Migrating a Struts application to WebSphere Portal. Struts is one of the best-known open-source embodiments of the Model-View-Controller (MVC) framework. MVC provides a convenient way for modular applications to cleanly separate logic, presentation, and data. JavaServer Pages (JSP) typically plays the View role in the MVC framework, which generates a dynamic user interface based on business logic and data. Struts is very popular because it helps developers… [cmswire]
Month: April 2004
XML Forms and XML Editors
XML Forms and XML Editors. Quick thought. Where do XML-based eForms end and XML-based editors begin? There is clearly some overlap. Certain kinds of content entry are well served by electronic forms—we wouldn’t have built all of these industrial-strength Web sites if this weren’t true…. [Ideas in Technology and Publishing]
The State of the eForms Market
The State of the eForms Market. I gave my opening presentation at the Seybold eForms summit. It went well, though I have to admit to being a bit in awe of the audience, which included many of the real thinkers and doers in the XHTML and… [Ideas in Technology and Publishing]
XML and the Airlines
XML and the Airlines. I have a new article in Transform magazine about how Contintal Airlines has used XML and Web Services to automate some routine publishing and document review tasks. To quote briefly from the introduction: Aircraft maintenance is an especially content-centric process…. [Ideas in Technology and Publishing]
Jack of all trades, master of none
Jack of all trades, master of none.
E-mail is the jack of all trades, but the master of none. There are better ways to transfer files, hold discussions, deliver notifications, broadcast newsletters, schedule meetings, work collaboratively, and manage personal information. But even though e-mail isn’t the best tool for any of these tasks, it provides a single interface to all of them. Here’s a challenge: Let’s improve the various functions performed by e-mail without multiplying the interfaces people must learn in order to use those functions. [Full story at InfoWorld.com]
A favorite example of mine is RSS. It’s an inherently opt-in, spam-free channel of communication that can replace certain of email’s most broken functions: broadcast newsletters, notifications. But, as NewsGator shows us, RSS can still look and feel like email to the user. … [Jon’s Radio]
Open Text Releases Integrated Web Content Management Solution
Open Text Releases Integrated Web Content Management Solution. Open Text Corporation said it is launching a broad Web Content Management offering, along with IXOS Software and Gauss Interprise, to give customers a single platform to manage corporate websites, intranets and extranets. The solution, set for release in May, is integrated with Livelink, so customers can include Web content in their complete Enterprise Content Management (ECM) strategy. The Livelink Web Content Management Server solution combines Web Content Management products from IXOS and Gauss to provide a range of features, from out-of-the-box Web publishing to Java-based solutions customers can deploy for more sophisticated Web development requirements. Integration with Livelink brings Web Content Management together with team collaboration, document management, records management, process workflows and other ECM capabilities. Livelink Web Content Management Server can scale globally with or without an application server, and also offers tight integration with application servers, such as IBM WebSphere, BEA WebLogic and Oracle 9i. Open Text, IXOS and Gauss will also continue to support Web Content Management solutions offered to customers today, including Gauss VIP ContentManager, IXOS Suite for Content Management (formerly IXOS-Obtree C4), and Livelink for Web Publishing. www.opentext.com [Gilbane Report News]
Plumtree Launches Executive Dashboard Solution
Plumtree Launches Executive Dashboard Solution. Plumtree Software released a new services solution for building executive dashboards via the Plumtree Enterprise Web Suite. The services offering, called the Plumtree Executive Dashboard Solution, combines new integration products with a deployment methodology designed to deliver a dashboard application rapidly and at low cost. The typical application combines performance metrics with enterprise search, online collaboration and knowledge management, to give executives a way to respond to events as they emerge across the business. As part of the announcement, Plumtree is organizing its services group to support the development of service-oriented applications at customer sites, and forming a new dashboard solutions team. To support the offering, the dashboard solutions team has developed a new set of dashboard indicator portlets, which are designed to provide executive-level integration of data from many systems. The services offering is available for the Plumtree Corporate Portal 4.5, 4.5WS and 5.0. www.plumtree.com [Gilbane Report News]
After the CMS implementation project
After the CMS implementation project. The first of the two CM Briefings looks at what needs to occur after the CMS implementation project. To quote: Much effort is focused, on the selection and subsequent implementation of a content management system (CMS). While it is obviously… [Column Two]
Why content management fails
Why content management fails. Jeffrey Veen has written an article on why content management fails. To quote: To have any chance of success, a content management project must follow the same user-centered design practices as any other project. Task analysis, rapid prototyping, usability testing… [Column Two]
I agree with Veen on several points: user-centered design practices are important, you shouldn’t buy the vendor pitch without due diligence, and you certainly don’t want to radically change your processes or your toolsets to conform to IT or vendor requirements without good reason. The solution needs to fit the process and the user community.
However, Veen’s suggestion that a business should tell IT, “Here are our processes and our toolsets and those aren’t going to change,” (I am paraphrasing) seems too extreme. Sometimes, processes need to be streamlined. Toolsets are dated or are being used inappropriately. Overlapping toolsets waste financial and human resources and may need to be consolidated. During a content management rollout, there are numerous reasons why the business should keep an open mind with regard to potential process and technology change.
I’m noticing a theme with Adaptive Path. Generally speaking, they seem to be major advocates for the practical implementation of content management solutions, which I am totally on board with. But, in my opinion, encouraging a business unit to take a hardline stance against change is something that has the potential to create/reinforce the rift that is usually present between business units and a centralized IT organization.
Webcast: High Performance Portals
Webcast: High Performance Portals. If your organization has deployed a portal or is currently evaluating a portal strategy, this is a relevant event. [cmswire]
This event is tomorrow. Maybe they’ll do a re-play.