Stairway to Heaven

Just tought my self the Ukulele equivalent of "Stairway to Heaven", which is of course "When I'm Cleaning Windows" by George Formby. This has cheered me up as my version of "White Riot" was just not swinging.

It's easy to know when to stop playing George Formby songs as you can see the glint of Mrs Spuggy's bread knife reflecting on the wall.

Rich Client? Outlook on steroids or what

Just had a shufty at the Workplace 2.0 features and the guy mentions the Rich client. On the workplace shindig I went on they implied that you could write "J2EE" apps that would sit in the rich client and be repped up and down .... in a notes stylee. He dosn't mention it.... ummmm

Hangs on by thread ...

Thats the sound of the men using Workplace on the chain gaa-yang.

Well I've been on a Workplace shindig last thrursday, friday. It was a very useful session where I think I finally understand where the blue meanies are coming from.

We spent most if the time trying to get Workplace 1.1a working. We installed Websphere, Websphere Portal, DB2, Numerous fixpacks, an LDAP server, a cuddly toy, a fondue set and coffee percolator; we edited .properties files and held our breath; we typed huge command line commands; we asked questions and looked blank; we rebooted servers; and throughout we required the expert help of two blue meanies just in case we pressed the wrong button.

Workplace 1.1a is obviously not ready for prime time; in fact it was touch and go whether it was ready for this workshop. Workplace 2.0 is nearly upon us (gold in 3 weeks) and I am reliably informed it is "Rockin' at the hops".

The interesting thing is that the 2.0 will include a "Rich" Client that will include an office suite which is forked from open office and managed from a server. As the licensing seems to be in the same ball park as domino (when you include all the collaboration things like IM and Quickplace etc) it certainly looks like the blue meanies are after the desktop again. This could be a compelling argument in the light of M$ recent licensing hikes.

The big question, of course, is will it all work? Dunno is the only honest answer, although I'm inclined to think that some kind of third way will emerge over the next few years.

That said, I generally feel a bit better. I feel comfortable in my investment in J2EE and Websphere and I can see a transition path ahead for notes/domino. The fact that this will all be done by a load of blokes from Bangalore is neither here nor there.

"Do you have a nectar card?"

Dur der dur da daaaaa!

Just returned form my first Yoga lesson. Mrs Spuggy suggested I go and I must say I feel rather good; although it is a bit alarming to find that you can't stick you legs straight up in the air.

The lesson was as I expected; in a church hall with lots of ladies in their 40s. Towards the end, as I feared, I let one rip when we were in a tricky pose with our bums in the air. Not just a parp noise, but the first three bars of "Jackie Wilson Said" by Dexy's Midnight Runners.

Not sure if I'm going to go next week.