It's mention brings to mind images of apocalyptic scenarios that have been predicted for years! Plague....wars.....famine.....Lindsey Lohan in Playboy. Pretty scary stuff. And like in many January's before, in a little known town in the heart of Florida, an event will once again occur. But will this be the end? Will this be the last Lotusphere as we know it? The signs are there. The Lotus name is disappearing... I even saw this at the store the other night
The signs man, the signs..... Wait. It doesn't matter. (See previous blog post) The Lotusphere name, or whatever it may be called in the future, if it IS called something different, doesn't matter. It's the event and it's the people. So even *if* this is the end of the Lotusphere world, big deal. Rejoice in the dawning of something new and prepare yourself for a rocking good time! And that's where Andy's Guide To Lotusphere comes in to help you prepare for a week that if your not careful, can make you feel wiped out like the end of the world.
(And now, the yearly disclaimer:)
What you will not find here is who the special guest speaker at the OGS . (In the past, my money was always on "The Shat", and it payed off a couple years ago! So now my guess is either Optimus Prime or Dale Earnhart, Jr.) What you will find is what I've learned from making the pilgrimage south each January and from what others have contributed to the comments section from my previous posts. My perspective on the Lotusphere event is that of a customer and blogger. I'm not an IBM employee, vendor or business partner. If you've stopped by in the past to read my thoughts on the event, you may notice some copying and pasting, but there is some new stuff. So here goes!
Chapter 1 - The Prep: First things first. If you are an Domino administrator, Domino developer, someone that manages a Sametime environment, someone that manages a Connections environment or someone that wants to see that there is other life out there beyond Failpo...I mean Sharepoint, the Lotusphere conference is the place to go to learn from IBM and others what their software CAN do and how people ARE using it. It is also the place to get the inside track on things to come! So, if you haven't already, GO ASK YOUR BOSS! I'll wait. Oh, you're back. And the answer was...yes!? Great. Okay now that you are allowed to go you have to prepare yourself for a week of drinking from the fire-hose of knowledge. This will be my 10th Lotusphere and every year when I get back it's the same thing. Soar feet and brain overload. Here are some of my usual tips that have not failed me yet! Remember, preparation can save you some time and money later.
Get to know, The Turtle. For many years, Scott "The Turtle" Wenzel has put together numerous resources regarding Lotusphere on his website The Weightless Dog. Last year in addition to his site, Scott penned an article for the LotusUserGroup.Org’s website on how to economize your week in Florida. You can check it out here. Very helpful if you are footing the bill for the week.
The Power of the Lotusphere Community - The Lotusphere blog! Back again this year is another great center for information from the four corners of the web regarding Lotusphere.
Planetlotus.org - The list of lists for the Lotus blogsphere. If you have not yet dipped your toes into the vast ocean of knowledge that is there for the taking on this site, then you don't know what you're missing. As Lotusphere grows closer, I'm sure that the site will come alive with Lotusphere related rhetoric and information.
If you’re on Twitter, follow the hashtag #LS12. That’s the official hashtag for Lotusphere 2012. Also, follow @lotusphere on Twitter for updates about the event.
Keep an ear open for Podcasts, too. The Talking Notes podcast and This Week in Lotus are all excellent resources for information about the conference too.
