Alex Pearce's SharePoint Blog

EduGeek gets 8000 Users

apearce — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT

As part of my community work online I do a lot of posting on edugeek - www.edugeek.net

Edugeek is full of technical staff from the education field but there are many other who don't work in the education who post.

There are many discussion boards in the site including Windows, Open Source, Learning Gateways and VLEs, Security and Mac.

Also on the site there are wiki pages, chat areas, edugeek software (free) and blogging.

I would like to congratulate edugeek on receiving its 8000th user today.

If your stuck about something - give edugeek and try and test some of the best IT minds from around the globe.

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Twynham School: Technet Example Solution Architecture

apearce — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 07:48:00 GMT

I've covered Twynham school a few times in my blog and I think there are doing a great job down in the south of England. I've been warned several times by the management team there that I am not allowed to nick their developers ;-) keep your eyes open Dave.

Twynham have been contacted by Microsoft to do some case study work and here is the first of hopefully many.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262582(TechNet.10).aspx

Its great to see some coverage of a school on the Microsoft website.

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SharePoint Learning Kit Add-On Pack: Released

apearce — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:20:00 GMT

Only a few hours after I blog on the press release it now released on codeplex.

Its an extra download on www.codeplex.com/slk

You can download directly from www.codeplex.com/.../ProjectReleases.aspx

I'll get it installed over the next few days and do some screan shots for you all.

Technorati Tags: Education,MOSS,SLK,

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Awarded MVP...!!!

apearce — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:09:00 GMT

Couldn't believe the email I got today! "Congratulations - You have received the Microsoft MVP Award!" Get in!

Thanks to all those who have helped me in the last year to get this and thanks for nominating me as well!

Alex

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Press Release on SharePoint Learning Kit Add-On Pack

apearce — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:16:00 GMT

Microsoft have released a press statement on the new update on the SharePoint Learning Kit. No sign of when it will be availability for us to download but a bit more information on what it will do.

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2008/jul08/07-01slkaddonpack.mspx?rss_fdn=Top%20Stories

Technorati Tags: Education,MOSS,SLK,

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Microsoft Learning Gateway Product Image

apearce — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:03:00 GMT

I've talk a lot about the Microsoft Learning Gateway and have just implemented it into the largest school in Europe (this school is massive).

I use this image below in my presentation and it shows from the end-user to the back-end of the Microsoft Learning Gateway.

Any stakeholder from the educational organistation can access the information with the site users any device, whether its a laptop or tablet to a mobile phone.

The bottom step is the operating system. All the product have got to be installed on a Microsoft OS.

The next step is in two sections, front-end and back-end. The left is the front end and has products such as SharePoint, Exchange, Office Communications Server, Live Meeting and at the bottom you have ISA which is the security for internet access.

The back-end includes Active Directory, SQL and other features required.

The arrows coming down from the top are other products that are not Microsoft products. If your a SharePoint developer you will know you can add webparts into the the web application and these arrow are the same. Many schools have other none Microsoft products installed such as a timetabling system that can be bolted onto the system using the .net framwork or just a pageview.

Technorati Profile

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SharePoint Learning Kit 2: 30th june

apearce — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:41:00 GMT

I was recently at a Microsoft event in Reading, UK in which 23 companies presented their SharePoint/Microsoft Learning Gateway solutions.

Microsoft also announced that the new version on SharePoint Learning Kit will be released on the 30th June.

I don't know too much more than that but it looks very promising!!!

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Improved Image Web Part

apearce — Wed, 28 May 2008 10:46:00 GMT

I've never really liked the image web part that came out of the box with SharePoint! Looking at it from a users point of view it was too many tasks to upload a single image.

Add a picture library to your site
Upload your image to the image library via Microsoft Office Picture Manager
Find the URL of the image
Add the image web part to your site
add the URL of the image to your web part

This new image web part does all this for you.

Add the image web part to you site
Use browse to add the images
Click save

So much more user friendly.

