Social SDK - Bringing it to the next stage
The big intention of IBM's Social Business
Tookit was to make the IBM Connections API easy to consume from any Web
/ Java platform. And it still is! But how to proceed with the Social SDK
in the time of Connections Pink?
It seems to be the right moment, for
IBM and the OpenNTF community to join forces and bring the Social SDK to
the next stage. The community has already moved on with the SocialSDK for
bugfixes and also enhancements. But now it's time to make the SocialSDK
ready for the future. Please join the discussion about the direction of
the Social SDK under https://github.com/OpenNTF/SocialSDK/wiki/
Why? Because you as a possible consumer
of the SocialSDK are the right audience to bring your needs, wishes and
dreams to the planning board. Help us to understand what Framework, Server
and Tools you use. Give us feedback, how you have used the SocialSDK, what
worked well for you and where you struggled.
Let us also know, if you want to help
building the next version of the Social SDK
Have fun
Christian
OpenAPI Specifications for Freebusy and Calendar available on OpenNTF's Github account and SmartNSF Beta 2 released
The application development landscape of
today's world is completely upside-down. While in the past a platform has
to integrate all and should consume open standards, in today's world a
platform should be capable of being integrated everywhere and providing
open standards. This shift is a logical consequence of the new paradigms
of microservices and microservice-oriented architecture. While the previous
times an application development platform had to provide as many services
as possible to make the development easier, today's world is more pure
then ever! But what to do with existing platforms like IBM Domino? Are
all the services of IBM Domino only become obsolete because of a new development
paradigm?
IBM Domino: Rock-Solid, Low-TCO,
and Over 25 Years of Proven Capabilities
IBM Domino delivers a lot of strong
services, which are easy to consume if you use IBM Domino as a application
development platform. In the beginning, the services where only available
for IBM Notes applications, later via Java or COM API for other rich client
platforms. With XPages, IBM began to deliver an extended application development
experience, based on the at-the-time popular JSF Framework. XPages not
only used JSF, it extended it with a lot of brilliant concepts. Even in
today's microservice world, XPages is still one of the fastest and most
complete application development platforms and there are thousands of applications
developed by a huge community, running and bringing value to its users
and customers! But instead of feeling proud of the value that these applications
bring to their customers, for some different reasons a lot of developers
feel themselves unworthy and lousy developers.
... But back on track. IBM Domino is
still rock solid and, since FP8, has a recent Java runtime. Feature Pack
9 will bring Designer to the most recent Eclipse-based development platform.
But that's not all!!
REST APIs and SmartNSF
To make IBM Domino even more valuable,
IBM is providing for the standard services of IBM Domino existing and newly-designed
REST APIs. The following services are for the first phase in focus:
- Data Service
- Calendar Service
- Freebusy Service
- Mail Service
But there are more under discussion,
like Directory Service, Configuration Service, and others.
But only providing this service is
20% of the work for success. To support the adoption and usage of these
services, IBM's Dave Delay has shared a set of OpenAPI Specification based
files for freebusy
and calendar on OpenNTF's Github Repository. The OpenAPI Specification
is today's standard for documenting REST APIs, and the tooling at swagger.io
leverages the OpenAPI Specification to generate source code for the server
implementation and, even more importantly, the client code to consume and
test the REST API.
Complete the Story with SmartNSF
Millions of IBM Notes Applications are
still out there, providing value to their customers and covering valuable
business needs. What to do with these applications? There are several proven
approaches to modernize such an application. Starting with building XPages
Applications, using frameworks like Aveedo, Darwino, or Sapho, or exposing
the business logic via a REST API. And, to be honest, since version 5 it
is possible to write REST APIs based on LotusScript agents, the Extension
Library provides a proven REST Service Component, ODA has a REST service
framework, and the XPages Toolkit provides a mechanism as well. So why
write another REST API Framework (other than "because it's fun")?
SmartNSF has a single purpose: inspired
by Node.js, it lets you define a full REST API with a single file. It protects
your business logic and lets you intercept the REST service calls with
defined events. SmartNSF is designed for low- and medium-complexity IBM
Notes applications and targets the existing Notes/Domino developer. You
will be surprised about the simplicity of the approach, so give it a shot!
We (Martin Jinoch and I) have released Beta
2 and are working on Beta 3. Our target is to deliver Release
1.0 at Engage.UG. Release 1.0 should contain the capability to export the
REST API as OpenAPI Specifications and will also contain a wizard to generate
the REST API.
