December 1, 2008
Update on Notes/Domino 8.5
It's December 1, so there is obviously a lot of ongoing interest in the status of Notes/Domino 8.5. As I said in my last post, I've recently started using Notes 8.5 as my daily client, and am really happy with some of the incremental improvements (iCalendar stuff is a wow, and I'll write more about that later this week...and the little things, like being able to drag-and-drop text within a rich text field). Domino 8.5 is in production on many servers in our early deployment labs, and we're seeing real benefits there, too.For example, one IBM research server that we've upgraded to 8.5 has a much smaller disk footprint than in earlier releases. The new NSF compression algorithm introduced in 8.0.1 was the first pass, and saved 22% of storage space in the Domino data directory. Then we applied the Domino Attachment and Object Service, the new 8.5 feature for attachment management. DAOS reduced the size of a selected set of NSFs (about half the server) from 65.9 GB to 23.9 GB. That made the NSF backup process a whole lot faster (and reduced I/O), while isolating those individual attachments in a file-system-based storage area that can also be backed up without worrying about open files and state changes. I'll report on more such case studies as we go along.
Anyway, with all this good stuff coming, you probably want to know the latest on when it will be available. We still haven't quite finished the code, but that will happen before the Christmas holiday. We're gearing up for an exciting approach to the 8.5 launch ... but that excitement will probably be missed in the market if we try to do it in late December. Thus, I'm being a little vague...recognizing the great work effort being put in by the whole development and product team to get this release to market while balancing the planning and strategic importance of the marketing effort around it. It's all good news, and it's all going to be here soon enough.
And if you have read this far...one hint that is guaranteed to surprise is here, with more information about that here.
Location: Highland Park, IL USA
Rick Astley? Really?
If you are going to rickroll us, you have to be more creative, like this video of getting Hulu to work on the Wii!: { Link }
:-)
on 12/1/2008 9:19:01 AM -
Will it be the 8.5 Server setup.exe that's Rick-Rolled?
Can't imagine that's a 'sphere OGS hint - sacrilige!
on 12/1/2008 9:22:51 AM -
I never thought I would be rick-rolled by Brill
on 12/1/2008 9:34:15 AM -
You got me :)
So it plays that video while we wait for the client to load? Hopefully that launch time's ever improving! ; )
I am thinking when introducing Lotus GM @ OGS it should be Rick Astley that comes out.
on 12/1/2008 9:46:17 AM -
I can't believe you Rick Rolled us!! geesh.. Just wait we will find a way to get you back!
Nice bit of distraction there, Ed.
@8 I knew this was a topic of key interest, so what better time for a rick roll? :D
This is the one and only time that I'm glad we use a proxy server in the office! The "Roll" was blissfully labeled "Access Denied"! Phew!
Ed - so you were paying attention. :-)
You guys are all missing the subtle hint: The 8.5 launch will feature a global advertising campaign in which IBM talks about its continued commitment to the Notes/Domino platform.
"Never gonna give you up!
Never gonna let you down!
Never gonna run around and desert you!"
This will be followed up in mid-2009 with a second campaign focused on portfolio integration in the IBM software group { Link }
on 12/1/2008 11:02:46 AM -
OK, That's it!
I'm no longer going to trust any links posted on this site.
Bad enough we got Rick Rolled during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, but now you, and twice!?
on 12/1/2008 11:43:37 AM -
I wonder if IBM could capitalize on the rickroll phenomenon in the Notes 8.5 advertising... it would actually be pretty funny.
So I guess it's safe to assume we're not getting a beta 3?
So I guess we all get a shiny Domino 8.5 DVD in our backpacks at the Sphere?
on 12/1/2008 12:10:23 PM -
@16 - DVD? USB Memory stick, shurely.
I got revenge rick-rolled by a Notes 8 sidebar widget!
{ Link }
@15 no public beta 3, though we've done more recent code drops for design partners.
on 12/1/2008 2:54:53 PM -
@12 I hope you're right. I have to say, "Global" has such a lovely ring to it!
I think this is a hint a the musical entertainment for LS09 :-)
on 12/1/2008 3:40:27 PM -
So if you just hold it back for a betting timing is there any chance that the language packs will be available sooner?
@21 fair to say yes. The final language pack work begins the day that the code is done, whether the code is "released" or not. So it might be +21 days instead of +30 or whatever for the first group. I will double-check on this.
Och, Rick Rolled by Brill.
Well: { Link }
Be nice, or we'll ask the OGS faeries to play this?
---* Bill
on 12/1/2008 4:30:50 PM -
I always curse our proxy for blocking sites but this one time I am grateful.