It adds the URL of the image for you, saving the user having to find, copy and add this information.

You can download this web part from codeplex

http://www.codeplex.com/ImageUpload/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=13397

A document file is attached to the download - I didn't user it - so here is how to install it

Install the WSP file and add the solution to your site.

When you add the web part to your site it tells you that you need to set the default location to upload images.

Create a image library at the top of you site. All users who need to be able to add images to anywhere on your site application need to have write permission to this library. You can hide the library where ever you want - even in another web application.

the script for this is

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN>STSADM -o SetImageUploadLocation -webapp http://127.0.0.1/ -library http://127.0.0.1/PublishingImages

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Free Microsoft Software for Students

apearce — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:23:52 GMT

Microsoft are giving away software to students for free. This is great! I'm so please that they have decided to set up a scheme that allows this.

Microsoft Dream Spark gives students access to Microsoft Windows Server, Visual Studio, Expressions Studio and XNA to help them become either IT Pros or Developers.

Your local authority or university have to join the scheme but after that you can apply to get it.

I think this is a great step to giving students free software. Next step - feel licensing to all schools!

https://downloads.channel8.msdn.com/

Sorry its a little off subject but education is my passion!

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SharePoint at Twynham School

apearce — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:50:48 GMT

A few months ago I posted a PDF of what a school in Christchurch, UK had done with SharePoint which included making their own webparts.

I met up with the guys from Twynham and it was a great meeting which also include the representatives from Shirelands.

I had a email from Dave at Twynham the other day to say he has made some videos of the use of SharePoint in the school and has published them on the internet.

These are great thing to look at if your looking at implementing SharePoint are you school.

http://www.twynhamschool.com/supportinglearning/

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Silverlight 2 Application to enable/disable your proxy server in IE

apearce — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:18:00 GMT

I've been playing around a lot with Silverlight 2 recently, I'm find it a lot easier to code than version 1.

In many of the schools I have been to, they have had a proxy server for all their internet traffic. I created a bat script that wrote to the registry and asked the user to either type 1 to turn the proxy on or 0 for off. It worked great but wasn't easy on the eye and one network I went to it stopped the users from using command lines.

@echo off

Echo.
echo.
Echo                     Please type the following
echo.
echo ----------------------------------------------------------------
echo ----------------------------------------------------------------
Echo ---      Proxy server must be enabled to work in school      ---
echo --- Type '1' if you wish to enable internet access in school ---
echo ----------------------------------------------------------------
Echo ---       Proxy server must be disabled to work at home      ---
Echo ---     Type '0' If you wish to disable the proxy server     ---
echo ----------------------------------------------------------------
echo ----------------------------------------------------------------
Echo.
Echo.
Set /p inet=   Type 'Number 1' or 'Number 0' here:

reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /t REG_DWORD /v ProxyEnable /d %inet% /f
pause

So I thought it was time to create something that was more graphical. It would also solve the issue of a user typing 2 on the above script and causing errors in the registry.

So this is what we are going to create

Download the Microsoft Expression Blend 2.5 March Preview (available at time of writing this post).

Create a WPF Application and call it ProxyEnableDisable

Add 2 buttons and name one Proxy On and the other Proxy Off

Now we want to let our users know what this silverlight application can do so we'll provide them with some instructions

We've done everything we need to now in Expression Blend so we need to move the project over to Visual Studio. Make sure you save your project.

Over on the write hand side you will see Solution 'ProxyEnableDisable'. Right click here and click on Edit in Visual Studio.

This should have now opened up Visual Studio. You will see the same layout above, down the right hand side. Double click on Windows1.xaml. This is the silverlight coding. If your using Visual Studio 2008 you will see the xaml code and a graphical view of our project.

We need to start adding come code to the buttons. We'll give it a x:name and then add a click handler for both of the buttons.