I hope you now have an first impression
and you can understand why REST services are so important. Again (and yes
it's a repetition), today's application development platforms no longer
have to integrate as much as possible: instead, they have to be ready to
be integrated everywhere.
The winners of the IBM & OpenNTF Hackathon 2017 @IBM Connect
Thanks Alan Hamilton for producing and
sharing this:
Hackathon 2017 - A Unique Opportunity
Dear friends,
In only 2 weeks, we will do something
that I was afraid to even dream of. After holding the ICS Developer Competition
in 2016, we will hold the IBM and OpenNTF Hackathon @ IBM Connect 2017.
Two weeks before the Hackathon, we have already achieved all of our targets:
the type audience that we are and also the target numbers - 50 attendees
two weeks before was our vision. We have nine really attractive projects
with great project leaders (yes, they are really great!). We have a never
before seen mix of customers, partner, students, IBM Champions, and IBMers
like this.
If you are not registered but are going
to IBM Connect 2017, this is your last call! Register and join
the party.
This will be a huge amount of fun. I'm
looking forward to Monday, February 20 to kick this off!
All the best,
Christian
Project Spotlight: HR Assistant
Last year OpenNTF jointly hosted an ICS
development contest with IBM with a difference: there had to be a team
involved. The winners were Frank van der Linden and Frederic Dehedin. The
application covered a variety of technologies, including Bluemix, Cloudant,
and Watson. It also used the Jackson JSON Mapper Frank also submitted to
OpenNTF and which has been covered on this blog before. As well as being
a competition winner, the project is of particular interest because it
goes beyond the technologies typical of many OpenNTF projects. So much
so that a session covering the application has been accepted not only for
IBM Connect but also IBM InterConnect, as Frank covers in the post he has
kindly penned below.
Introduction
The Job of a Human Resources
Employee is hard work, especially when it comes to handle hundreds or thousands
of Job Applications. Often, the Cover Letters are coming in unstructured
formats.. Keeping these data in order and prioritize interesting job applications
can be difficult.
The details
HR Assistant is an XPages
application running on Bluemix and is leveraging IBM Watson services which
are helping:
- Using the Tone Analyzer
to get the emotions of the cover letter and job descriptions.
- Using Personality Insights
to get more insights of the applicant
- Using Alchemy Language
to get the keywords used in the text in jobs and job applications.
We have decided not to
store the data the traditional way in a Notes database, but in IBM Cloudant
datastore.
The main reason to use
Cloudant was to experience a new NoSQL data store. In the end it was a
good decision, because the returned data of the IBM Watson service where
pretty big, and with Cloudant we where not hitting any limitations.
More details about the
application, see the blog of Frederic
and me
http://elstarit.nl/2016/09/19/winner-hr-assistant/
http://www.fdehedin.ch/637/winning-the-ibm-collaboration-solutions-developer-competition-2016
The heavy lifting
The application make use
of 2 external OSGi plugins to do the heavy lifting of JSON Conversion and
connection with Cloudant.
The OSGi plugins, including
the update sites can be found in the Bitbucket repositories.
Cloudant connector - https://bitbucket.org/flinden68/cloudant-connector
Jackson Mapper plugin
- https://bitbucket.org/flinden68/jackson-json-mapper-plugin
Learn more
At IBM
Connect, Thursday
23rd February 8 AM in San Francisco and at IBM
InterConnect,
22nd March 2 PM in LasVegas I will present a session about this application.
In this session I will give more details about how we integrated the IBM
Watson services and store it in IBM Cloudant and the lessons learned.
Links
The Application is available
here: https://hrassistant.eu-gb.mybluemix.net/
And the source code is
available on Github: https://github.com/flinden68/HR-Assistant |
Learn, Share and, Collaborate - The Monday Before IBM Connect is YOUR Day
Lotusphere/IBM Connect/IBM ConnectED
have always been great events and it's absolutely natural to expect the
same for this year's edition. A glance through the session list shows that
the conference should meet that expectation.
But for me, as a developer, there
was always something missing at these events: the hands on experience.
Yes, there where labs (which I enjoy), but try to do something cool and
crazy. Work together with other developer and do something special. There
was no time - too many good sessions, too many good opportunities to talk
with friends, customers, experts, and executives.
This year, IBM and OpenNTF have joined
together to something special. We will hold a Hackathon on Monday,
the day before IBM Connect. 10 Teams, each with 10 people, 10 hours (that
was the vision). And each team solves an individual project, lead by Project
Leader from the community. All teams should be staffed with people from
the community, local students, and IBMers.