2. Go and get yourself a new pair of tennis/walking shoes NOW. Wear them and break them in. If you can, get two pair so you can switch back and forth during the week. This will save your feet some pain after the first day of walking around the conference. And you will do a LOT of walking around while you are there. You may also want to get a new pack of white socks at Walmart or Target. The real cushy kind. Those help a lot too. 3. Before you leave on your adventure, stop by that section in cosmetics at the Walmart or Target that has all the neat little travel sized stuff and pick up anything you can think of that you may need! Aspirin, Advil, Tylenol, Nyquil, baby powder, Qtips, etc, etc. But most importantly PEPTO-BISMOL. I got REALLY ill once and had to dish out a lot of money at the little store in the Dolphin for supplies. Bringing a small drug store with you can really save you some bucks. It's usually 3-4 times more on site. After all, you are staying at Walt Disney World. Also PRESCRIPTIONS! If you have some that you need to maintain your quality of life, make sure you bring them with you! When you stay on-site and you don't have a car, it can be a real task to get to a pharmacy. 4. Download the Lotusphere 2012 Agenda database when available. (Link will be posted here)This is a FANTASTIC tool by Ben Langhinrichs that is been based on the Notes Journal database that contains the sessions, their descriptions, location and times. It has a handy add to calendar button that puts the session right in your Notes calendar. And if you have a BlackBerry, Traveler device or something else hooked up to your Notes calendar, it's on there too! Very useful when planning your time.Cannot stress enough how much this tool can save you time with what sessions you want to attend. 5. If you need to, order more business cards now, if you still use them. You can go through a lot of them. Downside - Your phone will ring for a couple of weeks afterward. (Yes, people still use business cards) 6. Pay attention to the weather forecasts leading up to Lotusphere. Orlando can be really nice and warm in January but it can also get downright cold at night. Pack appropriately. 7. Dress for Lotusphere is casual. Jeans, shorts, polos and t shirts seem to be the norm. Even kilts for some! But no mankinis, please. 8. Bring a plug strip with you. Most hotel rooms are limited on power outlets and having several outlets extra can always come in handy. 9. And don't forget all of your accessories power cords for charging your stuff! You don't want to show up Saturday and realize that you are short a power cord for your iPhone. Not that I've ever done something like that, ever. 10. If you can, get a portable charger like this. I brought one of these with me and saved my phone from running out of charge during the day. 11. If you have access to a Mi-Fi or cellular wireless card for your laptop, bring it. Yes, wifi is made available during the conference for your use. Good luck trying to get on it. There are several thousand other geeks there with you all trying to get connected at the same time during the day. Access points can only do so much.
Chapter 2 - You're There!: So now that you packed all your power cords, plug strips and comfy shoes, you arrive in Orlando to hopefully warm, sunny skies and are ready to begin drinking from the fire hose of knowledge that is Lotusphere. 1. Since Orlando is a tourist mecca, there are several ways to get to and from the airport. The most expensive option is of course a private car or taxi. But those can be a little costly. For $34 (plus tips) round trip, you can take advantage of the Mears Shuttle. This will get you to the hotel and back relatively easy. But, you do need the coupon. Click here for coupon. It does appears that if you want to book transport to and from the hotel early, you can go to Mears site and schedule your trip there. AND, you can save another $4 so it's $30 round trip. Check it out here. If you are staying at a Disney property (non-Swan or Dolphin hotel), you can also look into using the Magical Express for free. See your hotel information for details. However, I'm not sure about the Swan, but I know the Dolphin has car rental drop offs available which is important to note further down the list. 2. If you are staying at the Swan or Dolphin, great. You're right where the action is. The Yacht and Beach is the next closest offical hotel right within walking distance of the event. If you are staying at one of the other Disney properties, get to know early where the conference shuttle pick up and drop off is at. It's usually right out front of the hotel and you can always ask an ever helpful Disney cast member where they are. My first year down there, I missed Saturday night registration by 10 minutes because I used the Disney transportation to get me to Downtown Disney first, then back to the Dolphin. 