Why I like Domino

My colleague Patrick sent me a very interesting blog entry about Sharepoint and what it takes to master it.

Interesting reading for every one who wants to know a little more about the product and what it is like to work with it.

Read it?… Ok!
Now you now why I’m happy to be a Domino developer. I suppose we can expect another rip and replace version from Microsoft.
I can’t figure out, why developer keep up with a product management like that? You constantly have to relearn. The experience and knowledge you get is partly made useless with every new version forcing you to learn the basics again. It’s a waist of resources!
I do like challenges. But I do not like to have to throw away my knowledge every time a new release gets out.
No, better stick with things that tends to evolve instead of revolving.

I know a customers developing there own products to overcome these obstacle. After a Biztalk upgrade all their plug-ins were useless, since the api was rewritten. So the decision was made to develop something more independent. Nice to see that Microsoft value them so much, that they get an award for it. But it also shows that some customer are aware of the risks with Microsoft development , you should always consider the fact that you may loose your development investments, when upgrading.
Is that something that is considered in TCO and ROI calculation? Apparently not, the install base would be considerably smaller then.

Microsoft seams to make everything they touch to a complex non transparent issue at the moment. Take the OOXML draft with 6000+ pages. Why so complex?
Microsoft had a very good start with DOS. It’s was simple and easy to use. Basic was also easy to use, not very useful, but simple.
I believe Microsoft lost the word simple after Word 2.0.

In the blog entry there is a list on technologies you have to master to customize Sharepoint. I wounder how that list would look for Domino and Quicker.

First from the Real World software development blog listing:

1. SharePoint
2. SQL Server
3. Internet Information Server
4. Active Directory
5. File Stores
6. Indexing
7. Software Development
8. Search Engines (To help customize the brutal search built into it)
9. Database Design and Development
10. XML
11. .NET 2.0
12. ISA Server
13. Master Pages

And for Domino with Quickr:

1. Domino server
2. LotusScript
3. Formula
4. Java
5. JavaScript
6. XML

(Comparing Domino and Quickr and Sharepoint with each other is not fair, but comparing Microsoft products against Lotus products have never been fair, either way)

What struck me most is not the fact that there is a big difference in the number of lines, but he fact there is only one product/system to learn. No SQL server, no IIS… only Domino!

Now I know why I like Domino, it is simple to manage and easy to use. Developing application can be quick and simple or hard and complex. You as a developer have the choice.

At the moment I feel lucky not having to learn another system, being able to concentrate on things I find interesting. Namely perfecting my Java, JavaScript and the new (not rewritten) functionalities in Domino 8.

Maybe that’s why so many Domino developer have time to blog 🙂

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