Wanted to get your hands dirty with IBM Connections but didn’t have an environment to play with or have the time to install it or have access to the software?

Here is a real opportunity for you: Try building something on Connections for the latest OpenNTF sponsored by hedersoft!

“Yeah right!” you say?

Well Niklas Heidloff has provided a complete Connections and Domino environment within the IBM SmartCloud that you can use to develop your contest entry!  You just need to contact him to get going. You can learn all about using the image on his awesome YouTube video.

In addition to the Connections contest category, the OpenNTF contest includes an Open Category for submitting XPage applications, custom controls or OSGI plugins.

There is so much activity on OpenNTF and within the IBM XPages and Connections spaces these days that I find it difficult to keep up with it all.  Perhaps you feel that way as well.  As a suggestion, add a calendar reminder once a week to spend 15 minutes browsing OpenNTF.  With projects, XSnippets, contests, etc. there is always something new to see there and pretty much all of the “top minds” are contributing code.  There will be something you will find useful and even after a few weeks if you feel like you’ve seen it all then at least you will have a good feel for the pulse of the community.

Big shout out to Bruce Elgort and the rest of the OpenNTF Board!  It’s great and getting better all the time!