Our target is to break boundaries and
integrate cognitive into all kinds of applications. It starts with giving
Domino Domain Monitor the capability to send messages to Twitter (and maybe
also direct to Watson Workspaces?); we will extend IBM Verse; we will use
IBM Watson Work Services to analyze emails that are processed in a service
desk; and we will customize IBM Connections Cloud.
This day will become the day where your
hunger for new and exiting stuff is satisfied!
Do we have prizes for the winners and
runners up? Yes, care of OpenNTF:
$1000 for the winner
$500 for the first runner up
$250 for the second runner up
Already registered for IBM Connect?
Extend your stay and sign up
for the Hackathon 2017.
While we are celebrating 15 Years of OpenNTF - Another era has come to a well deserved end!
15 Years old! Founded as Notes Open Source
Software and renamed to OpenNTF, OpenNTF.org has become 15 years old. I
think the founders of OpenNTF - Bruce Elgort and Nathan T. Freeman, and
also Vince Shuurman who was involved in the early years of OpenNTF - did
not imagine how important OpenNTF would become after all these years. OpenNTF,
the home of the Extension Library, the home of over 850 projects, and the
place where IBM ICS learned how to reintegrate open source code in to a
core product. While people with a strong charisma like Bruce have made
OpenNTF popular and advocates like Niklas Heidloff have demonstrated the
enormous value and power of Open Source and OpenNTF, there was another
man involved in the success of OpenNTF like no other.
The formal title was IP Manager,
but Peter Tanner was more. He was the conscience of OpenNTF. He
gave OpenNTF everything that an open source community needs. His knowledge
about intellectual property rights, licences, and how to build an organisation
that has clear processes on how to publish software is more valuable than
gold. But now the time has come for his second retirement. We had the pleasure
and also the financial power to hire the services of Peter for one last
year, but this year ends now. He will pass his duty to a young brilliant
mind with the name Jesse Gallagher and we wish Jesse all the best for this
important position.
And Peter, I want to thank you personally
for all the time you spent on OpenNTF, for all the work and discussions
we had together, and for introducing the idea of open source to me and
connecting me to the big world of open source community. Yes, we will miss
you, for sure, but all good things comes to a end, and I wish you all the
best in your second retirement. Enjoy travelling around the world!
Christian
OpenNTF Chairman
Contributor Elections
The OpenNTF Contributor election
results are in - and the winners are:
Padraic Edwards, Fredrik Norling and Johnny Oldenburger.
Congratulations to all the candidates. It was a good race, and we
appreciate the involvement of all those who participated, whether by running
or voting.
2016 OpenNTF Board Elections Update - Contributor Vote Required
The 2016 OpenNTF nominations are closed.
Contributor Directors (elected for one year - 4 nominees for 3 positions):
Padraic Edwards
Patrick Kwinten
Fredrik Norling
Johnny Oldenburger
So - a ballot has been sent to all active registered Contributors. If you
have not received an email and are a contributor, please send your votes
anyway to ip-manager at openntf.org.
Member Directors - all elected for two years (by acclamation):
Serdar Basegmez, Developi Information Systems
Adam Foster, Oval
Jesse Gallagher, I Know Some Guys
Christian Güdemann, Webgate
Douglas Robinson, Prominic
In addition, the following Member Directors still have one year remaining
in their terms:
Oliver Busse - We4IT
Martin Donnelly - IBM
Nathan Freeman - Red Pill Development
Paul Withers - Intec Systems Ltd
The Board would like to thank all those who have presented themselves as
candidates this year.
OpenNTF Board of Directors - Nominations Still Open Through September 16
The call for nominations for OpenNTF's
Board of Directors is still open until September 16. Anyone who would like
to stand should submit their names, the type of post for which they wish
to stand and a candidate statement to ip-manager at openntf.org. There
are a number of initiatives already happening behind the scenes, so this
is an exciting year to be involved with OpenNTF.
Employees of member organizations may stand as a Member Director – with
a two-year term. There are five such board positions open for election.
Contributors may stand as a Contributor Director – with a one year term.
There are three such board positions open for election.
The terms of five Member Directors expire this October, Members whose
terms expire this year may, of course, run again for another two year term.
They include:
Serdar Basegmez
Jesse Gallagher
Christian Guedemann
Martin Rolph
Justin Hill
The terms of the three Contributor Directors expire this year. Again,
they have the option of running again. They include:
Padraic Edwards
Adam Foster
Fredrik Norling
Election schedule:
Nominations open until September 16.
Circulation of Candidate Statements September 16
Voting online from September 16 to 23rd
The winners take office on Oct 13.