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Conference back40::soapbox

Title:Soapbox. Just Soapbox.
Notice:No more new notes
Moderator:WAHOO::LEVESQUEONS
Created:Thu Nov 17 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:862
Total number of notes:339684

838.0. "Is NOTES dead ?" by GAAS::BRAUCHER (Champagne Supernova) Mon Feb 24 1997 09:03

   A number of my fellow Digits no longer have VMS accounts, or any interest
 in any VMS apps, including NOTES.  A recent project by an engineering team,
 which had always used NOTES files for project-wide stuff, abandoned it and
 went to the web instead.  I find my own VMS windows now reduced pretty much
 to this one.  It is possible that in the near future, I'll pass over the
 event horizon from VMS, never to return.

  Then again, big things die slowly, on the whole.  No single person can keep
 a forum going, obviously - NOTES will remain of interest as long as there
 is a quorum of people with sufficient merit to justify the exercise.  Soapbox,
 like all VMS NOTES files, is reducing to a backwater, but it remains an
 interesting one.  I can probably justify having a VMS account for a while
 longer.  But I'll be surprised if this (or any NOTES) file is still around
 in the new millenium.

  What say others ?  Is NOTES dead ?

   bb
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838.1COVERT::COVERTJohn R. CovertMon Feb 24 1997 09:059
DEC Notes works just fine from Unix accounts as well.

Is there not an NT version of the DEC Notes client?

Why could there not be a Windows version?

The PC-only madness will pass.  Or DEC will die.

/john
838.3USPS::FPRUSSFrank Pruss, 202-232-7347Mon Feb 24 1997 12:114
    Of course there is a PC version of a NOTES Client!  AKA TEAMLINKS
    Conferencing.
    
    FJP
838.4Don't sell OpenVMS short...SCASS1::WISNIEWSKIADEPT of the Virtual Space.Mon Feb 24 1997 13:4830
    Do not go gently into that great night...
    
    Notes servers running on OpenVMS VAX and Alpha
    represent history, archives and the Digital story
    for the past 15 years...
    
    We just need a reasonable client from our new PC desktops
    to continue the tradition and maintain our link with 
    the information and history of Digital...
    
    A WEBrowser plug-in that reads notes would be best...
    
    And they can pry my OpenVMS system out of my cold dead network
    after they've disconnected me from the Internet.
    
    OpenVMS isn't dead... It's only moving to client server...
    
    Did you know VAX sales increased 20% last quarter?  Or that 
    OpenVMS revenues are up for the second year in a row? The 
    OpenVMS product produced 180million dollars in profit for
    the corporation last year...
    
    Don't sell OpenVMS short before it's time... Use a client
    to access your stable notes server that runs on OpenVMS...
    
    Want to see what OpenVMS can do ... check out
    
    http://dfw003.dlc.dec.com/
    
    John Wisniewski
838.5Old newsSMURF::wolf95.zk3.dec.com::pbeckPaul Beck at [email protected]Mon Feb 24 1997 15:2111
>    We just need a reasonable client from our new PC desktops
>    to continue the tradition and maintain our link with 
>    the information and history of Digital...

Uh, we've had it for several years. Ignoring the Teamlinks notes client (which 
may or may not be available on its own) there's Netnotes (which I'm using 
now)... it's developed outside of DIGITAL, but it works fine (far better than 
the DEC Notes X-client, though not as flexible as the dumb-terminal version).

How is it that people can still ask when there will be a PC-based notes 
client???
838.6POLAR::RICHARDSONPatented Problem GeneratorMon Feb 24 1997 15:512
    THe dumb terminal version is still the best thing I've ever scene for
    conferencing. Sure makes newsgroup browsing look backwards.
838.7ACISS1::BATTISChicago - My Kind of TownMon Feb 24 1997 16:184
    
    seen
    
    
838.8POLAR::WILSONCas pc as i can beMon Feb 24 1997 23:091
    NOTES have always been dead, it is you and i that bring them to life. 
838.9APACHE::KEITHDr. DeuceTue Feb 25 1997 08:008
    OK 
    
    One of my notes moved to:    
    
    node.this.that.whatever
    
    
    How do I access it from VMS notes now?
838.10NETRIX::thomasThe Code WarriorTue Feb 25 1997 09:013
Try [email protected]

	mod ent foo/[email protected]
838.11VAXCPU::michaudJeff Michaud - ObjectBrokerTue Feb 25 1997 11:229
> Try [email protected]
> 	mod ent foo/[email protected]

	VMS will also work with:

		node.this.that.whatever::conf

	but the syntax Matt gave works from both VMS and UNIX clients.
	I have no idea what the Teamlinks or Netnotes clients accept.
838.12VAXCPU::michaudJeff Michaud - ObjectBrokerTue Feb 25 1997 11:287
> ... Netnotes (which I'm using now)... it's developed outside of DIGITAL, ...