Find the line of code for the button with the content that is equal to Proxy On and add x:name="On". Also type click and click on <NewEventHandler>. This will allow us to add come C# handling code to this button.

Your line of code should now read

Do the same for the Proxy Off button but instead of giving the x:name the value of On - call it off

This is the last bit of XAML coding for this project. The window1.xaml should now read

Expand the Windows1.xaml and click on windows1.xaml.cs

We're now going to add some C# coding that will write to our registry to either add turn the proxy on or off depending on which button the user clicks on.

We need to add a reference to our C# code. At the top add Using Microsoft.Win32;

The below code will turn the proxy server on. The 4th line down is where you are telling the registry to either have the proxy server enable or disabled. The value of 1 will turn the proxy on where 0 will disable it. Add the line of code to both of your button event handlers remembering to change that 1 to 0 for proxy off.

RegistryKey RegKeyWrite = Registry.CurrentUser;
           RegKeyWrite = RegKeyWrite.CreateSubKey("Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Internet Settings");
           RegKeyWrite.SetValue("ProxyEnableScript", "TRUE");
           RegKeyWrite.SetValue("ProxyEnable", 1);
           RegKeyWrite.Close();

           RegistryKey RegKeyRead = Registry.CurrentUser;
           RegKeyRead = RegKeyRead.OpenSubKey("Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Internet Settings");
           Object regSuccessful = RegKeyRead.GetValue("ProxyEnableScript");
           Object regAttemptNumber = RegKeyRead.GetValue("ProxyEnable");
           RegKeyRead.Close();

if ((string)regSuccessful == "TRUE")
Console.WriteLine("Succeeded on attempt # {0}", regAttemptNumber);

If you press F5 now you will be able to turn your proxy server on and off with a simple application

Now its all yours to be customised.

Don't forget to install Silverlight 2 on your clients before rolling it out.

Click here to download the bat file

Click here to download the application

Click here to download the source code

Technorati Tags: silverlight 2,proxy

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SharePoint Educational Vendor Day: 21st May

apearce — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:57:00 GMT

Microsoft Education UK are running a vendor days on the 21st May in Reading. It should be a really good day as they have arranged for 23 different companies to come and talk about their SharePoint solutions including companies such as RM, ITWorx, LP+ and Nisai Academy.

Some of these including fully hosting products, in house products, library systems and VLEs (Virtual Learning Environments). Here is a full list of all the vendors that I have taken from the Microsoft UK Schools Blog.

1. Nisai Virtual Academy

2. MicroLibrarian Systems – Eclipse

3. RM – Kaleidos Learning Platform

4. Hunterstone/ER4L – eLibrarian and Content Server

5. Scholaris Learning Gateway

6. Etech – StudyWiz

7. Parabola Marking Records

8. Business Insights Group – Student Billing

9. ITWorx – Catalyst Provisioning (MLG)

10. LP+ Learning Gateway

11. Arc – Vitaelity ePortfolio

12. NetMedia Education – MyClasses

13. eLearningForce – SharePoint LMS

14. Fronter VLE

15. WinVision – Digital Portfolio

16. Core Education – Talmos Primary

17. Cambridge University Press – Global Grid for Learning

18. Morse - Wisdom

19. eCopy

20. Digi-Link – Revelation

21. K2 – K2 Workflow

22. Houghton Mifflin – Learning Village

23. Visual Software – SIF Agent Wizard and Zone Integration Server

If you want to attend click here and book for free.

See you there

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SharePoint on a Nintendo Wii

apearce — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:35:00 GMT

Back at Christmas I showed what SharePoint looked like on a Apple IPhone/ITouch.

The other night I was babysitting my god daughter and after she had gone to bed I turned on the Nintendo Wii to play a bit of Mario Kart but when I turned it on I noticed it had the internet connection. I understand you have to pay for this to be added to your Wii. As it loads the browser it says it is powered by Opera.

The TV is a Samsung 32" - great picture.

I entered, using the Wii remote pointing at the screen, the address of my test site and load the page.

