Windows Phone 7 Intro video

Windows Phone 7 Development links

I just followed a great TechDays Belgium session about Windows Phone 7 and I must say this definitely rocks …. and it is really easy to get started as all the necessary Windows Phone 7 developer tools can be downloaded from http://developer.windowsphone.com. There are basically 2 models for building applications for Windows Phone 7 – either using the XNA model or using the Silverlight model.

If you download the developer tools you will notice that they can be added to an existing Visual Studio 2010 installation or if you don’t have Visual Studio installed it will add Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone. The download also contains the Windows Phone Emulator as well as XNA Game Studio 4.0 – check out the Windows Phone 7 Training Kit on MSDN and the Windows Phone 7 Training Kit direct download.

Some interesting tidbits:

• Currently C# is the only supported programming language
• Windows Phone is cloud-ready – you might for example want to integrate XBox Live
• Windows Phone will only support 2 resolutions – 480x800 and 320x480
• Your windows phone is orientation aware - in Silverlight you will have explicit orientation events which you can use to manipulate the UI in your apps.
• Since the Windows Phone has a built-in accelerometer you will be able to program against it – using a standard API
• Windows Phone 7 supports multi-touch, again a new way to handle input both in XNA as well as Silverlight.
• Navigation uses pages

Related links:

• CTP release of the OData Client Library for Windows Phone 7 series
• Tips for using the OData Client Library for Windows Phone 7
• Charles Petzold’s  ‘Programming Windows Phone 7 Series’ (Book preview chapter) http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/C/8/7C820C6F-C205-4ECF-B9F3-1505DD13F9BF/ProgWinPhonePreview.pdf
• Charlie Kindel’s blog (PM on the Windows Phone team) -http://blogs.msdn.com/ckindel/
• Windows Phone blog -  http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windowsphone/
• Windows Phone Developer blog - http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/wpdev/

Expect more info to come in the next days ….

Technorati Tags: windowsphone7,phone7,microsoft,silverlight,xna,development

SharePoint Saturday Belgium – 8th of may 2010

BIWUG is organizing the first ever SharePoint Saturday in Belgium.

When: Saturday 8th May 2010

Where: Hof Ter Helst, Kattenbroek 1, 2650 Edegem

We will welcome you as of 9 o'clock for a coffee and sessions will start at 9:30.

9:30-9:45 Welcome and Introduction

9:45 - 10:30 Visual Studio 2010 Tools for SharePoint (Karine Bosch)

10:40 - 11:30 LINQ to SharePoint (Serge Luca)

11:40 - 12:30 Client Object Model (TBD)

12:30 - 13:40 Lunch break  with sandwiches and drinks

13:40 - 14:30 Sandboxed solutions (Steven Van De Craen) 

14:40 - 15:30 MetaData in SharePoint 2010 (Joris Poelmans)

15:40 - 16:30 SharePoint, WCF Services en REST (Stéphane Eyskens)

16:30 - Closing drink

Don't hesitate to register now as registrations are limitted to 100 participants.

We really hope to welcome you!

Don't forget to also take a look at the SharePoint Saturday Belgium event site...

 

Technorati Tags: sharepoint,sharepoint+saturday,biwug,community,sharepoint+2010,sps2010

Using MailServer for SharePoint 2010 development box

As you probably know SharePoint 2010 development is only possible on Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 (all 64 bit versions). I still prefer using Windows Server 2008 so I need POP3 mail server functionality to test e-mail integration and so on…  I have used the POP3 extender from Visendo in the past for this but it did not work quite as fluent as expected.

I just finished installing a new SPS 2010 dev box so I decided to use SmarterMail – for a walkthrough about how to configure SmarterMail check out Reza’s blog.

Technorati Tags: sharepoint,pop3,windows+server,w2008,development

Folksonomy and Taxonomy – do you have to choose?

