MVP chats

Hey all,

Just wanted to stop by for a quick blurb before the event.

The SharePoint MVPs are currently hosting live SharePoint chat sessions over at the MSDN online chats (yes, for your IT Pros, it is suspiciously hosted at the developer site): http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/chats/default.aspx.

Even though it is at MSDN, there are going to be a number of IT Pro/IT Pro-Dev. combo MVPs (as well as many developers) there who can answer your questions about SharePoint past and future.

These chats are going to be regularly scheduled, the most current ones are tonight at 7pm Eastern (4pm Pacific), with another one running tomorrow at noon Eastern (9am Pacific).

Remember, these chats are live, the MVPs are just sitting there waiting to answer questions. This is a great time to ask things you want real answers to.

There's a big line up of MVPs who will be answering questions at the chats this evening and tomorrow. Also, if these events are well attended, it just makes it more likely that they will hold them again and again. So, for more information about what MVPs will be at the chat, and more information about upcoming chats in the future, go to the the MVP award blog at:
http://blogs.msdn.com/mvpawardprogram/archive/2010/04/23/join-28-sharepoint-mvps-in-a-live-chat.aspx.

SharePoint Foundation RTM (and Designer too) available from public Microsoft download site

I told you that I'd let you know when the SPF bits would be available for download.

Oddly, although they are currently not available for paying TechNet subscribers, the whole world can download--

SharePoint Designer (32bit) (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=d88a1505-849b-4587-b854-a7054ee28d66)

SharePoint Foundation (only comes in 64bit) (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=49c79a8a-4612-4e7d-a0b4-3bb429b46595). Remember to check the system requirements on the download page to be sure you're ready to install.

I'll wait a few days for everyone to get the bits, then I will probably start posting bits and pieces about new things, things that bother me, gotchas, and general stuff about the book. : )

Mind you, I am going to be super busy trying to get all my chapters changed over to the RTM version of SPF, so bear with me if I lag here. I am probably going to be fairly distracted...

Edited to add--- By the way, SharePoint Designer comes in 64 bit or 32 bit flavors. That is important, since if you install SPD on a machine that is also running Office, the architecture has to match.

Right now the title of the page for both versions of SharePoint Designer is the same.

Here is the link for the 64 bit as it is at the time of this edit (4/22/10).  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=566d3f55-77a5-4298-bb9c-f55f096b125d.

The installer for the 32bit  version of SharePoint Designer is 254.1 MB.
The installer for the 64bit version is 279.0 MB.

Edited to add again (the day after): They have fixed the SharePoint Designer download page titles. They now read SharePoint Designer 2010 (XXbits-- depending on the page you go to).

It's the little things. : )

Some 2010 RTM (RTW) bits and bobs available right now on TechNet

Hi there ladies and gents,

I thought I'd give those of you with TechNet subscriptions a heads up. Although I am sadly still waiting on SharePoint Foundation and SharePoint Designer, the RTW (or release to web, kind of like release to manafacturer without having to burn DVDs, lol) version of SharePoint Server 2010 and Office 2010 (Professional Plus) are available as of today for download.

Feel free to download now. : )

For those of you still waiting for SharePoint Designer 2010 and SharePoint Foundation, I feel your pain.

As soon as they are up, I'll post about it...

Office/SharePoint 2010 Launch Events

So, SharePoint Foundation 2010 is releasing in mid-May (as are SharePoint Server 2010, Office 2010, and Visual Studio 2010). And to celebrate the release, as they always do, Microsoft is having Launch events.

Unlike they always do, and possibly in response to the economy, the locations where the day long events, full of swag and experts, will be sadly limited.

To see the planned agenda for the event and get your seat first (before they run out), go to https://microsoft.crgevents.com/Register2010/Content/Event_Selection.aspx. You'll find a list of the cities hosting launch events. To sign up you'll need to pick a track, IT Pro or Developer.

And, what about the folks who don't live anywhere near these lucky cities (like myself)?

Well, I found out today that there is a scaled down, half day, less stuff, less content, but still Launch focused "Launch 2010 Highlights" launch event being held at other, less popular cities.

--Basically look at it as the Tier 1 cities, with the higher population, the ones that spend the most money with Microsoft, get the full day real Launch events, and lower tiers get the "highlight" reel. Money's tight everywhere.--

Nonetheless, to register for at least the short (fun sized) version of the 2010 Launch event, go to http://www.microsoft.com/business/2010events/Highlights.aspx. That's what I did.

Besides, I'm am a little busy writing a book. Maybe I shouldn't spend a whole day away from my desk. Maybe a half day event is perfect for me.

Here's hoping, whichever event you can get to, that it'll be perfect for you too.

So many things, so little time

Howdy all. You may have noticed there's been little to no action around here. My apologies for that. Since December, I've been revising the "Mastering Windows SharePoint Services 3.0" book, now to be called "Mastering SharePoint Foundation 2010".  To do that so early, I've been working on the beta version.

I was also renewed as a SharePoint Services MVP for this year as you may know (yay!), so I have access to some beta stuff that the average person doesn't have (and I am desperately, desperately grateful, because it helps me with the book).

And because I have access to some stuff that everyone else doesn't-- I can't talk about the stuff I've found, the new stuff I know, and the stuff I think you really need to think about. Thus, the radio (well, blog) silence.

I'm bursting at the seams to talk about SPF, and as soon as I can (if I am not to overwhelmed with the book), I will be posting madly here.

In other news, I was just accepted to work at TechEd this year as a product expert in the SharePoint track. YAY! Last year I also worked a booth, but they assigned me to a track that I wasn't an expert in (although it led me to be qualified to eventually do a Windows Server 2008 R2 firestarter events, so it was all good)-- this year that is not the case.

So if any of you are going to TechEd, please feel free to stop by the Office/SharePoint booths. I'll keep you all informed as to exactly what booth I'll be working.  Regardless of which booth, I will likely be outnumbered by SharePoint Server developers and would be grateful to see someone who works with SPF/WSS. : )

I also might be doing a Birds of a Feather session or two. I haven't decided on what I want to talk about, so if you have suggestions, please post them in the comments. : )

Thanks all. Please keep in touch because in a few weeks I'll be able to rant and rave about a lot of things SharePoint Foundations. In addition, I might need to query all readers concerning the book. It's getting so big (with all the new features and changes in the new version) that I might have to cut content because it can't be bound if it has too many pages.

I know, I know, who wants to lose any content? I've been thinking about that too. And what I think I'll do is just put that content that will be pulled here.  The catch is, how to decide what you want here and what do you need to have in the book? Stay tuned for more on that as I continue the long, laborious task of writing each chapter (then rewriting them with the release version comes out...).

And finally, a big shout out to my reader reviewers; Bob, Doug, Trudy, Liam, and occasionally John. You have been life savers. Thanks for your support and kind reviews. I appreciate your efforts. The book, should I be the one who finishes it, will be better because of you. : )