This is the same screen you get when entering your password.

I'm using ISA 2006. The text boxes aren't the same size but still work.

Front page loaded normally but doesn't fully fit on the screen.

Same for the calendar - not the whole calendar fits on - only a few dates

On the bottom of the Wii remote is the 'B' button. If you hold that down and move the controller in the direction you want to see, you can navigate around the page. In the image below you see me moving it down from top right to bottom left

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SharePoint and Microsoft Learning Gateway Links/Resources

apearce — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:12:18 GMT

I’ve sent a lot of people information about SharePoint and Microsoft Learning Gateway so thought it was time to put it all together in a single post. It would be great if you could add more links to resources.

SharePoint 2007

Microsoft SharePoint Site

http://office.microsoft.com/sharepoint

SharePoint User Group UK

http://www.suguk.org

SharePoint User Group UK: Education Forum

http://suguk.org/forums/31/ShowForum.aspx

SharePoint Community Portal

http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/sharepoint

Educational SharePoint add-on (Free)

SharePoint Learning Kit

www.codeplex.com/slk

Microsoft Learning Gateway Refresh

www.codeplex.com/lg

Advanced Wikis, Blogs,

www.codeplex.com/cks

Community Kit for SharePoint Education (Site Template)

http://www.codeplex.com/CKS/WorkItem/View.aspx?WorkItemId=1463

Moodle WebParts for SharePoint

www.codeplex.com/Moodle2003WP

Education SharePoint add-ons (Purchase)

Course Builder VLE

www.sharepointlms.com

Scholaris VLE for SharePoint (available from Ergo

www.ergo.co.uk

Provisioning tool for SharePoint Learning Kit and other VLEs. Information pulled from MIS System

www.salamandersoft.co.uk

SharePoint/Education Website

Microsoft UK Education Site

http://www.microsoft.com/uk/education/

Microsoft Schools Blog

http://blogs.msdn.com/ukschools/

Microsoft Education

http://www.microsoft.com/education

Microsoft Education Test Drive Website

http://www.microsoft.com/education/testdrive/

Live@Edu

http://my.liveatedu.com/

Microsoft Learning Gateway

Introduction to Microsoft Learning Gateway

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/ajp/archive/2007/12/19/introduction-to-the-microsoft-learning-gateway.aspx

Microsoft Learning Gateway Website

www.learninggateway.net

Demo Sites
Community Kit for SharePoint: Education

http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/sharepoint/cks/se-alpha

Microsoft Demo Site for Education

http://www.runaware.com/microsoft/en-us/edu/td

Case Studies

Shirelands Collegiate Academy

http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/casestudy.aspx?casestudyid=201511

Long Eaton School

http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/casestudy.aspx?casestudyid=4000000162

Leeds Learning Gateway

http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/casestudy.aspx?casestudyid=4000001225

Other Education Case Studies from Microsoft

http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/search.aspx?IndTaxID=1570

Twynham School

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/files/folders/ajp/entry12906.aspx

Resources

Resources for Education: Microsoft SharePoint

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/files/folders/ajp/entry14774.aspx

Learning for the Future: A Vision of Connected Learning Communities. Microsoft document on BSF and the Microsoft Learning Gateway

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/files/folders/ajp/entry15753.aspx

Building Schools for the Future Showcase

http://www.microsoft.com/uk/education/building.mspx

Connected Learning Gateway: BETT Presentation

http://download.microsoft.com/documents/uk/publicsector/ppt/Connected%20Learning%20Gateway.ppsx

Industry Insiders Blog on SharePoint Learning Kit

http://blogs.technet.com/industry_insiders/pages/introduction-to-scorm-and-sharepoint-learning-kit-slk.aspx

Videos

Shirelands Learning Gateway

http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/resources/Files/201511/Shireland_Learning_Gateway_in_Action_1500k00.wvx