With the introduction of SharePoint 2010 and the way that it supports free tagging (folksonomy) as well as a centrally managed controlled vocabulary (taxonomy) using the managed metadata column – the debate about taxonomy versus folksonomy will probably light up again. In my personal opinion – there is no need to choose between one of both. The way that SharePoint 2010 supports the notion of promoting free tags into a managed taxonomy demonstrates that a folksonomy can be used as a source to define a taxonomy as well.

Related links:

• Folksonomy versus Taxonomy
• Taxonomy driven folksonomy
• The holistic web – Taxonomy versus folksonomy
• Knowledge Management – Some thoughts on Folksonomy versus Taxonomy
• Ontology is overrated: Categories, Links and Tags
• About taxonomy, folksonomy and SharePoint
• Just enough taxonomy

Technorati Tags: sharepoint,sps2010,taxonomy,folksonomy,knowledge+management,microsoft,sharepoint+server+2010

SharePoint 2010 – launch May 12th, RTM in April

Just picked this up from the SharePoint team blog – SharePoint 2010 & Office 2010 Launch:

Today, we officially announced that May 12th, 2010, is the launch date for SharePoint 2010 & Office 2010. In addition, we announced our intent to RTM (Release to Manufacturing) this April 2010. 

It’s an exciting time for us! We hope you can virtually join us on May 12th at 11am EST to listen to Stephen Elop, President of the Microsoft Business Division, announce the launch. You can register for the event @ http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/businessproductivity/proof/pages/2010-launch-events.aspx. 

Arpan Shah
Director, SharePoint

Technorati Tags: sharepoint+2010,sps2010,sharepoint,launch

BIWUG on SharePoint 2010 revisited

I have just upload the presentations and the code sample from Stephane on SPLinq to the BIWUG site – if you want to see the sessions again – don’t forget to take a look at the BIWUG on SPS2010 recordings

Technorati Tags: biwug,community,sharepoint,sharepoint+2010

Your favourite feature in SharePoint 2010?

(Click the image to see it bigger)
I did a little survey as part of the contest to win a free TechDays ticket - with the question: What is your favourite feature in SharePoint 2010 - here are the results


So what's your favourite feature - leave a comment.

SharePoint 2010 - the enterprise managed metadata (EMM)service, enterprise content types and content type syndication

Did you ever try to deploy content types across multiple site collections in SharePoint Server 2007 and keep them in sync afterwards? If so, you probably now that this is not that easy – there is not standard support for this in 2007. Some of you will have tried the SharePoint cross-site configurator on Codeplex. Luckily this issue has been solved with SharePoint 2010 which has built in support for central management of content types from a master site collection and afterwards pushing out the changes to other site collections – this commonly referred to as content type syndication and the content types within the master site collection hub are called enterprise content types. Another great feature enabled by the Enterprise Managed Metadata (EMM) service application.

• SharePoint 2010: Content type hubs – publish and subscribe to content types
• SharePoint 2010 content type subscriptions
• How to publish and subscribe to content types in SharePoint
• The basics on content type syndication in SharePoint 2010
• Using Enterprise Content Types and Managed Taxonomies in SharePoint 2010

Technorati Tags: sharepoint,sharepoint+2010,sps2010,microsoft,content+types,managed+metadata+service,EMM

Taxonomy and the Managed Metadata service in SharePoint 2010 – great links

The managed metadata service in SharePoint 2010 provides a central store for keywords and a hierarchically organized metadata - think of lookup columns but then a lot better with hierarchy support and central management across site collections, web applications or even farms.  If you’re new to the concept of the managed metadata service, managed keywords and the managed metadata field I strongly suggest that you take a look at the following links:

