favourite outlook 2007 feature

I just started using the new Outlook 2007 "Quick Parts" feature and I'm addicted. it's like autocorrect on steroids.

Quick Parts allow you to select anything in an e-mail and save it for later re-use. this is very handy when you are in a position where you frequently need to answer questions.

in this example, I am responding to a question about the log files for the Metalogix SharePoint migration solution called SharePoint Site Migration Manager. my Quick Part contains a text explanation, a screenshot and hyperlinks. soooooo nice.


- selecting a Quick Part to insert into the body of an e-mail. click for better view.

one caveat: when I opened my mailbox on a machine running Outlook 2003, my quick parts were lost.

ARTag SDK download

if you purchased the book you can download the Rev2K SDK for Windows, Linux, or MacOSX for free (for non-commercial private use that is) at the following link: http://www.artag.net/sdk_download/artag_sdk_download.php

there is Windows, Linux and OSX code in the SDK and there is more in the book specific download which is available from the AR book page on the pragmatic site: http://www.pragprog.com/titles/cfar (look for the "code" link)

Dal Water Polo Tournament

Dalhousie Water Polo Invitational Tournament

Come join the Dalhousie Water Polo Team @ Dalplex as we host our annual invitational tournament!

Start Time: Friday, March 14, 2008
End Time: Sunday, March 16, 2008
Location: Dalplex Pool, Halifax, NS

SharePoint Upgrade with Metalogix

after exhibiting at the SharePoint 2008 Conference in Seattle, I came away reassured that the best SharePoint to SharePoint upgrade solution is Metalogix Site Migration Manager.

using Site Migration Manager, our customers are able to simply copy and paste from one SharePoint server to another. it's a user-friendly solution to something that has been traditionally in the hands of the IT department.


- Metalogix SharePoint Site Migration Manager (v. 3.5.4) (click for full size)

as you can see in the screenshot above, you easily open your source server in one pane (in this case SharePoint Portal Server 2003) and the target (MOSS 2007) in another. the content owners can then choose to migrate their content as it appears on the source server, or they can restructure/reorganize elements on the target.

when I attended the conference session about the out of box upgrade, the presenters made a point of stressing the value of a "clean" install. they made it clear that doing an upgrade with the out of box tools can have a significant negative impact on the performance of your server. with Site Migration Manager, you can use a completely new (read: better) server as your target.

Site Migration Manager offers all sorts of features that you won't find in the out of box upgrade. for example, you can merge lists, split lists, move sites, promote sites, and the list goes on (pardon the pun). elements can be copied at the item level, list, or the site level. in the new versions of Site Migration Manager, we have added even more support for site collections.

since 2001, Metalogix has offered best of breed migration solutions--the future is bright for Metalogix as the go to solution for SharePoint upgrade.

SharePoint Conference 2008

as I sit in the Washington State Trade and Convention Center--waiting for my flight--I find that the obvious use of my time would be to create a blog post about the most successful SharePoint conference ever.


- the busy Metalogix booth

the company I recently joined, Metalogix Software, was there representing the best of breed software for migrating web content, files, and upgrading previous versions of SharePoint to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007.

the conference was especially enjoyable for me since I haven't been to the SharePoint conference since I left the Microsoft SharePoint team in 2004. In fact, in 2004, I actually presented a talk at the conference about Microsoft Content Management Server (MCMS).


- the Washington Trade and Convention Center in Seattle

after writing for a few years (which prompted a couple of Microsoft people to comment that I had "disappeared") this show gave me a chance to catch up with some old friends, and make some new ones. most of my co-authors for the MCMS Complete Guide were there: Bill English and Todd Bleeker (co-owners of Mindsharp a high-profile SharePoint training group), and Shawn Shell (a principle with Consejo, Inc.) was also there. I also caught up with some of my former Microsoft team and some of the SharePoint MVPs.

I had a short chat with Lawrence Liu (the Social Computing Product Manager for MOSS). it's a really interesting area and it seems that SharePoint is only now getting recognition for the potential there. after collaborating with various individuals and groups (such as the Halo community) on book projects, I fully understand the value of enterprise social computing.

it was no surprise that the conference was popular; MOSS has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years. what was somewhat surprising was just how crazy popular this show was. rumour has it that the 3900 attendee limit was (just slightly) bent to allow close to 5000 people to attend the conference.


- sold out indeed

and with that number of people, you know that there are a lot who need the SharePoint migration and upgrade solutions from Metalogix Software. my feet are still sore as I sit here, and my voice was hoarse after just one day of talking to the constant flow of SharePoint customers (and future SharePoint customers) who want to migrate to SharePoint or upgrade from an earlier version of Sharepoint (e.g., Windows SharePoint Services [WSS] or SharePoint Portal Server 2003 [SPS]).

but it wasn't all business. we had a great time at the official parties (such as a visit to Seattle's Museum of Flight and the Xbox game night with the Master Chief, see cheesy image below), and the not-so-official ones as well.


- the museum of flight's unique M-21 Blackbird.


- a daylight shot of the M-21 Blackbird taken by "innocent bystander"


- the museum of flight... enough said


- Xbox 360 game night. the pose was his idea. I have this same photo with Andre Arlovski--MC vs. Arlovski, now there's a match-up

interesting Augmented Reality

check out this video of the NTT DoCoMo U-Tsu-Shi-O-Mi robot. Augmented Reality (AR) is used to superimpose the avatar image on the robot skin.

"Japanese mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo has released this video of their U-Tsu-Shi-O-Mi green skinned robot. When viewed through a head-mouned-display ..., a video avatar is overlaid and mapped to the robot so it looks like a real person from any angle."

MS SharePoint conference 2008

I'm happy to say that I'll be returning to my old stomping grounds. In March, I'll be attending the Microsoft SharePoint conference in Seattle, Washington. Not only a chance to visit an area where I used to live, but also a good excuse to visit some old friends.

Now that I work for Metalogix Software SharePoint is back in my daily routine. Writing books has been great--and I'll keep doing it--but connecting with live people every once in a while is also good. :)



SharePoint Products and Technologies
http://blogs.msdn.com/arpans
SharePoint Team Blog:
http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint