Genii Weblog

Should we have a Midas for Java?

Sat 2 Aug 2003, 09:57 PM



by Ben Langhinrichs
I was reading Joe Litton's post entitled Notes/Domino developers: it IS time to learn Java, and I thought maybe it ws time to re-introduce the concept of Midas for Java.  I have raised this flag in the past, as many as four years ago, but nobody saluted then.  Now is your chance again.  Would you like to see a Midas for Java, basically as a fully compatible Java version of the Midas Rich Text LSX?  Same chunk definitions, same flexibility, almost identical naming (you would need get/set pairs for "properties", and that sort of thing)?  It wouldn't even be that difficult, except for the QA and inevitable documentation issues, but I'd want to see some interest before going forward.  Speak up now, or don't complain later that we weren't listening!

Copyright © 2003 Genii Software Ltd.

What has been said:


32.1. Joe Litton
(08/02/2003 09:27 PM)

Midas tools being ported for Java would be very cool. How many folks have posted questions on Developer Domain and elsewhere asking how to send html mail or how to programmatically create tables? Midas addressed that for LotusScript. Now that Domino developers are learning Java, it would be wonderful to be able to do all this staying in Java. I could see maybe a Java agent searching the web for news stories about, say, a company's competition, then creating an attractive newletter for management, placing the story links in a table, and maybe including a logo graphic in the email. Try doing that using the richtext methods exposed to Domino Java programmers today!


32.2. Tom Duff
(08/03/2003 08:31 AM)

I would agree with Joe (have to watch his back!). There's always the aspect of writing Domino Java agents and being able to use Midas for additional functionality. There's also the possibility of writing standalone (or portal?) code that calls Domino objects, and being able to use the Midas package to do the cool things outside of Domino that LS will do to RT inside of Java.

That also seems in keeping with IBM's direction of exposing the components of Domino via open-source technologies and having the software tied less to the specific client...

I'd say go for it!


32.3. Ben Poole
(08/03/2003 02:56 PM)

Sounds like a splendid idea Ben. Having a Java "API" for Midas seems to be the logical way forward, no question.


32.4. Ben Langhinrichs
(08/04/2003 06:14 AM)

Well, so far the ayes have it. Anybody else want to jump in?

Joe, Tom and Ben: Thanks for the input. I'll let you know what happens.


32.5. Henning
(08/06/2003 03:05 PM)

Hi Ben,

I do not use Genii products yet :o( so I might not be that competent but I am not sure if there is a need to hurry. With the DB/2 option changes might come to the handling of Rich Text. I do not know but I do not think that I would make an investment now not knowing what comes with Domino 7.

Cheers

Heini


32.6. Keith Nolen
(08/08/2003 08:35 AM)

I think a Java API version of Midas is a great idea, for all of the reasons stated above.