Just in case you missed it last week on the 19th, my June 2009 Sys Admin edition came out.  Thank you all for the current 4 star rating on this issue.  Let me know what you would like to see by sending me an email!

Topics included:

* From the Editor: Chris's 0.0748141 ARS (Google Wave and the Yellow Bubble) * From the IdoNotes Mailbox: Reverse Proxy and iNotes (DWA) 8.5 Issue * Editing Attachments Received in 8.5 via SMTP * Quick Tip: Unable to Open Replica of Personal NAB on Server in Notes 8.5 Standard * From the IdoNotes Mailbox: Lotus Traveler and Battery Issues in 8.5.0.1

Ok Paul Mooney and Eileen Fitzgerald both announced they are headed to the US for this little event known as IamLUG.  Who is coming just to see this astounding achievement in aeronautics?

As I sat on the flight, the guy next to me states he own his own distribution company when he introduced himself.  We didn't talk much more until he managed to spill an entire glass of water on my lap, with ice.  Well from there anyone would fall into natural discussion.  One because he was apologizing over and over.  Two, because it is polite to make sure I am not going to find some way to retaliate when I get my drink.

He opened his Macbook Pro and I was happy to see Lotus Notes open.  So as I padded my ass with towels from the flight attendants we struck up the old "when are you going to upgrade" discussion.  He quickly answered he knew there was a new version, since all software seems to never stop putting out new features.  I was happy to show him 8.5 and all the changes. We did a quick walkthrough (offline of course) and was was shocked to know why anyone would want instant messaging in there.

To make it short, he was unsure why anyone would want half of it.  After listening to what he really did, it was clear.  He was old school business.  He preferred face to face meetings.  He preferred the phone as a last result and the impersonalization of email was a sin.  Why instant message when he could go meet them or call.  His email was just product information and other silliness.  He didn't use the calendar.  His welcome page was mail and a sole database.

Here the conversation turned back to me.  He was a cold hard salesman.  A business owner since the 70's.  He had seen it all and sold disposable cups to manufacturers of drinking glasses.  He was in the Air Force.  he had hear every and given every pitch known to man to make a deal close.  What was I going to come back with in disconnected mode?  Simple.  I fired up designer (in VMWare duh since no Mac version), duplicated his V3 looking database and created a view widget first.  I checked my Day at a glance, showed where the latest status from my contacts were, via Epilio's free Jessie plug-in and showed where awareness would be in my mailfile.

The sales pitch was a nothing.  Small business? All of this?  I walked him through an upgrade coupled with Lotus Foundations Branch Office.  They had a small server, some file and print and no VPN or anything else.  All connected via a business DSL line.  His final words after eating his biscuit smothered in grape jelly?  When can we have a face to face meeting?  I will be going by after I get back in town and he is done fishing in Alaska for vacation.

Ed made a posting earlier asking about input on all aspects of message recall.

So, seems like a good discussion topic.  Are you using or planning to use mail recall?  Why or why not?  What resources have you found to help you make these decisions?

I personally (read this as a company we will sit down and plan it out with you and implement it very willingly) dislike it.  Message recall defeats the purpose of me sending you email in the first place.  I want you to have the message, that is why I send it.  I don't keep it (as in saved mail either) because it was my gift to you.  If I wanted it I would not have sent it in the first place.  If I want it back I will ask you to send it back and I hope you don't keep a copy of it in your sent when you do.

It is funny to me how we treat email differently than regular mail or voicemail in that sense.  Once you drop regular mail into one of the US postal boxes, you cannot go and get it back.  There is no recall.  It actually is against the law.  Email seems to be the only place we feel it is ok to retrieve something that was given to the other person.  How many of you are able to get back a sent voice mail message?  What makes email different that that?  

So now you say well they sent it by accident.  Yes, that is why it is called an accident.  It happens.  Quick fingers, fast typing and not verifying right before hitting send.  Happens all the time.  Forgot to add the attachment?  Send it right behind.  Like forgetting to put the check in the bill you are mailing off.  You send another envelope.  Digital or not.  Forget to leave some detail on the voicemail?  Call again.  Works like magic.

This is yet to be asked by customers to be turned on when we upgrade to Domino 8, but most (over 90%) want this turned off since it is on by default.   I am yet to hear this used as a comparison issue either when talking Outlook with anyone.  There is really no challenge in implementation, it is more around the fact that there is no guarantee a message is really recalled due to the number and types of devices, replicating and archiving going on.  It is a convenience feature sure, just not required.

