Can I justify Lotusphere

So, I’m back in the UK after my first lotusphere looking at my credit card bill, lost earnings for the week and twittering about if i will be in trouble at my major client on Monday, what are the ups to counter act these downs?

1) I got access to the Lotus devs/Big boys and got them to listen to my Cognos problem, and they TOOK NOTICE!!
2) I got to work with Bruce Elgort, Gayle Elgort, Matt White (again) and Kitty Elsmore, a top bunch of people, very professional and very very tolerant.
3) I learnt Loads and loads and Loads (and Loads)
3) The amazing boys at Ytria have offered me a copy of their software which includes, the completely indispensable scanEZ (a bit of software that i would sell my left kidney to have)
4) I got to be a part of the IdeaJam phenomenon (and access to the indecently beautiful code).
5) Made a S**t load of contacts all of them with fun people who are smarter than me.
6) I got to go drinking with “Wild Bill” (and lived)
7) I had my photo taken with sponge bob.

Now do all these, offset the cost in this financial climate?…. well Yes quite frankly they do, even if i was a permy and also had to pay for it my self, yes!!, i WILL be going next year

(but i WILL be booking early to keep the cost down, ICK!!).

Resetting the playing field

As many of you already know from reading Bruce’s post, Taskjam is now available for free, GO GET IT!!!

The reason for this is not particularly Taskjam its self but the whole family of “jam” products, and the application methods that Matt and Bruce are using now, in my option it has reset how domino web applications should be done, and shown us the future, IdeaJam in particular should now be considered the base line for Domino web apps, come on people don’t let the side down!!!, make us proud. (oh and buy IdeaJam as well so you can steal the code in it)

15 things i learnt while at my first lotusphere 2009

1) If Bill Buchan is ever in the audience for a session, sit next to him, its hilarious
2) Lotusphere attendees are called bumblebees (when you see them its obvious)
3) Learn the name of the common meeting places.. Quickly!
4) Talk to EVERYONE (they are all nice, friendly and geeky)
5) Be nice to the vendors, they have to stand up for days on end and its bloody hard work, especially in stilettos (next year I’ll wear flats)
6) My girlfriend writes the hottest emails EVER!! (I’m not standing up in the retunder for about 10 mins)
7) A taxi between the swan/dolphin hotel and the new Orleans ones costs about $15
8) Your love of any creamed vegetables can become an addition (espesh creamed spinach at ‘tubbies’)
9) When they put the bottled drinks out in the vendor area grab them quick (the Disney buggers take them away really soon)
10) Disney have no idea what a dolphin looks like
11) Party like its 1999, don’t just go back to your hotel room at the end of the sessions (all the Cool Geek people go out)
12) All free booze is wine or beer, if you don’t like either, make provision!!!!
13) At least 20% of the people here are clever than you, learn from them!!!.
14) When your stealing freebies of the stalls talk to the vendors (you might learn something and they will think their freebies are working)
15) somewhere in the Disney resort there is a wireless network administrator that has committed suicide! for what you have done to the “lotusphere” wireless lan.

The Pod People take over Disney World

Its 6.30 am on a Sunday morning, and mist rises off the lakes in the riverside area of Disney’s world, an air of mysticism shrouds the place, then in one’s a two’s figures skulk from the shadows each with a yellow pod clinging to their back, they converge in their thousands on a predefined point muttering to each other in a bizarre language, is it a strange race come to take over the world , No its all the lotusphere attendees all going for a free breakfast!!, my first lotusphere has begun, and I’m more excited than a priest in a 6th form exercise yard.

Day 1 Lotusphere

I feel like i have wandered in to a club for big game hunters, its more fanatical than a star trek convention, I’m sure if a tattooist opened up in the product showcase floor, he would make a killing.

today has consisted of discovering the following

1) Mind blown with all the new stuff, had to take a quiet hour to get all i wanted to do in order in my mind (and on paper)
2) Cognos are actually here in person so I’m going hunting them this week
3) Selling Ideajam is not going to be hard as it is not only amazing but now award wining (its notes porn)
4) Got contact names for the foundation stuff i want
5) There is tons of sessions i want to go to, having to be VERY picky

Please forgive me for leaving you now as there are free drinks and a beach with my name on it. (hmmm must sort out the parties for the rest of the week)