Long Eaton

http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/resources/Files/4000000162/LongEatonOfficeandVistainAction384k.wvx

BSF Showcase

http://download.microsoft.com/documents/uk/education/bsf/BSFShowcaseTrailer.wmv

The Future

Silverlight Coding

New Line Learning Showcase at BETT

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/ajp/archive/2008/01/17/silverlight-with-sharepoint-and-excel-for-education.aspx

The Revolution in Education: A personal statement on the future of IT in Education

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/ajp/archive/2008/02/27/the-it-revolution.aspx

Technorati Tags: Education,MOSS,SLK,MLG

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SharePoint Mug...

apearce — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 20:26:00 GMT

I received a thank you present this week for some work I did for a school and my contact there gave me a SharePoint Mug! How cool is this!!!

It has the 6 pillars of SharePoint and also says..." People Tell Me That I Am The SharePoint King"

Thanks Greg...stay in touch...

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SharePoint Learning Kit: Installing on Single Server Farm

apearce — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:14:00 GMT

I've seen a few requests recently for the SLK install documents to be updated to show how to install SharePoint Learning Kit onto a single server environment. This is something that I encounter a lot with my installs so thought it was time to do a post about it.

When you install MOSS or WSS3 onto a single server the install wizard automatically installs the embedded version SQL 2005 Express on the same box but when you go to create your SLK database you get the below error message!

An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server. When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server)

More information has been written to the server event log.

Install SLK onto a Single Server

Having installed MOSS or WSS on your single server download SharePoint Learning Kit from www.codeplex.com/slk

Extract the SLK zip file in a new folder.

Run AddSolution.cmd - This will add SharePoint Learning Kit to your farm

To add it to your default site you need to run DeplySolution.cmd

This has now deployed the MyAssignment WebPart to your default site and add the SharePoint Learning Kit Feature but now you need to create the SLK database.

Open Central Administrator and go to the Operations tab

Under Data Configuration click on Default Database Server

You will see Default Database. This is normal called {yourserver name} followed by OfficeServer. Copy this information and click cancel

Now click on Application Management at the top

At the bottom you will now see a new area called SharePoint Learning Kit Configuration. Under that area click on Configure SharePoint Learning Kit.

In the Database Server box, paste the same information you copied from the default database.

Now when you click ok you will be able to create the SLK database needed for SLK to work.

A quick tip - if you open Configure SharePoint Learning Kit with Create New Database unchecked - it has connected and created your database for you.

Technorati Tags: SLK,MOSS,WSS

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Document Conversion: Turn your DOCX to a HTML page

apearce — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:13:00 GMT

I've been in many forums and discussions about how Microsoft's new file format is unfair on the education industry. More than ever, more users are accessing electronic documents from schools not just staff and pupils but parents, local community and businesses.

I believe that its all a load of rubbish (trash), the fact that people say 'you shouldn't use Office 2007 because you won't access to files from home.' Its a matter of training and communication! Making the end user aware of how they can access the files with compatibility packs and free views all provided from Microsoft.

Another solution is still to use Office 2007 but save your files as DOC files. This is something you can set at your GPO level if you download the GPO templates from the web so users auto save it as a doc file.

Another solution is using the SharePoint file conversion tool built into SharePoint 2007 which converts your DOCX file to a HTML file. Down side to this tool at the moment is that it doesn't add your images but here's how to do it, a few tips and some things you might find useful.

Enable the use of DOCX to HTML in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007

Open your Central Administration for your farm

Go to the Operations Tab and click on Services on Server

Ensure you have both Document Conversion services start. These have to be started on all front end servers

Click on the Operations tab in Central Administration.

Under External Service Connections click on Document conversions.

Select your web application, check yes under Enable Document Conversion and then select your Load Balancer Server.

When you go to your SharePoint site and to your document library you should see Convert Document.

You must have Office SharePoint Server Publishing enabled in your site features for it to convert the file.

Here are some useful links.

