For example, let's say you want to create a publication job. Click on Create and select Publication. The Publication Wizard (shown in Figure C) opens.

FIGURE C


The Publication Wizard will help you create a publication job. Roll over picture for a larger image.

The first space to be filled in asks for the address of the partner to whom you want to send the publication. Egads! I forgot to add the profile! Now I'm sure that if I create enough of these jobs, I'll learn that I need to do things like creating profiles before I start. But, I need this right away, of course.

The developers at CASAHL Technology, Inc. have taken into account that we're not all perfect and that we don't always remember what components are needed for a job. Careful study of the screen reveals the button Create New Partner Profile. I click on it, and a new wizard pops up and leads me through the steps necessary to create a new partner profile. Unlike many programs I've used, I do not have to stop what I am doing, exit, create the needed piece, and start again. When I click OK, the profile is added to the Publish To: box.

This easy to use interface is constant throughout the application. On the next page I notice that a connection source is required. If (for some unthinkable reason) a new connection is needed, I can just click on the Create New Connection button, and a new wizard opens to guide me through the process of defining the connection. After clicking OK on the final screen, the new connection is added to list of connections and is available in the drop-down connection list.

Life outside Lotus Notes?
The more I explore ecKnowledge, the more I become aware of the powerful functionality of the application. ecKnowledge appears to be more than an application: it provides a vision of what is possible for collaborative applications. According to Mr. Wong, ecKnowledge was created for the many Domino customers who were ready for the next level of enterprise integration. Both the functionality and the connectivity of ecKnowledge exceed the capabilities of Replic-Action, and yet the very features of Replic-Action that made such a powerful and easy to use application are still apparent. The creation of inter-enterprise collaborative applications is fostered by the fact that ecKnowledge works in both a Notes environment and a non-Notes environment. The result is better communication within and between companies.

Yes, there is life outside of Notes.

Bain McKay is Executive Vice President and Chief Scientist of CIRI Lab Inc. where he and his research team build advanced Knowledge Management technology using the latest methods in Cognitive Science and computing technology. Bain can be reached at bmckay@cirilab.com or at http://www.cirilab.com.