• Stephen Cawood has some postings about how the new SharePoint 2010 managed metadata features works:
  • Introduction to SharePoint Managed Metadata – excellent introduction to why the Enterprise Metadata Management feature in SharePoint 2010 is so important and what you get out-of-the box.
  • Also check out SharePoint 2010 Taxonomy Hierarchy and using SharePoint Term stores
  • SharePoint managed metadata developer experience
• Some great stuff on Technet on Managed metadata planning in SharePoint 2010:
  • Plan managed metadata (SharePoint Server 2010)
  • Managed metadata overview (SharePoint Server 2010)
  • Managed metadata service application overview (SharePoint Server 2010)
  • Managed metadata roles (SharePoint Server 2010)
  • Plan terms and term sets (SharePoint Server 2010)
  • Plan to import managed metadata (SharePoint Server 2010)Plan to share terminology and content types (SharePoint Server 2010)
• Excellent series of blog posts by Chris O’Brien:
  • Managed Metadata in SharePoint 2010 – a key ECM enhancement
  • Managed Metadata in SharePoint 2010 – some notes on the “why”

Technorati Tags: managed+metadata,sharepoint+2010,sps2010,sharepoint,metadata,taxonomy

SharePoint 2010 and content organizers

Content organizers allow for content submitted to SharePoint to be rerouted to the correct location based on a number of routing rules which use both content types and it’s metadata to provide a certain routing logic. It’s actually an improved version of the routing logic which was available in the SharePoint 2007 records center. There are some excellent blog posts out there if you want to learn more:

• SharePoint 2010 Content Organizer Part 1 – A cool new feature for managing your content
• SharePoint 2010 Content Organizer Part 2 – The rules engine
• SharePoint 2010 Content Organizer Part 3  - The drop off library

Technorati Tags: sharepoint+2010,sps2010,sharepoint,content+organizers,ECM

Information Architecture, SharePoint and metadata – some theoretical background

Some interesting links that I found when preparing my chapter about the new metadata features in SharePoint 2010 – it is sometimes refreshing to take a step away from the product and look at some theoretical background postings and articles. Have fun.

• Origin of the phrase, “Information Architecture”
• White paper – Information Architecture in Office SharePoint Server 2007
• SharePoint Information Architecture and the Information Architect
• What is information architecture? 
• Metadata?Thesauri?Taxonomies? Topic maps! 
• The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative
• Dr Tom Guides – Guides to metadata, taxonomies and their implementation.
• RDF Automation ushering in Semantic Web

Technorati Tags: sharepoint,metadata,information+architecture,taxonomy,thesauri

Folders and metadata – again ….

Anecdote about Subfolders versus Metadata – a story about resistance and changing jobs. Sounds familiar – take a look at these postings  - Follow up – Folders in SharePoint document libraries  - Why???

Luckily location based metadata in SharePoint 2010 will allow us to use the best of both worlds – keep the old school way of organizing information in folders while automatically assigning metadata linked to the folder location.

Technorati Tags: sharepoint,metadata,metadata+folders,information+architecture

SharePoint Server 2010 – Social Data Statistics Web Part

Check out - http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/socialstatswebpart

This sample consists of a Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 SharePoint Visual Web part project. After you build and deploy this project on your Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 site, you can add this Web part to any page where you want to display statistics for the social tagging activities of your users. The Web part displays the following information in three tables:

1. Each URL that has been tagged, and the terms with which each URL has been tagged.
2. Each term that has been used in a social tag, and the number of times that term has been used.
3. Each user who has added a social tag, and the number of times that user has tagged URLs.

The sample demonstrates how to use the new Social Data object model in SharePoint Server 2010. It also takes advantage of the SharePoint Visual Web Part template, one of the new SharePoint templates that you can use in Visual Studio 2010.

Technorati Tags: sps2010,sharepoint+server+2010,socialdata,sharepoint+2010,development,vs2010

Looking for application data folder in Windows 7?

If you need to find the Application Data directory, just type %appdata% in the Run dialog box, the Start menu search box, or at the command prompt. This will open the correct folder.

Technorati Tags: windows7,windows,tip

Win free ticket for TechDays 2010 Belgium with BIWUG

BIWUG (The Belux Information Worker User Group) is giving away a free ticket for TechDays 2010. So how can you get this free ticket – very simple: please provide an answer to the following questions:

1.What is the coolest new feature in SharePoint 2010?

2. How many people will have send in their vote for the coolest feature by Friday 19th of February?

Send me an email at joris.poelmans@realdolmen.com and take your chance to win this ticket!

