Unfortunately, I see less opportunity. We are seeing businesses moving towards the e-business framework and pushing application delivery to the Web and mobile clients. This is requiring more commitment to scalable Web application platforms, such as IBM WebSphere. Domino applications are moving towards the niche of collaborative commerce and workflow solutions; they are moving towards becoming a component of e-business solutions rather than an enterprise solution in itself. As a result, we are seeing more dollars being spent away from Domino. The successful Lotus professional will expand into other e-business technologies, while maintaining a sharp edge with Lotus, becoming a key application integrator for their enterprise and customers.

Mark Hicks sees a brighter picture, "because no one is predicting any longer that Domino is going away." He added, "Two years ago there were doubts about Domino's position, and Microsoft appeared to be a more sure bet. But now that Domino has shown its lasting power, decision makers can confidently choose Domino for future projects."

Brad Cunningham, President, eBridge Technologies sees, "less opportunity for Lotus in the marketplace because clients are moving away from native Notes applications and most Lotus professionals do not possess the overall IT experience levels needed to be able to integrate XML, Java, and other ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems into their abilities. You must be able to utilize Domino as a tool in your overall development abilities, not as your only workplace." This comment again supports the idea that Java and XML would be good to add to your skill set.

The most encouraging words I heard came from Megan Hughes, Marketing Director for ComputerWorks, in Albany NY. Megan said, "Lotus is unmatched when it comes to security, and with the dissatisfaction surrounding Microsoft Office XP, I think the Lotus Domino professional is perfectly positioned to succeed in 2002." I hope Megan hit the nail on the head.

Recommendations
My recommendations for your New Year's resolutions are:

• Become a CLP for Collaborative Solutions;

• Become an expert on Sametime;

• Expand your knowledge of system security and server clustering if you're an administrator and Java and WebSphere if you're a developer;

Finally, be patient and hopeful. In the words of Terry Weaver, President of Metaprise Consulting, "Generally, 2002 will be a recovery year for all IT professionals. Let's hope it starts sooner, rather than later in the year."

Mick Moignard has been working and traveling with Lotus Notes since Release 2.0 in 1991. Mick is a DominoPower Senior Technical Editor and a Principal CLP with Unipart Expert Practices, a Lotus Advanced Partner in the UK. If you want to discuss anything to do with this article, or indeed anything else to do with Notes and Domino, contact Mick at Mick_Moignard@unipart.co.uk. Unipart Expert Practices will also happily discuss any opportunities you may have with any Notes and Domino application development or infrastructure projects you need help with. Unipart Expert Practices can be found at http://www.unipartep.com.