More seriously, this session provides an opportunity for the attendees to make issues known to Lotus, and ask for Things To Be Done. DXL round-tripping was the big one here, and Brent Peters, VP Development, said that message was heard, loud and clear.

Another question was asked about extending calendar federation, and the answer was that Notes 8.5 calendar federation would extend to include Quickr place team calendars at some point in the not too distant future. Now my question: What's the likelihood that calendar federation will extend to mail federation at some point in the future - allowing you to get team and personal mail operations coming together in one virtual inbox, at last?

Social and community events
Just as valuable as the formal sessions and labs are the organised, and sometimes rather disorganised, social and community events. After all, Lotusphere is about collaborative software, and so there must be an expectation that people will collaborate too, beer optional.

Lotusphere proper, the organized Lotusphere, kicks off with the Sunday night reception around the Dolphin pool area, after Business Development Day for Business Partners, or the Jumpstart sessions for everyone to dip in to.

But for an increasing number, now, 'Sphere starts on Saturday afternoon with the Bloggers (and friends, which is anyone attending Lotusphere who comes along). Dinner session was at the River Run brewery on the Boardwalk. This year saw Ed Brill being nominated by PlanetLotus voters as their blogger of the year.

Saturday then morphs into the Turtle Party at the ESPN bar further along the boardwalk. Sunday evening has the official Welcome party. Monday evening sees Jamfest in the Boardwalk's Atlantic Dancehall - where anyone with any musical talent can go along and play rock music for the assembled masses to try to dance to.

Tuesday night sees innumerable parties being organised, and it's really a mark of any Lotusphere attendee to both try and succeed in getting into at least one of these, or instead, opting to go out to dinner with old, and hopefully also new, friends.

Wednesday night has the organized theme-park party, and this year we were at Universal Studios: cold, but at least for once it didn't rain, and a happy evening was had by all.

After many of these sessions, it's been known for people to congregate at various of the bars in and around their hotels and continue the party until the small, or even not so small hours. Kimonos, the Japanese Karaoke bar in the Swan, is one favourite, and each evening was packed with attendees showing off their singing skills - including Bob Picciano himself - and all being warmly applauded.

This year there was a new event, in a new session track. One of the Legends of Lotusphere, the Turtle, he of the Unofficial Gonzo Lotusphere site, and otherwise sometimes known as Scott Wenzel, had a session all on its own, Sunday evening.

The Turtle's Guide to Lotusphere was intended as a light-hearted look at the 'Sphere, especially for first-timers (of whom there were a good number this year). This took place on Sunday evening just as the poolside Welcome party was starting. This session was packed, and showed that a good session can indeed keep Sphere attendees away from free beer.