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What is Lotus Notes? How IT becomes legacy

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing December 3, 2018July 21, 2025

Lotus Notes and Lotus Domino were a juggernaut in mid-1990s IT. Some people loved it. Most people put up with it. And then people quit talking about it and thinking about it, even though almost every large organization still has Notes running somewhere. But what is Lotus Notes, and why did it fade from consciousness?

Lotus Notes was a popular software platform for e-mail, calendaring and collaboration in the 1990s. It was programmable and extensible, so many Notes shops created custom applications with it that became business critical. IBM bought it in 1995 for $3.5 billion, but couldn’t keep up with Microsoft’s marketing and the ecosystem that built up around it so it lost market share to Exchange. IBM sold Notes and Domino, its server component, in 2018 to Indian firm HCL for $1.8 billion.

Ives trains

Dave Farquhar Toy trains November 30, 2018September 8, 2022

The largest maker of toy trains in the United States in the early 20th century was Ives, an old-line toy company headquartered in Bridgeport, Conn. Ives trains retained a following long after the company who made them went bankrupt. MTH produces reproduction Ives electric trains even today.

OS/2 Warp: A tribute

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing November 29, 2018December 18, 2024

OS/2 Warp was my operating system of choice for most of the 1990s. It never achieved mass appeal, and I think I know why. But I still liked it anyway. Here’s a look at its advantages and disadvantages.

How does Roku make money?

Dave Farquhar Video November 28, 2018December 6, 2018

Roku sells streaming devices that plug into your TV. It doesn’t charge a subscription beyond what the streaming providers charge, and the devices aren’t all that expensive. So how does Roku make money? Let’s take a look.

Roku, it turns out, has several revenue streams it’s able to tap. As more and more people seek alternatives to pay TV, it’s likely to grow.

Commodore 64 clones

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing November 26, 2018June 24, 2024

The subject of clones was always controversial in Commodore circles, even during Commodore’s heyday. There were no true Commodore 64 clones in the 1980s and 1990s. Why? And would it have made a difference?

Snagit alternative

Dave Farquhar Windows November 26, 2018November 12, 2018

I don’t do as many screen captures as I used to, but when I need to do a screen capture, I need to do one badly. Snagit is the most common program for this, but its cost can be hard to justify. What’s better than a Snagit alternative? How about a Snagit free alternative?

I’ve got you covered.

Dollar store Christmas village scale

Dave Farquhar Model Building November 23, 2018September 16, 2023

Dollar Tree stores sell a Christmas village they call Windham Heights by Cobblestone Corners. This village is very inexpensive and its low cost made it popular. If you’re a Cobblestone Corners fan and wonder about scale so you can accessorize it, here’s what you need to know about dollar store Christmas village scale.

Dollar Tree Christmas village

Dave Farquhar Model Building November 22, 2018September 15, 2023

The Dollar Tree Christmas village is a nice alternative for people who find the big name brands too expensive or too large for their available space. You can also use it in conjunction with those other competitors. Here’s what you need to know.

Vinyl floor tiles separating

Dave Farquhar DIY November 20, 2018March 13, 2021

A common problem with peel and stick vinyl tiles is separating. If you experience vinyl floor tiles separating, here’s how to keep it from happening again. And you may be able to fix it. If you can still get tiles to match, you even have several options for fixing it, depending on what you’re comfortable with.

K-Line trains

Dave Farquhar Toy trains November 16, 2018February 8, 2022american flyer, kmart, lionel, lionel train, marx

K-Line was a manufacturer of O gauge electric trains and accessories from approximately 1980 to 2010. Its scrappy, value-oriented approach to the hobby endeared K-Line trains to many of its customers.

K-Line Electric Trains and Lionel tended to target one another in their advertisements. They referred to one another as “Brand K” and “Brand L.” In 2005, the rivalry turned to litigation, which eventually resulted in K-Line admitting wrongdoing, going out of business, and Lionel licensing and selling products under the K-Line name from 2006 to 2010.