Office 2007 Compatibility Pack for Office 2003
- http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en
Word 2007 Viewer
- http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=3657CE88-7CFA-457A-9AEC-F4F827F20CAC&displaylang=en
Excel 2007 Viewer
- http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=1CD6ACF9-CE06-4E1C-8DCF-F33F669DBC3A&displaylang=en
PowerPoint 2007 Viewer
- http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=048dc840-14e1-467d-8dca-19d2a8fd7485&displaylang=en
GPO templates for Office 2007
- http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=92D8519A-E143-4AEE-8F7A-E4BBAEBA13E7&displaylang=en
Save your Word file as a PDF
- http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=4D951911-3E7E-4AE6-B059-A2E79ED87041&displaylang=en

On the sites I setup for education I always add a content editor web part with the below text. Two basic links to the free Word Viewer and Adobe Acrobat.

Click here to download the DWP file and add it to your site.

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SharePoint Document: Resources from Microsoft Education: SharePoint (including mac browser support)

apearce — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:41:00 GMT

Came across this document on the internet the other day and wanted to share it with you. Its a must read if you are anything in sharepoint!

Topics include:

What's New
Test drive software and labs
MAV and Browser Support
Development and Integation
- Wed parts: Instructional and Docial Networking
- Business Intelligence (SAP Integration)
- SQL Server 2005 and Reporting Services
E-Learning for users and Administors
Department of Defence 5015.2 Certification
Downloadable Books
External SharePoint sites.

Click here to download

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My trip to CEBIT 2008

apearce — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:15:00 GMT

This week wasn't just the SharePoint conference in Seattle but it was also CEBIT in Hannover, Germany.

This show was massive, I mean massive. Over 5000 companies over 26 halls.

I live in Birmingham near the NEC which is next to the airport and I thought this exhibition hall was big but Hannover is massive.

I had the delight of Samsung flying me over with a tour of their stand and free entry to the show.

They had some amazing new technology including an 82inch HD TV which was very clear and bright and also the worlds smallest colour laser printer and projector.

I was over to talk about my ideas of connecting the Microsoft Learning Gateway with their Samsung Q1 which is a UMPC. Fingers crossed we'll start seeing those in the near future.

I also got chance to have a look around the show. Didn't get enough time to look around the whole show - would have needed a week to do that but I did get to the Microsoft stand. I thought the Samsung and T-Mobile stand was big but this one took up half a hall. They had partners on the stand and showing off all the latest technologies including SQL2008 and Windows Serer 2008. I wanted to get a few fliers about Windows 2008 as I'm presenting of the product next week and thought it would help. Surprised and disappointed that they had nothing in English or Germany.

Over all I had a great day and thank everyone at Samsung for the day.

Technorati Tags: CEBIT2008,Samsung

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Silverlight Blueprint for SharePoint

apearce — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:26:44 GMT

I really wanted to go to the SharePoint Conference in Seattle this year but couldn't get the finance but have been keeping a close eye on blogs to find out what is going on.

I've been wanting to get Silverlight into my SharePoint for a long time now and at the conference they announced Silerlight Blueprint for SharePoint. Have a look at the link below

http://www.ssblueprints.net/sharepoint/

Technorati Tags: Sharepoint,Silverlight

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The IT Revolution

apearce — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:24:00 GMT

I've just been reading an article that Computing wrote after an interview with Bill Gates entitled 'The revolution is only just beginning'.

http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2209036/gates-outlines-vision-future-3801135

Bill Gates talks about how he believes IT is only in its early days with multi-core processors, cheaper hardware, more portable devices and online services to come. He also covers the topic of online services and how we will be able to access our personal documents from home, office, shopping centre etc...

So how does this affect the education our kids - and their kids will have? Will this be the end of schools and lessons taught over the internet on portable devices while kids are sat in the coffee shop of the local shopping centre?

