Lotus notes?!

OH MY GOSH. WHAT THE HECK IS LOTUS NOTES? The email software by IBM? I thought it was made obsolete by Outlook Exchange? I never knew companies still used Lotus Notes as their email program until today. You can imagine my shock when I found out that I had to use Lotus Notes as my primary email app at work. It took a while for me to figure out some of the functions. The font for Lotus is HUGE and un-pretty. I can't minimise the preview window panel for emails because there is NO PREVIEW PANEL! I have to double click every time I want to open an email views its content! The font for the email titles is quite huge and I'm just not used to it lor. I find the programme to be very user-unfriendly! The main reply window doesn't even offer me the option to "reply all", I have to open the email, click reply then click on reply all. I figured most of the functions out myself because my "mentor" was VERY BUSY and sat really farrrr away. She gave me a "sample" by sending out the first email. I figured the rest myself. Got really confused initially because Lotus doesn't create "new email", it creates "new note" instead and so I was wondering if my mail even got sent or did I simply "create a note", like a reminder or something for myself. New note is correct. New note = new email. I hate the Lotus Address Book system. It's retarded. Honestly. It is DIFFICULT to find the relevant information for the person I have to email. With outlook, I can just double click the person's email and the info will pop up automatically, title, dept, everything. With Lotus, I have to manually check everything.

Anyway, I had to utilise the email app intensively...'cos I was sending reminder emails the entire day. It's scary but even before I stepped into office this morning, I already had 30+ emails waiting for me in my inbox. I also received one whole HUGE stack of declaration papers to sign (brought them home) and have to pop by a lawyer's firm to sign one of them soon.

My impression of French Bank? A lot of ang-mog pais. The big boss, boss, and even the secretary for the big boss have all shitty Mandarin conversational skill (in fact they hardly even speak Mandarin) and great command of the English language. Why am I surprised? That should be the norm for Compliance people right? I feel totally out-of-place 'cos my seat...oh man, I'm SURROUNDED by my bosses. They are ALL near me. IT'S SCARY. My computer screen is open for EVERYONE to view and my direct boss sits right behind me. I bet she can read like all my emails 'cos the email font is remarkedly huge and sadly, I don't think the font can be minimised (or I haven't figured out how to do that). Took a look at the computers used. Ageing systems. The mouse is pretty crappy. Japanese bank's computer software system is definitely superior. Before I left that place, they even upp-ed the computer RAM to 4GB. Their system runs on CORE2DUO and is blazing fast. The French bank's one is adequate. I don't care about the system actually, as long it doesn't hang on me, I'm happy. :) I have to say that the security system in French Bank is very tight. You have a password for like everything and even before surfing the internet, you have to verify your ID again. What's the difference between both places? Maybe a world of differences. If we're talking simply about "material comforts", Japanese bank wins hands down. The decor, the space, the building itself; everything is newer, better, more aesthetically-pleasing. But if we're talking about other things...well, French could be better. & ultimately, the "material comforts" aren't most important. There is much I have to learn. :)

Ate lunch with 2 colleagues. One's leaving in 2 weeks. Another is my "mentor" teaching me stuff. Fine people. :)

Yeah I can't continue with this entry 'cos I have to read up on some MAS regulations and sign my declaration forms now.

STRESSED!!!!

GODDDDDD HELPPPP MEEEEE