing open-source Lotus Domino database projects, and also a handful of other sources, there must be a pool of decent applications which could form part of a bundle free of charge.
I think that Lotus Domino server would be attractive to a lot of potential new clients if it had the basics of a CRM, helpdesk etc.
I would happy to work on putting a list together and also to demo some of these applications on my blog. I wonder if anyone has any recommendations.
Related posts:
- Surprise announcement from IBM will make a huge impact on the future of Lotus Notes
- Qucikly create a connection document from Lotus Notes to a Domino Server
- I think that I may have underestimated Lotus Notes/Domino 8.5.1
- Installing Lotus Domino Server on Linux
- Here’s a quick way to identify great open source applications for Lotus Notes
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree 100%. My suggestions would include:-
Basic Personal Web Site
1) Help Desk
2) Wiki
3) Blog
4) Rolodex/External Contacts Manager
5) Symphony Document Managager (with Quickr Connections)
6) Task Management (incl. Activities)
7) Group Bookmarks
9) Project Management
10) Group Mail
OK – I’ll play. All of Peter’s ideas are good – nothing contentions there. But something that occurs to me is some kind of “Staff Contact List” with a nicer interface than the Domino Directory. I’ve expanded in my own blog …
http://www.lotuseater.co.nz/2010/01/idea-profiles-for-lotus-notes.html
Some other “cool tools” might include:
* An intranet template
* Some kind of “Dashboard” app showing Emails and RSS Feeds
* A generic workflow template.
* A personal “Time-management” utility.
* Company Handbook / Policies and Procedures.
… more news when I think of it.
I agree wholeheartedly Vaughan, and have suggested similar before. I got motivated along this theme at one stage to dig up and post links to the old R4-era “NotesSuite” and some R3-era apps to illustrate my point.
See http://asiapac.com.au/Links/NotesDomino.htm#TRUSTY_OLD_LOTUS_NOTES_APPLICATIONS
or backup site http://notestracker.com/Links/NotesDomino.htm#TRUSTY_OLD_LOTUS_NOTES_APPLICATIONS
As examples of what was done in the past, surely it could and should be done again, and OpenNTF.org would be a good vehicle (with some backing from IBM Lotus Software Group, etc).
Take apps like these and others, modernize them (using all the new tricks possible with XPages, naturally), and publish them for download from OpenNTF — the sooner, the better!
Cheers from across the Tasman, Tony.
1 – Ecommerce & Web Store
2 – Sales Force Automation/ CRM ( a Salesforce.com clone)
3 – Order Management.
4 – Customer Service & Support
5 – Customer Self-Service
6 – Business Intelligence
7 – Time and Billing
8 – INCLUDE LEI AS PART OF DOMINO!
9 – Easy API hooks links to accounting wrapper mentioned in #2
10 – A simple push button wrapper for Quickbooks, MAS90, Great Plains Accounting Software to link all the above to the preferred accounting packing.
While I’m waiting, I’ll subscribe to NetSuite.
Aren’t we missing the point here? While Notes isn’t email, that is largely what it is used for. So why persist in trying to convert people? Why not just move them all to Connections, of Google Docs, or any other cloud based service that moves you away from an inbox and into activity mode?
There are many people now who I only communicate with via Twitter, or LinkedIn, or Facebook. Why try and get people to use something they’ve shunned for years (albeit because of an ungrounded prejudice)?
While you are right in respect to email, this doesn’t address the database functionality of Lotus Notes and Domino Server. Email, is such a small part of what Lotus Notes has to offer. Let’s look at a simple help desk application. While Lotus Notes is able to cater for this, there is no solution for Lotus Connections, Facebook or Twitter.