First of what I feel may be many posts about Lotus Notes

Why do I need to know what database I am connecting to? Why do I need to have a degree in computer science to change the default browser?

I’ve got my lovely new MacBook Pro in the office so need to set up a whole heap of preferences in Notes – of course not all the preferences are in preferences some are within individual tasks.

Current problem is trying to set up a mailing list – should be a fairly simple task but so far having checked about 800 menu items am unable to find it. The nearest I have found is Groups but with a description that includes ‘Multi-purpose’ groups are the default group type and used in most situations. They can be used for access control and email purposes. I’m a little wary of breaking the internet!

Social vs Professional

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I don’t want everyone I know to know everyone else that I know.
It’s like when you split up from someone and you suddenly lose a group of friends because they were better friends with your now ex partner.
Imagine this in the online world. It would be a nightmare. You have a spat with someone in the office and all of a sudden everyone in your social network is also affected or vice versa.

I use LinkedIn for my professional network and it works well. I use Facebook, Friendster, Thingbox and AIMPages and any number of others for social networking. Essentially whenever I get an invite I join one and when I see one I want to test or evaluate I join it and invite my friends. What I tend not to do is invite the same group of people to all of them.

There are some people with whom I get on with really well on my social networks that I would never put in my professional network the results would be far too unpredictable. Likewise there are people on my professional network I would never invite onto Facebook.

Anyway back to the point. LinkedIn is considering opening their platform to developers if you believe techcrunch and others, or likely will create an app for facebook. I’m struggling to see the market. I know in an ideal world everything would be interoperable but in the real world I think it would cause more problems than it would solve.

Now of course some software manufacturers have entered the fray. Notably IBM’s Lotus Connections which has a delicious style social bookmarking element, a blogging element – despite most companies looking at ways of reigning in the blogosphere rather than promoting it- and profiles.

Reading the metro on the

Reading the metro on the train this morning a number of stories worried me so much I had to stop reading anymore for fear of shouting out aloud on a packed train. Allegedly the mullet is back in fashion – something to do with an 80’s revival. GAH! is all I have to say on that note. As if that wasn’t bad enough then I read about companies like IBM using ‘faction’ which they are likening to urban legends. What this translates to is that they basically lie to their employees in an attempt to make the company look better and improve morale. Because this is a company however it is entirely fine. If however employees used the same method by say boosting their grades on a CV it would be classed as gross misconduct I’m sure… makes you wonder.