Disconnecting
IBM Connect (formerly Lotusphere) starts next weekend in sunny Orlando, Florida. This is a tech conference I’ve attended every January for nearly the last 20 years. I’ve attended as a developer, an admin, a speaker, the press, a blogger, and as a pointy haired boss.
This past week has been filled with throwback photo apps showing me pictures of this day and that day in history, and every one has been brimming with pictures of this awesome yearly pilgrimage. So many memories of really wonderful times.
This conference has meant an awful lot to me all these years. I’ve met people from all over the world whom I will consider friends for the rest of my life. I’ve been able to hire and work with people who were part of this community. I’ve experienced bachelor parties, and cigar meet ups, and random dinners with folks who happened to be in the same town as me at the same time. It’s a special thing, this community. And I’ve been thrilled to be such a part of it over the last 20 years.
So why am I not officially attending this year? Well it really comes down to the technology. We’re moving to Outlook and Office 365. We will also be replacing our HR and ERP systems, and with it, some of our Domino development. Quite frankly a lot of the choices make sense, and we’ll probably have a better environment because of it.
So as IBM Technologies are fading within my place of business, so too are any valid reasons for attending Connect.
Unless I have an abrupt career change (which I’m not anticipating) I will be starting a relatively new chapter in my technology career. It’s going to be weird, but the yellow bubble is like Hotel California. I can check out, but I can never leave.
Nor do I want to. I’ll still be on Twitter, Facebook, and here and I’m even taking a family vacation during Connect this year so I can stop by and see everyone. I would miss you all if I couldn’t.
So, since my time in the bubble is coming to an end, I figure I’ll lay this out there for posterity. It kinda seems like tooting my own horn, but it’s more for me to remember all the stuff I’ve accomplished with this technology. I loved this tech, and it is what gave me an IT career and for that I will be forever grateful.
- I started as a trainer, training 1700 users of a bank how to use Lotus Notes (version 3 to 4 I believe)
- I became an admin and help desk for those 1700 users, supporting the software for everyone.
- I became a consultant and was trained as a developer, and did work on Fortune 500 accounts
- That same consultant gig lead me to admin work for a tech services company
- So I was back to being an admin, and doing some dev work, and helping run an IT org
- Then I went to my current company as an admin of all the collaboration services
- 4 years later I took over as Manager of IT
- The next year I became Director of IT and have been doing that for the last 7 years
In the same time span
- I wrote professionally for Intranet Journal for 3.5 years on how to use Lotus technologies in your intranet.
- I was a board member of Granite, the Chicago Lotus user group
- I’ve blogged here about IBM/Lotus for over a decade
- I had a white paper I wrote given away by a vendor at their booth at Lotusphere
- I had a picture I took appear in every Lotusphere giveaway bag
- I’ve spoken at Lotusphere
- I’ve spoken at IBM Edge
- I’ve been the official photographer of IAMLUG
- I helped our company become a member sponsor of OpenNTF
- I’ve been a part of several official IBM whitepapers, including writing one with John Head
- I was one of the customer interviews for the worldwide webcast launch of Notes 9
- I’ve had the privilege of managing and being teammates with the absolute best private company group of X-Pages developers on the market.
And as much as I have championed the technology, I wasn’t a total fanboy. I made sure to use software that was always best for the job, not just because it had IBM branding. A look back through my blog will attest to that. Workplace Services Express is a very good example 🙂
That said, I owe IBM and Lotus an immense debt of gratitude. Those companies are really responsible for me having a career and two decades full of wonderful memories and friendships.
So thank you IBM, thank you Lotus, and thanks to all of you reading. I hope everyone really enjoys IBM Connect this year, and I hope it goes on for decades to come. It’s time for other people to enjoy the kind of things I have.
Anyway, I’ll still be around. Don’t be a stranger.
January 26, 2016 @ 3:56 pm
The good thing about friendships is that they don’t live in a bubble. Looking forward to catching up and planning a trip to Manny’s… 🙂
January 26, 2016 @ 7:16 pm
Exactly my friend. I agree, and look forward to giant mounds of corned beef in our future. 🙂
January 26, 2016 @ 4:51 pm
As much as I have enjoyed working with you professionally, both on the White Paper and as one of your service providers – and part of that dreaded WSE project – I call you friend first and foremost. I am glad no matter where the tech takes you, we will be friends reguardless. Good luck on that journey of change buddy – and excited to take some of the steps with you.
January 26, 2016 @ 7:17 pm
Thank you sir. No matter where things take me, we’ll always be friends man. And I’m glad we can still do business together as well. 🙂
January 26, 2016 @ 5:35 pm
did I read correctly that you are attending in an “unofficial” capacity? Great list of accomplishments.
January 26, 2016 @ 7:15 pm
Yup, my family and I will be vacationing in Orlando next week, so I’ll probably be out and about a couple of evenings. Looking forward to seeing everyone.
January 26, 2016 @ 7:22 pm
Just try to stay away. I dare you.
January 26, 2016 @ 8:02 pm
Lotus, IBM, Microsoft, Google whatever. It doesn’t matter because while our friendship might have begun because of the software we used, it certainly won’t end when it changes.
January 27, 2016 @ 2:38 pm
Like the end of St. Elmo’s fire. Always fun to see you and sorry I could not plan vacation next week as well. See you online.
January 29, 2016 @ 3:41 pm
I share your feelings John. Like you I will not be attending this year either. And probably for much the same reasons as you. IBM’s technology is becoming less and less relevant to what I/we do and it is difficult to justify the cost of attending. You have done a lot for this and other events over the years. Not just with your own contributions but also through the amazing team that you have built that have all become an integral (giving) part of the community. I admire that greatly and tried to duplicate that with my own company. I hope our journeys will allow us to enjoy a drink together at another event. Perhaps as part of another emerging community like the yellowverse.