	If Netnotes is the one that I'm thinking of, it was actaully
	developed *inside* of Digital by an engineer (Steve) in the then
	DECnet-DOS group as a midnight hack.  He then left Digital,
	productized it, and sold or licensed the original Netnotes to
	Digital for a rumored $1M.
838.13VAXCPU::michaudJeff Michaud - ObjectBrokerTue Feb 25 1997 11:308
>     One of my notes moved to:    
>     node.this.that.whatever

	BTW, if you are a member or moderator in this conference, your
	membership record /ACCESS=(...) list will need to be updated
	to include:

		the.fully.qualified.hostname.of.your.node::username
838.14BUSY::SLABAfterbirth of a NationTue Feb 25 1997 11:415
    
    	Woah, I guess we let ANYONE in here, don't we??
    
    	8^)
    
838.15PENUTS::DDESMAISONSperson BTue Feb 25 1997 11:434
  .14  aagagagagag.


838.16VAXCPU::michaudJeff Michaud - ObjectBrokerTue Feb 25 1997 12:196
> Woah, I guess we let ANYONE in here, don't we??

	I had to get up early today to bring the cat to the vet
	so had a little extra time :-)

	At least I didn't use "of" in place of "have" :-)
838.17BUSY::SLABAll the leaves are brownTue Feb 25 1997 12:427
    
    	You're getting better, Jeff.
    
    	However, that would impress me a teensy bit more if I could have
    	found a "have" in that sentence that had the slightest chance of
    	being replaced by an "of".  8^)
    
838.18ACISS1::BATTISChicago - My Kind of TownTue Feb 25 1997 13:162
    
    gee, are we to get more ::Digital noters in here, now?
838.19[email protected]VAXCPU::michaudJeff Michaud - ObjectBrokerTue Feb 25 1997 15:483
> gee, are we to get more ::Digital noters in here, now?

	Or would that be Digital@ noters :-)
838.20Alternative???SNOFS1::PENNYSIMONSimon Penny - OEM BS (Defence), Sydney, AustraliaTue Feb 25 1997 17:388
    For the Web-centric amongst us, you could also use the following
    link to access notes (although not in a *very* user friendly way)
    
    http://www-esn.lkg.dec.com/decnotes
    
    NNTTM
    
    Simon
838.21ACISS1::BATTISChicago - My Kind of TownWed Feb 26 1997 09:082
    
    <---- The man from Oz lives.
838.22All gone quiet...SNOFS1::PENNYSIMONSimon Penny - OEM BS (Defence), Sydney, AustraliaWed Feb 26 1997 18:437
    I sure do - alive and kicking still
    
    Anyone from Christine's do in Manchester still in here??
    I was in Shrewsbury again last month
    
    Cheers,
    Simon
838.23BUSY::SLABCatch you later!!Wed Feb 26 1997 18:525
    
    	Last month?
    
    	What are you, antisocial or something??
    
838.24ACISS1::BATTISCarnations,not just for Easter anymoreThu Feb 27 1997 08:193
    
    Simon, yeah, I'm still here. There's a bunch more. Doctah, Raq, 'tine,
    mz_debra, Pol, etc....
838.25GMASEC::KELLYIt&#039;s Deja-Vu, All Over AgainThu Feb 27 1997 10:452
    I'm still here!  Why didn't you let us know you were visiting??????
    Or do I want the answer to that one? :-))))))))
838.26POLAR::RICHARDSONPatented Problem GeneratorThu Feb 27 1997 11:131
    He didn't want to be tied up and ravaged.
838.27ACISS1::BATTISCarnations,not just for Easter anymoreThu Feb 27 1997 11:232
    
    well, debra was going to lend 'tine her wooden spoon for the occasion.
838.28GMASEC::KELLYIt&#039;s Deja-Vu, All Over AgainThu Feb 27 1997 11:251
    no, no, no, those only work for knee-biters :-)))))))))))
838.29BIGQ::SILVAhttp://www.ziplink.net/~glen/decplus/Thu Feb 27 1997 12:002
that wouldn't work for you then, 'tine. everyone knows the mens drop to their
knees, head bowed down to the floor when you walk into a room!
838.30BUSY::SLABDILLIGAFThu Feb 27 1997 12:244
    
    	And with any luck she's wearing a loose-fitting skirt and walks
    	right over you.
    
838.31GMASEC::KELLYIt&#039;s Deja-Vu, All Over AgainThu Feb 27 1997 12:252
    {gasp!}
    
838.32BUSY::SLABDILLIGAFThu Feb 27 1997 12:263
    
    	Yeah, I think I'd be speechless also.
    