3. To go along with point #2, don't be afraid of getting stranded at the Swan or Dolphin after the conference shuttles run. You can use the Disney buses to get around. From the hotels, they go to Downtown Disney and from there you can catch a bus back to your hotel. (Disney properties only) 4. Once you checked into the conference DO NOT LOSE YOUR BADGE! There are no mulligans. You are Gollum and that is your precious. You loose it, you either go home or buy a new one. 5. Meet people and make contacts. Very useful and fun. Sitting in your hotel room at night is no fun. There are not a whole lot of cable channels anyway. So, get out and mingle, network and collaborate! Get social, dangit! If you arrive on Saturday and have nothing to do, wander on down to the Boardwalk area and stop in to the Big River Grille & Brewing Works. On Saturday afternoon, the Bloggers -and friends- Annual Lotusphere Dinner, BALD, takes place. It's nothing more then a bunch of Lotus geeks hanging out for a few adult soda pops and enjoying each others company. Very family reunionish without that odd aunt nobody likes anyway. Then later in the evening on Saturday, wander on down to the ESPN bar for The Turtles get together. Always a fun time! The Lotus community is one that is very accepting and social. Very social. Make some friends, dang it! Seriously, get out and have fun. You will meet people from ALL over the world and they will become your friends. But watch out for "handsy" Australians. That's right Mat, I'm talking to you. 6. While we're on the topic of getting out and having fun, go to the vendor sponsored events usually on Tuesday night. They are always a lot of fun! (And saves you from having to find something for dinner that fits your expense account.) Seriously though, if you are a customer of a vendor there, ask them if they have anything going on that week. Remember, you are spending money with them normally. Also, there is always a party or event to be found on either Monday or Tuesday night. Work the show floor and you can usually score an invite. 7. Your first time at Lotusphere is like your first day at college. You will be wandering around wondering where in the hell SW10 is. Ask people! Or if you look lost enough, (like I did my first year), someone will help you out. 8. If you are certified take advantage of the Certification Lounge. Hang out, get some eats, and get a chair message. 9. Don't miss breakfast and lunch. I've really enjoyed the food that the catering folks put out for us. Especially at breakfast, drink lots of OJ, eat a bran muffin or two and have a bowl of cereal. Really pays off for the rest of the day. Also, be sure to thank the nice folks that are there taking care of us. They are always real nice people and seem to appreciate someone thanking them. Also, do not be wary of approaching anyone there. Make yourself sit at tables with those you do not know and engage in conversation. Sometimes you meet awesome people. Sometimes it doesn't work. Either way it is how the community grows. 10. Speaking of food, one thing I did different this past year was rent a car to get to and from the airport. One of the reasons why was that I wanted to stop at the store and grab some room snacks. Pop tarts, pork rinds, green tea, etc. Just general munchies. There's nothing worse on one of the nights getting the munchies and not wanting to spend $8 bucks on something that's $2 at Walmart. The rooms in the Dolphin have a fridge, so there's a plus right there. 11. During the morning and afternoon, there are break stations set up throughout the conference. Usually coffee, water/juice and a snack. Grab couple extra waters and snacks and throw them in your bag for either a late night snack (if you don't have a car) or just to have the water around. 12. Keep yourself hydrated while you are on the go down there. A full day of sessions and running between hotels can be draining. 13. Stop into the developer labs and have all your burning questions answered! All of the top folks from IBM are there to help you through all of those tough questions you've been meaning to ask! Also, if they have the User Experience lab again this year, it's really cool! Check them out! They are there to listen to us, the customer! Do not be afraid of them, they won't bite, mostly. You can have some very open and honest dialogue and work through your problems. 14. Take Visio's with you of your environment. What better way to explain the layout of your environment than to have the graphical representations of it with you. 15. When Lotusphere is over and you're getting ready to jump a plane home, be sure to check your receipt from the hotel. The Swan and Dolphin are notorious for charging you for things you didn't use, like the mini-bar in the hotel room. They almost got me one year. I'm sorry, $3 for a Snickers bar is just insane! 16. When you see me, buy me a beer! Oh wait, that doesn't belong here, moving on. 17. IdoCheckin is back for year #4, so finding everyone around the conference is even easier. Visit the site, get yourself a Foursquare id and make friends. Lotusphere has an account as do myself, IdoNotes. 18. Just because the closing session ends on Thursday doesn't mean things are over. Sure, they start cleaning things up the minute the conference is over, but you're still there with all your new friends. Go do stuff with them. One fun event has been the Blogger Open mini-golf across the street from the Swan.
Now here is the MOST important thing you can take away from this blog entry/guide/maifesto: Lotusphere is what YOU make of it! Take advantage of everything that you can, but pace yourself. You will be absorbing so much knowledge and sometimes by Wednesday, you may start burning out. Take it easy, take care of yourself, but just have fun! Be Social! Party like there will be no Lotusphere 2013! You never know. Wonder if Nostradamus wrote anything about this?
Getting Windows RT to work with IBM Notes Traveler 9 and a Domino self-signed SSL cert.