Normally GSX would have their GSX Day in Nice, France sometime in the fall.  But this year they have launched a US city GSX Day for everyone to attend.  Make special not of their timing and location!

Mark your calendars as the GSX Day finally comes to America !!!

Over the past few years, GSX has only held its GSX Days in Nice, France. This year, we will host our first American one-day GSX Seminar in St Louis, MO, on August 5th 2009.

Our free one-day event will be held in partnership with and immediately following the first North American Lotus User Group Meeting (http://www.iamlug.org). To get the most out of your trip to St Louis, we encourage you to register to both events.

Just in case you missed it last week on the 19th, my May 2009 Sys Admin edition came out.  Thank you all for the current 4 star rating on this issue.  Let me know what you would like to see by sending me an email!

Topics included:
* From the Editor: Chris's 0.0536000 XCD
* From the IdoNotes Mailbox: Designating My Instant Meeting Servers
* Keeping Your Sametime Meeting Center Clean and Healthy
* Quick Tip: Sametime Advanced Update 8.0.1 and Sametime Connect 8.0.2
* From the IdoNotes Mailbox: Architecture Decisions for the EMS

OK, we thought we were done.  We really did.  We scripted and updated applets in hundreds of servers.  But, alas, we need to go back one more time for a couple of them and revert back to a previous applet.

What's changed
A re-signed websvc.jar file was previously included in the list of files to replace on Domino 7.x releases; however, this file is not used by browsers and thus is not impacted by the applet expiration issue. Additionally, it was discovered that applying the re-signed websvc.jar file could cause crashes on Domino 7.x releases prior to 7.0.3

This only applies if you used the manual replace method and not the interim fix method to make it easier.  You must go back and revert to the gold version of the file.  So how many kept your gold ones?  Huh? Tell me?

Interesting turn of events.  We had used some custom toolbar icons for some time.  Well after some recent upgrading it seems that those icons are no longer in the client so you get a nice yellow X.  (screenshot)  



If you forgot to set the pop-up help in those icons you deployed (optional, not required) you have no idea which icon does what anymore.

So I was browsing the new OpenNTF site and seeing what they had available and saw the ability to now drag and drop widgets right into your sidebar.  It looked like it was cranking away successfully but a little window eventually came up.



So I tried another, same issue.  I am not sure if somehow it is me (which I don't have issues from other catalogs or via email).

Anyone else?  I heard of people getting crashes too.

If you have no idea what this is about go read my posting right here, this is big for users people