Technology will be the key tool in delivering lessons both in and out of the classroom. Devices that are portable, easy to use and sexy looking are what kids want -something separate from their personal devices but something it will connect to.

Kids want to be away from school and need that cut off point just as much as we may want from our work lives. Whether this is because they don't enjoy school or exam stress, they still need that separation but when they do want to access the system they should be able to from any device, personal or school owned to warrant their enthusiasm.

The importance of a single delivery tool is essential to this like the Microsoft Learning Gateway or Live@edu and being able to combine these into a single sign on. All devices should be able to access any kind of web page, documents or service allowing this 24 hour access from anywhere.

This adds a lot of pressure on the IT Support team and all staff in a school. It's the responsibility of the IT Support team to make sure the system is available 24 hours a day, secure, reliable and relevant. As for the rest of staff, it's their responsibility to add content for the pupils to find when they are having trouble with their course work or homework. It's also their responsibility to make sure they add content for pupils who just want to find out information on the subject and make it relevant for the pupils learning instead of all sorts of information you can find in search engines.

As a Network Manager myself I have to make sure that these services are available and secure and staff are regularly adding information. I will soon be asking for each teaching department to audit their area so relevant information is always there.

I saw the below video the other day which talked about how students in education today will be doing jobs in 10 years time with technology that is not yet developed! We need to ensure we get the technology and education correct now to ensure the future for us all.

Please post your views in the comments area.

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Windows Media Services 2008 and Media Player Web Part

apearce — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:58:00 GMT

My team and I have been playing with Windows 2008 Server RTM and have been playing with the downloadable feature from Microsoft which is Windows Media Services 2008.

It's a very easy program to download and we are going to be using it to stream videos made in our school and also sound tracks made by our podcasting team and music department.

Back in July I published Steve Sofian Media Player web part for him as his blog was down and would like to thank him again for his work.

I just added the Media Player Web Part to a site and in the source field for the video location added the media streaming URL something which is like mms://mediaserver.domain/video100

It worked fine.

Useful Links

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Windows Server 2008 TSApps WebPart for SharePoint

apearce — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:57:10 GMT

Was looking through a few web pages and came across a document that will show you how to get the terminal server apps webpart for Windows 2008 into your SharePoint environment.

Problem is you have to have SharePoint on the same server as your TSapps on your Windows 2008 box. Can't wait for someone to come up with the webpart to be on a remote SharePoint server.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/b/1/0/b106fc39-936c-4857-a6ea-3fb9d1f37063/Step_by_Step_Guide_to_Customizing_TS_Web_Access_by_Using_Windows_SharePoint_Services.doc

Technorati Tags: MOSS,WebPart,Terminal Server,Windows Server 2008

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Exemplar SharePoint Site in Education using SQL 2005 Reports in MOSS

apearce — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 22:34:00 GMT

I got sent an article the other day which is on Twynham School who have implemented SharePoint 2007 in their school and used SQL Server 2005 Reports to give students and teachers live access to reports, timetables and grades etc

Have a look at the article and leave any comments you may have.

I personally think that have done a great job and look forward to meeting up with the guys from the school.

Download and view it here. Click Here

http://www.twynham.dorset.sch.uk/

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Changing the name of my blog!!

apearce — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:30:49 GMT

I've decided to change the name of my blog. Here at SharePointBlogs was my first blogging site but have decided to create another blog station at http://ajp-blog.spaces.live.com/. Why?!! Well I don't just work on SharePoint! As an IT Pro I work with several products mainly all the products in the Microsoft Learning Gateway and feel I want to blog about these too and the share my story with you all. So Alex Pearce's Blog has moved and this is my dedicated SharePoint blogging site which will also be mirrored at my own blog.

So!! The new name! Wanted something creative - but no good at that - wanted something relevant to both SharePoint and the education industry I work is - so...I welcome you to 'Alex Pearce's SharePoint Blog'

Don't be afraid to contact me or leave me comments...

Posted on SharePoint Blogs