@22 -- "The final language pack work begins the day that the code is done, whether the code is "released" or not. So it might be +21 days instead of +30 or whatever for the first group. I will double-check on this."
It may also mean +90, if you don't make the often unjustified assumption that the code will actually be "DONE" before it is released. I've seen plenty of released code come out that was very very far from done.
re @25 -- I should point out to the sensitivity crowd out there, that I'm far from singling out IBM software in the "released before ready" category. I have a long, long list of software and software vendors that didn't pass the Earnest and Julio Gallo test.
Can't wait to roll out the 8.5.........
So what you are saying is that Notes/Domino 8.5 will be ready in time for Lotusphere and Rick Astley will perform at Lotusphere 2009.
on 12/2/2008 1:26:02 AM -
I thought (and hoped) that 8.5 would be released this thursday (on the 4th of december)... I even managed to keep all customers away for the rest of december to finally dig into this release... :o/ If only IBM could give us a GA date as it seems it is so near now.
Ed,
About RIM Blackberry. Here in Spain, the company is leading an aggressive campaign on television. I would like to see IBM in television. A brief announcement, with Lotus Connections, Lotus Domino 8.5 and Lotus Traveler. Everyone agrees that IBM needs to change the advertising agency. The advertisements are not understood. Yes, it's my opinion. But when I talk with clients, Business Partners, everyone agrees with my opinion. And, I also, can't wait to roll out the 8.5...,:) Greetings from Spain, Albert.
on 12/2/2008 4:07:29 AM -
Seems like 8.0.3 to me... but looking forward to being surprised. Pete
@26 - Have you ever actually consumed any Gallo wine? "It's time" would be exactly NEVER. :-)
@31 - Huh? Are you trying to suggest that 8.5 doesn't have enough new features to warrant the name? That would be an absolutely incredible claim.
on 12/2/2008 7:30:52 AM -
ignoring Rick Astley for a second, if I read between Ed's lines, it sounds like 8.5 will be released at Lotusphere (a bit of a slip from the previously announced target of Q4 '08)
Before Lotusphere.
on 12/2/2008 9:37:12 AM -
Announcing 8.5 at Lotusphere would steal the show to the other big things you will hear about.
Stay tuned to Orlando LS station :-)
I fell fot it!!
on 12/2/2008 1:40:52 PM -
Every week counts (for me). Thank you for the answer.
on 12/3/2008 12:18:07 AM -
You better release as soon as it's ready, because it's anyway not going to be a marketing hype. The world is already ahead of what Domino is doing.
So better get the innovation out quick and concentrate on the next release 9.0
on 12/3/2008 3:41:51 AM -
@32. Yep. Maybe it should be Notes 8.0.3 and Domino 8.5... arrg, too confusing. I guess I'll wait and see what the final release brings.
@38 - Really? The world already has a replicatable, clusterable global data store with automatic code updates and integrated messaging and a PKI? Cool! What stack can I get that on?
@39 - Great idea. Let's go back to the days of fragmented version numbers so people don't know what works with what.
The Notes 8.5 client has a new Windows single-sign on security model, supports vaulted IDs, allows for WSDL-less composite app containers, dramatically improves support for externally driven calendar integration, gives you cross-platform calendar federation, enables Domino server and network fileshare roaming, runs on a new version of Eclipse, has new versions of Symphony and Sametime embedded in it, and runs on Mac and Ubuntu.
Yeah, that's sounds like a maintenance release with a couple of bug fixes in it. Right on.
@31 and @40 - even though 8.5 is a server-focused release, there's loads of nice little things in the 8.5 client... vCard support, drag and drop in the text editor (yeah, I know that should have been there earlier), Connections integration, off-line activities, drag e-mails onto the Sametime buddy list to add names, the calendar stuff you mentioned. And also select from multiple e-mail addresses when the recipient has more than one, improved side bar control, roaming signatures, and an updated journal.
There's loads on the server including lots of new stuff for iNotes. As Nathan says, it's a bit more worthy than a 0.0.1 increment.
@38 - I know that development are working on 9 and thinking about the release after that. Regardless of those facts, what exactly are you talking about?
Domino 8.5 looks promising.
on 12/11/2008 9:41:18 AM -
so much for:
Espoo, Finland and Armonk, NY, USA - 20 Nov 2008: Nokia and IBM today announced<cut>
</cut>This software provides real time access to email, calendar, address book, journal and to-do list data and will be available for Nokia devices in December 2008.
<cut>
as traveler 8.5 needs Domino 8.5
Darren Duke on 12/1/2008 9:09:50 AM - http://blog.darrenduke.net