• Starting on Tuesday the 19th 2009, web browser users who access various applets hitting a Domino/Sametime/Quickr server may receive a message that the certificate associated with the applet has expired
• This doesn't affect functionality, just the warning error unless the user trusts IBM
• The certificate was unable to be renewed until they got close to the expiration.  They were limited in time to renew earlier.  Then there was testing to do and prep for posting
• -----> Open Q&A begins here by pressing *1 and recording your name<--------------
• Shawn asks - due to time sensitivity there is not much testing time on the new fixes.  Answer: you can test it via java/applet API's to see how it is signed and when it will expire.  Since this is a browser that is impacted you can actually on a test machine try it but setting your clock into the future.
• Irv asks - on a test server he has overwritten the files.  In the java section of the browser will that date be automatically updated on the next connect?  Will the people with the older expired certificate get the update automatically or will they have to delete and reinstall soemthing?  Answer from Scott Vrusho: The technote will be updated to clarify the this.  The user will be prompted to accept the new certificate in the browser just as they were 3 years ago
• Ray asks - the remediation effort is just a file swap?  Answer - yes
• Steve asks -  the new applets on Sametime will force the user to be accepted on a prompt if they previously trusted IBM?  Answer from Scott - yes even if the user trusted IBM previously they will be prompted
• Rob asks - will this affect BES?  Answer from Scott - nope
• Scott asks - I just shut down HTTP on the Domino server and it would not allow me to replace some jar files due to them being locked  Answer from Scott - in testing they could just shut down HTTP but you might have to shut the Domino server down
• Steve asks - they are using the Sametime Limited client, is there anything to do?  Answer - there shouldn't be since this is meetings and HTTP , not chat
• Tim asks - they are using 7.0.3 with Sametime integrated but they use webmail.  Will they get the prompt to accept certificates?  Answer from Scott - DWA and iNotes shouldn't.  all other stock templates have applets
• John asks - why the NCSO jar file (sorry missed some of it)  Answer they will update the technote to see why that NCSO file is included
• ?? asks - On sametime server there is both Domino and Sametime fixes to be applied? they did a test and moved server to later date to see behavior and is that it? Are instant meeting users affected?  Answer - yes to all parts
• Mark asks - on the technote for Sametime it states version 7 and above yet they run 6.5.1.  Is it the same of a different patch?  Answer - that version is EOL so there is no signed applets for that version.  So get to upgrading or you will get prompts
• ?? asks - Domino and Sametime with EMS in front.  Do these jars impact/work with the FIPS encryption?  In preliminary testing they did not get into meetings with the new jars.  Are they compatible?  Could they grab the certs and move them into the jar files  Answer - they are not sure and will research.  A FIPS version was not ready
• Tino asks - specific question for version 7.5 of Sametime and they do not see a fix for that version.  Answer - they were suggested to move to 7.5.1 and the CF1 and CF2.  While it may not be possible, it would be encouraged.  Yet this didnt answer the question.
• Mike asks - they have 6.5.6 servers with iNotes 6 template.  Is it affected? They loaded a test on a Domino 8,.5 server with the patch.  They had no change for the trust question.   Answer from Scott - they are not affected.  DWA/iNotes is not impacted and no applets on any version
• Wayne asks - Quickr on Domino, no Sametime.  They use ActiveX verus java for drag and drop is there any concern?  Answer from Jennifer - no concern in either case
• Lisa asks - running Domino 7.0.3 server with mixed R6 clients and R7 clients on both versions of iNotes/DWA templates. Sametime Connect for browsers are in use, are they affected?  Answer from Scott - iNotes/DWA no impact. Sametime Connect is affected and is in the patches
• Alan asks - are the expirations time zone related? What about chat functionality through DWA?  Answer from Scott - they aren't totally sure but there is an hour associated with the expiration that will adjust based on timezone.  Yes the chat for stlinks files used in DWA for awareness are affected and should be checked to see if they are unsigned or signed.
• Ian asks - are there any updates for jar files in the client distribution?  Answer from Scott  - this is fairly niche case where you run and develop web apps to preview in web browser.  The applets would show then with the prompt.  They are not advertising for normal use case to update the client yet it could affect those "rare" instances.  Fixes will be in the later normal later release and fixes for clients.  The 8.0.2 FP2 and 8.5 FP1 will have these updates.  Later when these expire in 2012 this wont cause the same issue due to timestamping in signing so no future prompts they are rolling into future products
• Lisa asks - Domino 7.0.3 in house and they had to bring the server down to replace the one program file directory file.  She got a prompt for an applet to choose to always run for it not to come up anymore.  Is that normal? Answer from Scott - he questioned which one to see if it was a normal prompt or about the date.  It was about accepting to run the software entirely.
• Jeff asks - they have Quickplace 7, is there an order to apply with Quickr/Sametime/Domino. Answer - there is no order and no Quickplace patch unless you have Sametime integration with Quickplace.  They will update technotes more on how to verify dates.
• Mark asks - on all the products they have applied the fix and the user gets prompted, will they also get prompted when they hit Sametime for a meeting the first time or will one acceptance work across? What about our Sametime 6.5.1 servers?  Answer from Scott - one acceptance will take care of all of it.  There is nothing to do for Sametime 6.5.1 servers since there is no patch for them.  Those users will get the security  warning.
• Rich asks - for Quickplace 6.5.1 there was a patch listed but what about domino? What about the downloadable gold code that is out there now, will these be updated or will I apply fixpacks? Answer from Scott - there is a Domino 6.5.x patch for all versions.  You have to download fixpacks, they will not upload fixed gold code.
• ?? asks - they have a lot of products running on Domino with multiple patches.  Portal is the front end..  they exported the SSO key and will this affect it.  Answer from Scott - any application relying on the Domino applets will be corrected when replacing the applets. These are just applet certificates, no application or SSO certificates.  No issue there.
• Tim asks - Their Domino has legacy web apps (over 100)on a 5.0.11 server.  Any recourse?  Answer from Scott - no.
• Bob asks - They tried pushing the clock forward but cant recreate the popup.  Answer - going into Java settings in the browser to remove the IBM trust will then show the popup again.
• me - are the files the same for Domino 8.0 and Domino 8,5.  Sizes and everything else matches  Answer from Scott - they should be as they built the Domino 8.5 o n the same codset and no other changes were really made.
• Andy asks - Domino 7.0.3 with DWA 6.5.3 template.  Answer - no problem

I had to drop off the call at this point, so I missed a handful.  The call went almost 30 minutes late.