|
 |
|
|
|
|
Sometimes they listen to me…. So what do you need?05/22/2009 12:38:19 PM
1. Randy Rempel05/23/2009 04:19:36 AM
Homepage: http://rhrempel.wordpress.com/
They usually ask me about which tools should they learn and how to learn them. But they also ask about how to develop like-for-like solutions. That is much more difficult to explain (and sometimes it is plain wrong to do so).
Another problem I often face is that Notes web developers cannot do everything in InfoPath and Forms Services that they require. So they are forced to create web parts. The latter is a much longer learning curve.
So I think we need some practical examples of how to code some similar features in SharePoint that existed in Lotus Notes. This is a comfort thing. It's like when you get in a rental car and see that all the controls are in the same place as your car at home.
These are some of the features that I think we need to provide:
1. Some easy methods to set security on SharePoint documents.
2. Some samples on controlled access sections on InfoPath and web parts.
3. InfoPath: if it works in the client --> it works in the web browser
4. Sample code on how to update 'response' documents in SharePoint. Who has not done this in Lotus Notes?
5. Sample code on automatically emailing a list of users on submitting a SharePoint document. This could be a workflow-triggered event.
This is not an exhaustive list.
As already said, none of these need to be exact like-for-like. We just need to show how to do it in SharePoint web parts/InfoPath forms. Of course, it is not always easy. But that is the problem that Lotus Notes developers are facing.
2. Bob Balaban05/25/2009 08:48:00 AM
Homepage: http://www.bobzblog.com
How about free VS2008 licenses? For me that would be a huge help. SPDesigner too, if possible.
Thanks Gary!
3. Brent Henry05/26/2009 04:16:06 PM
Homepage: http://www.enterinfosystems.com
I like all of the things you mentioned.
Promote the VS express editions along with examples of how to round-trip data between Notes and a .Net UI. If a standardized framework can be created for that purpose then put it out on openntf.
Many developers view "migration" as a dirty, dare I say "traitorous" word. Make the focus integration and show them techniques that solve real problems that exist in developing Notes applications. Solutions such as using Linq to process xml (dxl) in the client , or printing nice reports out of Notes would help get people on board.
You would think that being a developer and using Windows I would have had some comprehension of what .Net is. Up until a few months ago I had never really taken an interest in it. Now I'm actively looking for points of integration. All it took was a spur of the moment purchase of a 20$ VB.Net "getting started" book that included all the express editions. There are probably lots of Notes developers out there that just need a little nudge.
4. Benoit Dubuc06/01/2009 10:35:16 AM
Homepage: http://www.benoitdubuc.com
Well, this is interesting. I think that many Notes developers, who became developers because they were once power users and became developers because no one else knew Notes, won't be able to make the step to C#, Visual Studio, SQL Server and Sharepoint.
I really like Brent's idea of using Linq to bring data from Notes applications: this would be a cool example to show. I think tutorials that would show where to do what would be nice too (how to integrate HTML and CSS in your aspx forms/pages, workflow designer, ...).
Even talking about the Microsoft Enterprise Library and the n-tier architecture would be nice, since Notes doesn't really have such an approach. In .Net, it is quite important to separate your code nicely; the Enterprise Library is a good starting point.
From a personal experience, things really helped to get me started were:
1. the real Visual Studio (not the Express with half of the nice and cool features missing)
2. SQL Server Express with advanced services (and a bit of basic Transact SQL)
3. A Virtual Machine running Sharepoint services (and now running MOSS)
I think that examples that take "classic" Notes applications (like document library with small workflow approval or the discussion template) and move them to .Net technologies would be great. It would cover everything that we Notes dudes may want to know about transitioning to .Net
Personally, I don't think you should post anything to OpenNTF (especially now that IBM is heavily involved - can't see them advertise and encourage the competition!) , but a web site dedicated to interconnection and/or migration from one platform to the other would be cool. I know it would be on my RSS feed for sure!
I think that, since you have been in the Notes world for a while, you already have a good idea of what Notes developers need to jump in the .Net world.
That's all the time I have for this lunch hour, but if you want to discuss further, please drop me a note. This is a topic of great interest for me and anything Microsoft will do to help ride the .Net horse, I'll check out for sure.
Thanks for the great initiative and please keep us posted on anything Microsoft can offer us!!!
Ben, a Notes guy trying to make it to the Sharepoint world 
5. Benoit Dubuc06/01/2009 11:52:27 AM
Homepage: http://www.benoitdubuc.com
@Bob, Sharepoint Designer is now free of charge. You can get it from the Microsoft Download Centre!
I am reading books on it these days (step by step Sharepoint Designer and step by step web app dev with sharepoint designer from MS Press)