838.33How about Internal "NEWS"USPS::FPRUSSFrank Pruss, 202-232-7347Thu Feb 27 1997 15:544
    Well, maybe we ought to go with our own set of USENET like newsgroups
    and an internal implementation of DejaNews!
    
    FJP
838.34DECWET::LOWEBruce Lowe, DECwest Eng., DTN 548-8910Fri Feb 28 1997 12:254
I must be missing something ... I have never understood why Notes couldn't
be implemented under DUNIX and use something besides DECnet for transport.
I just doesn't seem like rocket science. Overly simplistic view perhaps.
838.35Tell me about the UNIX record management system...COVERT::COVERTJohn R. CovertFri Feb 28 1997 14:453
Does DUNIX support ISAM files?

/john
838.36Available...USPS::FPRUSSFrank Pruss, 202-232-7347Fri Feb 28 1997 18:2016
    Unix in and of itself, does not support ISAM files.  Indexed files are
    required by X-Open and are usually provided by a third party package
    like C-ISAM.  (X-Open merely specifies that a partricular interface be
    "available", it does not have to be built in to the product.)
    
    As mentioned in a similar topic in DIGITAL, a NOTES server, with a Web
    interface is commercially available for NT.  I'm not sure if it has any
    relationship to our NOTES.
    
    I'm not at all fond of any of the Web based notes files I have  played
    with, and some sites have implemented in a squirrely fashion.
    
    Several require you to retrieve every single reply to a topic before
    you can add your reply at the end.
    
    FJP
838.37BRLLNT::RAUHI survived the Cruel SpaFri Feb 28 1997 19:3913
    Notes isn't dead as there are allot accounts going to other means. And
    when you log into the account to read the notes, its very alien.:)
    Being from a far and distant planet myself.:) Anyhow, there isnt a nice
    mapping for usage from the web on the pc keyboard and when your use to
    vms mapping it makes things stranger. 
    
    Then agian, there are allot of us more than busy these days for the
    hours we put in. Wishing to get a moment to relax and yack to the rest
    of the Digital comunity. 
    
    Then there are allot of other things we have to read just to keep up.
    Sometimes there isn't enough hours in the day or night to keep up.:(
    
838.38BUSY::SLABGo Go Gophers watch them go go go!Fri Feb 28 1997 19:427
    
    	Yeah, I read alot of Playboy and Penthouse so that I don't forget
    	what naked people look like.
    
    	Extracurricular stuff like that is time-consuming, but good for
    	the mind in that it keep you thinking.
    
838.39NHASAD::SHERKI belong! I got circles overme i&#039;sSat Mar 01 1997 06:008
    
    I've always been curious how hard it would be to port rms to unix -
    or for that matter dos.  I recall that in early RSTS days we wrote
    our own indexes and retrieved data by doing binary searches on sorted
    key files with a pointer the location of the actual entry in the data
    file.  RMS and the ISAM file came along and made things a lot better.
    
    ken
838.40One good thing about the 1980s, at leastTLE::RALTONow featuring Synchro-VoxSun Mar 02 1997 21:5212
    Interesting that this topic kind of veered off into the technical
    aspects (platform, etc.), but to me the more important issue in
    the "Is Notes dead?" matter involves the notion that the "best"
    noters from the "golden days" of notes are either gone from the
    company, or are simply not participating much any more.
    
    Most of my old favorite conferences are but mere shadows (pardon
    the techie pun) of their former selves.  'Tis a pity.  And Usenet
    doesn't begin to measure up; neither do AOL discussion groups (or
    whatever they're called).
    
    Chris
838.41POLAR::RICHARDSONPatented Problem GeneratorSun Mar 02 1997 23:001
    Oh, then why do you bother talking to us scum?
838.42icause it once was sooooo good...GAAS::BRAUCHERChampagne SupernovaMon Mar 03 1997 08:414
  Same reason some people still go to Celtics games...

  bb
838.43fat lady's sung...GAAS::BRAUCHERAnd nothing else mattersFri Mar 07 1997 11:526
  Problem is, we have no graphics.  No sound.  No color.  No animations.

  We're dead meat.

  bb
838.44COVERT::COVERTJohn R. CovertFri Mar 07 1997 11:544
There actually is no reason that the contents of a conference entry could
not be HTML.

/john
838.45POLAR::RICHARDSONPatented Problem GeneratorFri Mar 07 1997 12:294
    Sometimes you just want text. Well, maybe not you, but I do.
    
    I'd say if someone could create an application that show html documents
    like notes shows text, and make it all real time, that would make $$$.