PS I will publish the results of this little survey afterwards ….

Technorati Tags: BIWUG,community

SharePoint 2010 – new developer training material including full virtual machine download

Lots of new SharePoint 2010 training material released in january:

• 2010 Information Worker Demonstration Virtual Machine (Beta) – fully functional virtual machines to demo Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010.
• Free E-learning: What’s new in Microsoft SharePoint 2010 for developers.
• Free E-learning: What’s new in Microsoft SharePoint 2010 for IT Pros
• Learning snack for developers – developing solutions with SharePoint 2010
• SharePoint 2010 developer material on Channel 9
• SharePoint 2010 – Getting started with development on SharePoint 2010 – HOL in C# and Visual Basic
• SharePoint 2010 Beta Developer Training Kit
• Windows Powershell compiled help for SharePoint 2010

Technorati Tags: sharepoint+2010,sharepoint,sps2010,microsoft,development

Corporate culture, not technology, drives collaboration

This post in Webworker daily about the significance of corporate culture on collaboration within your organization reminds me of some other blog posts which I wrote a while back:

• Web 2.0 please but in your own time (and budget)
•  Enterprise 2.0 and organizational culture
• Knowledge and talent in a people ready business
• Knowledge is power! So why share your knowledge?
• SharePoint and Web 2.0
• The value in social networks

The author clearly makes the statement that you first need a corporate culture which embraces a new work paradigm where you empower people to organize work in their own fashion. This is similar to what I wrote earlier:

I think that you will first need to create a mindset within your company which is ready to embrace collaboration and knowledge sharing before you can start thinking about Enterprise 2.0 - a view which is confirmed by this guy  - Enterprise 2.0 - Culture required?  But on the other hand for those people in your company who get it, you want to provide the necessary tools.

With a new web savvy generation entering the work force companies will need to provide the necessary tools and freedom to allow people to work in ways that you probably did not imagine. This will mainly require a shift in management style from command and control to collaborate and connect

Our CEO once wrote – the culture of an enterprise is largely determined by the behavior of its leaders (for the dutch text – see De cultuur van een onderneming wordt bepaald door het gedrag van zijn leiders) – a quote taken from Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Larry Bossidy. I could not agree more.

Technorati Tags: collaboration,corporate+culture,web2.0,enterprise2.0,knowledge+management

BIWUG on SharePoint 2010

On Tuesday, the 9th of February 2010 BIWUG organizes the first sessions about SharePoint 2010 in the new Ordina offices in Mechelen. We have a great line up amongst which 3 Belgian SharePoint MVP's presenting.

Date and hours:

February 9th, 2010
(The event is free, but registration is required.)

Sessions:

• 18:00 - 18:30: Welcome
• 18:30 - 19:00: Introduction to SharePoint Server 2010 (Joris Poelmans – SharePoint MVP)
• 19:00 - 19:30: LINQ to SharePoint (Stephane Eyskens – SharePoint MVP)
• 19:30 - 20:00: Client Object Model (Jan Tielens – SharePoint MVP)
• 20:00 - 20:15: Break
• 20:15 - 20:45: Business Connectivity Services (Frank Cleynen)
• 20:45 - 21:15: Workflow (Peter Plessers)

Location:

Ordina HQ
Blarenberglaan 3B
2800 Mechelen

Route description to the Ordina HQ can be found here. Please print the itinerary, as most GPS devices have problems with finding this address.

Registration:

Click here to register for this event.

 

Technorati Tags: sharepoint+2010,sharepoint,sps2010,biwug,community,belgian+community

User activity statistic in SharePoint Server 2007

Did you ever wonder what the User Activity value means in the SharePoint site statistics? Apparently this is the total number of times the user accessed the site (or site collection) over the past 30 days, divided by 30 to give daily average.

Great explanation on MOSS Usage Reports Explained

Technorati Tags: sharepoint,sharepoint+2007,moss2007,moss+2007,usage+analysis