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Why we should all learn to use Puakma

To round off a week of talking about Linux and Puakma I thought I'd share a thought of mine with you all.

All Domino developers should download, install and play with Puakma. Why? Not because I think it's a "Domino killer" or that you're likely to improve either your resumé or your job prospects to a great degree. Instead, I think there's another better reason to learn Puakma. Because it introduces two very important technologies. Java and SQL. Why are they important? Because, whether you like it or not, WebSphere Application Studio and DB2 may play a large part in your future. Together, they require a working knowledge of these two languages. Languages that the average Domino developer can spend their whole career never having cause to use.

Obviously, there are other ways to learn them. You could go on a WebSphere course, if your company want to pay for it. If not you could be brave and try and work out how on earth you get your hands on a copy and install it all. However you do it you want it to be as easy a transition as possible. That's where Puakma comes in. It was written from the off by a disgruntled Domino developer. As such, its workings are very similar to that of Domino. Any Domino developer can get to grips with it easily. All the design concepts should be familiar to us all. That's why I am enjoying using Puakma. Not just because I am getting paid to do the work but because I know it's in my interests in the long-run. MySQL is improving by the day, as is my Java....

Comments

  1. Just out of interest, you can download a trial version of WebSphere Application Server at {Link}

    This includes 60 days of support. Not sure how long the trial lasts, it doesn't say.

    Also, as far as I have seen, Postgres is much closer to DB2 in terms of functionality and SQL syntax than MySQL is. I was caught out with things like "auto_increment", for example, when playing with Postgres. It is implemented totally differently and more like DB2. Basic SQL is however basic SQL.

    • avatar
    • tq
    • Fri 29 Aug 2003 07:15

    Marcin

    I normally check out the urls of people posting to Codestore. Interestingly, websense (used at the company I am consulting at) blocks your website with the following message:

    Access to this web page is restricted at this time.

    Reason: The Websense category "Sex" is filtered.

    URL: {Link}

    I am not sure whether you know this...

    • avatar
    • sujata
    • Fri 29 Aug 2003 08:15

    I disagree with Jake that we all should learn Puakma to move/learn WAS or other J2EE technologies since puakma is very similar to Domino. I think while learning J2EE one should keep aside Domino style of design/development.J2EE is much complex than Domino but it will be easier to learn if you don't compare it with Domino.

    Its my practicle experience...I am developing Domino App more than 6 years and Websphere Apps since last 2 years.

    You can easily get 60 day trail copy of WAS and WSAD or you can start with Tomcat or JRun and MySQL.

    • avatar
    • tq
    • Fri 29 Aug 2003 09:19

    Jake

    I guess the issue comes down to time and inclination. You say "Not just because I am getting paid to do the work..." - in many cases developers only learn technologies because they have to for some new project (i.e. they are being paid for it). There are very few who have the liberty to go off and play with a new tool or technology just to broaden their horizons/skill sets - or maybe there are and I just work for the wrong company :-)

    I am as interested in broadening my knowledge to become a bit more "future-proof", but sometimes it is a tricky thing to do (just ask the wife)

    tq

    • avatar
    • Jim G
    • Fri 29 Aug 2003 10:38

    tq - are you suggesting that the wife is "future-proof" ? Now there's a concept ....

  2. tq - they use WebSense where I work as well, and I noticed it was blocked when I tried to look at something one day. Interesting to see, but technically true, as it's just a little blog my friend and I post useless stuff to occasionally, some of it I suppose could be classified under "Sex". Something to remember when I get around to my plan of making junkheap a site where I can post about random technologies i'm researching instead :)

    • avatar
    • chandra
    • Sat 30 Aug 2003 00:21

    sujata,every one have their own style of learning.Most domino developers would find it easy to learn a language like java & make sense of it when they learn it in the context of domino.

    Then domino developers can slowly make the transition to the j2ee world.Thats the logic behind using servers like pukama.

    • avatar
    • John
    • Sat 30 Aug 2003 08:13

    Marcin,

    I think it may have something to do with the random text-line that appears inthe top right-hand corner of your site and changes everytime you refresh.

    Is this part of your design - or an unexpected addition !?

  3. I'm from Brazil and work with Domino for 5/6 years. I've downloaded and installed Puakma and get very excited about it. Despite the case that it's very similar to what we are used to work with (design elements, actions,...) what impressed me is its focus on to develop applications based on a RMDBS, to use Java and to be multi-platform and very cheap if compared to Websphere.

    But how is the product going in the real-life world? Does anybody have implemented some business solution based on Puakma? Are projects envolving it only a dream or not?

    Thanks and congratulations for the site.

    Regards,

    Guilherme.

    • avatar
    • Jake
    • Wed 9 Jul 2003 08:24

    Guilherme. Another convert?

    I am working on a project with Brendon for a real client. Hopefully this will lead to other more interesting oppurtunities... who knows....

  4. So is good to know the pioneers!

    Regards,

    Guilherme

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Written by Jake Howlett on Fri 29 Aug 2003

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