Keep on Learning

The following eBooks about key IBM Products are available at a 50% discount for the next two weeks, ending April 17.  For all the details, click here.  Note that the discount is automatic on these selected eBooks:

WebSphere Application Server 7.0 Administration Guide

Manage and administer your WebSphere application server to create a reliable, secure, and scalable environment for running your applications

Application Development for IBM WebSphere Process Server 7 and Enterprise Service Bus 7

Build SOA-based flexible, economical, and efficient applications

IBM Cognos 8 Planning

Engineer a clear-cut strategy for achieving best-in-class results

IBM Lotus Notes and Domino 8.5.1

Upgrade your system and embrace the exciting new features of the Lotus Notes and Domino 8.5.1 platform

IBM WebSphere eXtreme Scale 6

Build scalable, high-performance software with IBM's data grid

IBM InfoSphere Replication Server and Data Event Publisher

Design, implement, and monitor a successful Q replication and Event Publishing project

This book was recently published by Packt Publishing:

IBM Lotus Sametime 8 Essentials

A User’s Guide

Mastering Online Enterprise Cmmunicaton with this collaborative software

by Marie Scott and Thomas Duff

If you work for IBM, you know and love Sametime as much as I do.  For those who don’t work for IBM and don’t use Lotus Notes as their mail server, Sametime is similar to MSN, except it is much more.  I personally can’t imagine doing my job without this amazing tool!

Should you read this book?  According to the back cover, this book was written for:

If you want to learn how to use IBM Lotus Sametime, then this book is for you.  No matter if you’re new to Sametime or want to become a Sametime “power User”, this book contains something for you.  The focus is on using Sametime as a user and does not include information about development or administration of a Sametime environment.  But any user of Sametime in an organization will be able to take this book, sit down at their computer and learn how to use each feature of Sametime from start to finish.

From this description I think that anyone new to a Lotus Sametime environment would greatly benefit from reading this book.  For those who already heavily use this tool, we’ll be able to enhance our skills and become more productive.  For those who do not yet use Lotus products in your business, you’ll learn what power you’re missing!

I plan to read the book and hope to get tips on power functions such as:

* How to configure preferences.  I’ve already been using the Primary Contacts feature and the Feed feature. 

* How to customize Sametime instant messages with emoticons, text styles, graphics, attachments and hyperlinks.   I’m using some of these already, but not all.

* Tips for adding voice and video to chats or meetings.  This I don’t know about yet and it looks to have major promise.

* How to create and manage online meeting rooms to bring together everyone who needs to be at a specific meeting.  I’ve been using online meeting rooms but need to know more about the features that available.

* Get tips on how to improve my usage. 

* Connect to other users outside of our organization.  This one has real potential.  Right now I connect to some people via gtalk and others via MSN.  Would be good to put all my business contacts in one place.

NOVEMBER is IBM Month at Packt Publishers. Save on this book or ebooks and more!