Carl Tyler's Blog :: Bugger, it looks like Volker is spot on

Volker posted a comment about the Lotus Redbook center getting closed, he'd written about it before which lead to my plea. Surely if fans can convince FOX to bring back Family Guy we can convince IBM the importance of these redbooks.

My concern is not so much the actual closing of the office (hell they're probably the only people that still attend the office in Rogers street full time), my concern is that these folks will be "re-deployed" some where else within IBM and you'll no longer have folks pushing the creation of Redbooks on former Lotus technologies.

Yesterday I had a great briefing with IBM on the future of the Sametime Connect client, and I came away thinking fantastic these folks are starting to get it (a little late maybe), but yes they are getting it! All through the presentation I was thinking wow this thing is going to need a redbook with some cool examples so partners and customers can really benefit from what will be possible. Now I wonder who will be pushing for it.

Redbooks help sales, can't people see that? Let your voice be heard, put a comment in response to this posting saying you support Lotus Redbooks, if you want post the following logo on your blog...

Comments

1 - I fully support keeping Red Books alive...they are invaluable.

Posted by Frank De Sa At 06:49:36 AM On 07/21/2005 | - Website - |

2 - This would be a huge loss. We use Redbooks very very often.

Keep the redbooks alive!!!

Posted by Carsten Winter At 02:23:00 AM On 07/26/2005 | - Website - |

3 - I'll be honest here, I've never read one...

Posted by Ben Rose At 01:57:09 AM On 07/28/2005 | - Website - |

4 - SAVE RED BOOKS. SAVE RED BOOKS. SAVE RED BOOKS. SAVE RED BOOKS. SAVE RED BOOKS. SAVE RED BOOKS. SAVE RED BOOKS. SAVE RED BOOKS. SAVE RED BOOKS. SAVE RED BOOKS. SAVE RED BOOKS.
...please.

Posted by Anthony Pope At 12:07:56 PM On 07/25/2005 | - Website - |

5 - Count me in as one who wants the Redbooks to continue. I use them for EVERYthing... Without them I would have never done half the stuff I have today. Quite literally.

[sigh]

C'mon Lotus, don't do this to us.

Take Care,
Grey

Posted by Greyhawk68 At 12:38:39 PM On 07/20/2005 | - Website - |

6 - We must have redbooks - they are the only resource about Lotus Notes and other IBM technologies

Posted by Martin At 10:50:30 AM On 07/21/2005 | - Website - |

7 - This would be a huge loss. Let's hope it's just a reorganisation, and we will continue to see Lotus Redbooks in the future!

Posted by Gerco Wolfswinkel At 02:55:44 PM On 07/20/2005 | - Website - |

8 - Has there been any word as to why? Too expensive, too much work, too many parties by the participants.

Long live redbooks.

Posted by Eric Parsons At 05:13:56 PM On 07/23/2005 | - Website - |

9 - Carl,

Couldn't agree more, I even buy them if I find them really useful!!

It's one thing that IBM do really well across all their technologies making them accessible to mere mortals.

Cheers for bringing it to our attention.

JB

Posted by John Baxter At 03:38:56 PM On 07/20/2005 | - Website - |

10 - Does this mean no more redbooks? I sure hope not!

Posted by Norman Sprunger At 11:58:24 AM On 07/20/2005 | - Website - |

11 - We use Redbooks ALL THE TIME here for dev and admin reference. I can't count how many Redbooks we've printed out as well! Heck, looking at my bookshelf here, I probably need to get rid of the "Implementing R5 on AS/400" Redbook and some others...

Posted by Chris Whisonant At 07:39:31 AM On 07/21/2005 | - Website - |

12 - As a customer, Im Upset!!!
Why hasnt IBM shown me what they are doing with the client...or even asked me?
Just curious

Posted by Paul B At 01:44:19 AM On 07/21/2005 | - Website - |

13 - Long live Redbooks!

Posted by Tim Latta At 01:39:54 PM On 07/21/2005 | - Website - |

14 - keep the redbooks alive!

Posted by Marius Meyer At 09:20:43 AM On 07/22/2005 | - Website - |

15 - Oh yes, redbooks are really very, very important for our business and helps customers understand the technology. For example, people upgrading from previous versions to ND6 are given the advise from many professionals, to get the appropriate Redbook. Same for people migrating from Win-Servers to Linux Servers, so please keep up the redbooks - please.

Posted by Jens-B. Augustiny At 11:19:39 PM On 07/20/2005 | - Website - |

16 - Carl, completely agree. This is a crazy decision, and one that will only have a negative impact on the Lotus community.

Therefore, I have taken the step of creating an online petition requesting signatures to the following text:

"We believe that ITSO Redbooks are an essential aid to the Lotus and Websphere Portal community, that more Lotus Redbooks are required for new products such as Notes/Domino8 Quickr and Connections, and that they should continue to be published in the future."

If you anyone wishes to sign the petition it can be found at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/lotusredbooks - if you agree with the statement please sign the petition and publicise this as much as possible via your blogs, online communities and personal relationships.

There must be a way to get the WPLC/Lotus management to reconsider this decision, might this be it? Thanks, Stuart

Posted by Stuart McIntyre At 04:08:02 PM On 09/22/2007 | - Website - |