Mon, Apr 15th 2013 1:19p Andy Donaldson Over the weekend I had the opportunity to upgrade my administration server and production/test Traveler server to the new and improved IBM Domino 9 and IBM Notes Traveler 9. Now, with fresh social scent!Being that I had things upgraded to the latest and greatest, I wanted to take advantage of setting up our test Windows RT device we have in the office with the new server. I found on the wiki that the steps seemed pretty straight forward, (see Wiki article here), and followed the instructions t [read] Keywords: administration
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It might not have been called Lotusphere......
Sun, Feb 10th 2013 5:30p Andy Donaldson But it sure as hell felt like it. I wanted some time to pass before I put my two cents in on this years event in Orlando that they used to call Lotusphere. First off, it was an emotional time for many. Many felt that this years conference would be their last either due to changing jobs or changing tides within their respective companies. Unfortunately, this was the last conference for one poor soul that wanted nothing more then to enjoy a day out with friends on a motorcycle. Change is alw [read] Keywords: collaboration
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Lotusphere/Connect Protip - Whatdoyaknow? You CAN use Traveler too!
Fri, Jan 18th 2013 5:46a Andy Donaldson Yesterday I posted a tip here on the House O' Blog about using mail rules to forward your often overlooked conference mail to an email account you check more frequently. After posting that, my buddy Don McNally pinged me on Twitter wondering if Traveler could be used like he had in the past. I hadn't noticed anything on the page that stuck out about that and didn't think much about it further. That was until this morning and I was on the site taking a look around and I see this. The infor [read] Keywords: lotusphere
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Lotusphere/Connect Protip - Don't neglect the conference mail
Thu, Jan 17th 2013 6:29a Andy Donaldson For years there has always been a lot of complaints/jokes about the Lotusphere Online, now SocialBiz Online, user experience. Okay, I agree that spinning up a system for the community to use for a month and then tearing it down doesn't make for great adoption. However, for customers like me, I do find some use out of it. Not getting to play with Connections a lot, (yes, I know there is Greenhouse), this is nice because it forces/reminds me to use it. Then, there is the mail system included [read] Keywords: connections
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Need to test Traveler for Android but don't have one?
Thu, Jan 3rd 2013 12:51p Andy Donaldson Seems like there is a flood of some good Traveler knowledge being shared by Andy, so I wanted to throw something in that I use as well. (Us Andy's have to stick together after all, right!?)When I was asked to put in Traveler, that wasn't too big of a deal. Install Domino.Install Traveler.Open firewalls and other things.Enjoy.But then that opened up another can of worms for me. Now that we had Traveler and we can support iOS and Android devices, I also had to test the upgrade process on thos [read] Keywords: domino
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Later, 2012.
Wed, Dec 19th 2012 10:21a Andy Donaldson So I'm sitting in the office right now and it's almost time for me to scamper out of here for the rest of the year. 2012 was a busy year for me. Spent a lot of time working on stuff outside of work, which is a good thing. So here's my random rundown of the cool things, at least for me, that happened this year. Spoke at Lotusphere 2012. Couldn't have done it without the help and support from my family putting up with me talking to the wall in the basement for a month while I practiced. [read] Keywords: lotusphere
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Update on Domino Directory to LDAP migration
Sun, Dec 16th 2012 3:30p Andy Donaldson Well, it's done. I migrated my Sametime infrastructure this morning to support LDAP. A lot of people had warned me it wasn't pretty. They were right. I got a nice early start in hopes that I would get done quick. That didn't happen. It took over three hours to get the first server updated. The problem I ran into which I hadn't seen before was that my Domino program folder and data folder are on too different drives. So when you run the stnamechange.cmd file, it's assuming the data f [read] Keywords: domino
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My Connect 2013 abstract has been.....
Thu, Dec 6th 2012 1:17p Andy Donaldson Declined. Am I sad? Maybe a little, but not really. I'm actually kind of relieved that I'm not presenting this year. I can head to Orlando and enjoy myself! Relax! Learn lots of good stuffs! No stressing out all week leading up to the session. I mean, I did get to speak at Lotusphere 2012, the last time the conference was officially called Lotusphere. And I did get to share the stage with Tom! I also got to present the same session again at MWLUG2012 in Pittsburgh and, I had my son Ale [read] Keywords: ibm
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