Thank you Michael Wuerdemann and Henning Heinz for the gifts sent to me off my Amazon Wish List.  I only collected them yesterday from the post office.  Such kind gestures from fellow LUG members.

Today is my first “real” run.  The seeley cup race in Belfast.  It’s 10k.   Yes I know that is a pittance compared to other readers of this site (Yes Karen, I’m looking at you). but sure it’s a start.  I have never ran with other people before, let alone done a race so it should be interesting.  10k is a bit shorter then my usual run these days, but I’m looking forward to it.  Well I was looking forward to it.

First race – first snow.  It’s bloody cold out!

I easily forget some notes client features.  Server stuff is usually ok, but client-side is easy to forget.  Today I spent time staring at a basic client trying to figure out how to enable the “synchronise contacts” feature.  In the standard client, it is in the preferences (then the replicator tab).   As per the info centre,

If you use Lotus Notes 8 Basic, follow these steps:

1. Click in the bookmark bar to open your local contacts file (names.nsf).
2. Click Actions > More > Preferences.
3. Select Enable “Synchronize Contacts” on the Replicator and click OK.
4. Click in the bookmark bar.
5. Make sure that Synchronize Contacts is selected.

Click Start Now.

I was asked this during a support call.  Answers on a postcard…

Another reason why a workspace/homepage whatever needs to be looked at.  Here’s a thought.  Sue Apple for the workspace idea and use the cash to develop a new workspace (okok.. I’m in a mood).

Update… Suggestion by Steve McDonagh :)

Follower’s of vowe on twitter would know that he outed my Amazon wish list earlier this week.  Since then I have put on my site here.  I was not that bothered as we already asked people to donate to a good cause and doing that was more then enough.

Low and behold, a package arrives today.

A gift, from my list, from someone would couldn’t attend.  Stuart McIntyre no less.  Thank you.

In one of the many IBM support emails I subscribe to, I noticed a link to the free (as in free) Out of Office diagnostic database.  Download and replicate the .nsf to the server, sign it and enable FAA if you need to, read the “about database page”, and off you go.  It’s not pretty or perfect but it does do some diagnostic/reporting work for you.

I don’t have the time at the moment to do any level of dive into it, but the reporting functionality works.

My brother is a smart guy.  Well, all of them are but one is way out there on the smart scale.  He sent me what I consider the most balanced article on the Irish economy to date.  I know this is way off base for people reading my site, but the vast majority of readers here are from outside our land, so I wanted to give you some perspective.

For the Irish economy, the past two years have been a combination of a marathon and a gruelling assault course.

Read this.

A few weeks after impressing me with notesiscool.com, Darren‘s interview on This Week In Lotus (EP 26) impresses me again. Considering his position in Lotus, Darren’s approach and honest answers make me wonder why he is not made a lot more of a public figure in IBM.   Then again… public figures are not made by IBM.   They are made in spite of IBM.

Listen to the podcast (feel free to skip to 0:36, past the “connections is great” stuff).

More

Via Lynne

A big thank you to everyone that helped organise the madness that is ILUG.  I think it went smoother then any other year.

A big thank you to the sponsors.  Without you guys, it doesn’t happen.

A big thank you to the speakers – you guys always impress me with your openness, honestly and availability to speak to anyone at ILUG.

A big thank you to IBM lab staff, who attended and manned tables every day, offering demos, hints, tips and advice for three days.

A big thank you to the delegates.  Without you guys, it kinda doesn’t make sense.

I appreciate everyone making their way to Belfast and trying out somewhere new.  I like how the venue worked out myself and how helpful they were.   We had weather, flight cancellations, airline withdrawals, dodgy vans, printing issues and more against us, but it still worked out.  Now looking forward to some rest and Lotusphere, which is not far away at all.

So as ever, please fill out your evals, but if you want to leave a comment here on what worked/didnt work, or what you thought of the event, feel free.  What was good/bad/ugly for you.

P.