After a few minutes, with the 192 MB DMG file downloaded (available online after registration), I ran the installer for Notes 8.5 beta for Mac OS X.
Installation proceeded impressively fast, with the installed client weighing in at just under 80 MB. This hefty client is the first one I’ve used that’s apparently based on the Eclipse Rich Client Platform (E-RCP).
AsideThis was not my first exposure to the impressive E-RCP. While I was working for Scali, a major release of Scali Manage made use of the E-RCP. (Scali Manage was subsequently acquired by Platform Computing - another former employer of mine. Small world!)
On launching the 8.5 client for the first time my configuration specifics were rapidly acquired, and I was using the client in short order. Nice.
FTR, my previous experience with Notes clients has been with versions 6.5 through 7.3. I’ve used the Notes client on both Mac and Windows platforms.
The Notes 8.5 beta looks like the previous versions I’ve become accustomed to.
However, it feels different.
There are subtle differences whose overall impact are very welcome. For example:
- Responsiveness – I find the 8.5 beta much more responsive than previous Notes clients I’ve worked with. And since my interaction over the past 48 hours has been via wireless laptop to my broadband connection at home, I’m expecting even better results when I am hard-wired to the University’s network from my office. This is a huge win that I’m very pleased with. This comment applies to all interactions – from message composition to searches to address completion.
- Interactive spell-check – As you type, misspellings are underlined with a wavy red line. You don’t need to instantiate the spell checker separately. I expect this improvement rides completely on the heels of the E-RCP. I expect there are additional features/functionalities of this sort that I’ll discover over time.
- Look – Other than updated icons, the interface looks the same. Although there’s value in preserving the legacy experience from a look perspective, I wouldn’t have been disappointed by the UI receiving a major facelift. And all of this leads me to conclude that this is primarily a feature/functionality-neutral port of the Notes client to the E-RCP. In other words, there are minimal feature/functionality improvements – except those I’ve already identified above. While that’s OK for now, it won’t satisfy me moving forward. Presumably, however, that’s one of the reasons IBM adopted E-RCP, as it frees them from their legacy implementation, and provides a much broader/deeper and modern spectrum of possibilities moving forward.
The upshot? The Notes 8.5 beta for Mac OS X looks the same but feels better. And that’s worth blogging about!
