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do a real evaluation on the development options for the COM to UNO api there ...
and this goes for both integrating Notes with OpenOffice.org and Lotus Symphony .. but at least IBM can change the Symphony story here.
The average Notes developer does not know structured programming. They struggle with Java and Eclipse.org and Lotus Expeditor development is above them. Composite Applications are something they are interested in, but the tooling makes it hard. (why do you think we have widgets and all the work around Domino Designer for Eclipse ... to solve those specific issues along with other ones).
The same developers can do basic integration with Notes and Office themselves. They can call the Office objects via the CreateObject method, and get text into Word or Excel. They can do basic charting and other stuff. With a bit more work, or hiring someone like myself who specializes in this area, or using one of the few products out there that allow for more advanced integration. Some of those users even move into integration of Notes from the Office product stand-point, and we see them learn the ins and outs of COM. Yes, they have to change some of the code written in VBA to work in Notes. This includes the numerous constants that VBA uses that LotusScript does not recognize. But the can do a bunch themselves.
Now, they want to do the same thing with Symphony. First, they have to learn the UNO API. It is not user-friendly to the average Notes developer. Next, they learn there is not a real COM API for UNO, but more of a 'let's shove java code into OLE/COM so we can get some stuff done. Next, they have a horrible time finding good documentation that shows them how to do basic things .. such as creating a table, placing some text into that table, or creating a chart. They find the OpenOffice.org UNO Development site .. and get overwhelmed. They realize that they can't use the trick in Office where they can record actions and get VBA. The code recorded in OpenOffice.org macros can not be directly used when using the UNO API. Once they did down, they have to do some funky stuff with arrays and arguments. And the last straw is that they get into OpenOffice.org or Symphony, and they realize they can not automate Notes with a simple API in the macro language. They have to connect via the Java classes. At this point, they go back to Office.
The reality is that until development/automation of Lotus Symphony for the Notes standard developer is there, people will not move off Office in significant numbers. I am not asking for the removal of any of the Eclipse plug-in stuff or composite application component pieces. I know more is coming there and its great. But the average user needs something they can do in script. They can not do that today without a sledgehammer. That will not drive adoption.
Feedback response number JHED7C7M4N created by ~Olga Nimgeroader on 02/26/2008
do a real evaluation on the development options for the COM to UNO api there ...
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. . . . . . . . . . . . do a real evaluation on the develop... (~Denise Minboos... 26.Feb.08) 
