Graphicalwonder - Shane Perran's SharePoint Customization Blog
April 05, 2006
Guy Kawasaki + Technorati 100
If ever there was a blog that should be in the Technorati 100 it is that of Guy Kawasaki. Guy's blog is one 4 that I read on "more" than a daily basis.
From Guy's Blog:
I made the Technorati 100 today. Thanks, everyone, for your linking, comments, and evangelism! I only need 5,000 more sites to link to be in the top ten! This is a picture of David Sifry, Technorati's CEO, giving me a tshirt to commemorate breaking into the top 100.
March 03, 2006
Danny Williams vrs Paul McCartney and Wife
All I can say is watching Danny Williams makes me proud to be a Newfoundlander. He tells it like it is and has the facts to back up his statements.
There was a debate tonight on Larry King Live with Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador (my hometown) and Paul McCartney and his over zealous wife.
The debate in a nutshell:
Paul and Wife - You are clubbing poor innocent baby seals, you are cruel barbarians
Danny Williams -You are basing your information on (bad facts) from the organizations that are "using your (Pauls)" status as a superstar to get recognition. Let "me" (Danny) invite you here (Newfoundland and Labrador) to give you the proof and true facts so that you can be better informed.
10 Facts/Points of the debate:
1) Yes its shocking to watch "cuddly baby seals" getting bludgeoned. He nor we condone inhumane activity
2) Don't make your decisions based on "shock value" footage or con-tactics from extreme activist organizations
3) 90% of seals are (shot) not clubbed
4) This industry has been under a microscope by the United Nations and deemed "Humane". I guess the UN doesn't count?
5) Paul McCartney's wife seems incapable of listening to fact or even opinions. She likes to scream rubbish each time a "real fact" is presented.
6) If you placed a white sheets on the floor while slaughtering chickens, pigs or cows it wouldn't look very pretty either.
7) If the "Cute and Cuddly" baby seal was not so cute and cuddly and instead was some grotesque rodent, quite frankly noone would be up in arms about it.
8) Both Paul McCartney and his wife are obviously very ill-informed on the matter, period.
9) You should always do your homework before entering a debate. At least attempt to understand the culture.
10) Newfoundland and Labrador is "NOT" Prince Edward Island. Turns out Sir Paul had trouble with this.
I don't think Paul McCartney means any harm. In fact I'm sure he has good intentions. My guess is he was contacted by some extremist/activist organization, given a super-pitch on the seal industry and hammered with shock value until he was convinced to come out and talk about it.
What I got from the entire thing is that neither he nor his over zealous wife are overly educated on the topic. They are unwilling to listen to reason.
When it's all said and done I am 100% happy with Danny Williams representation of Newfoundland. That's a pretty interesting thing to say about (ANY) politician.
February 16, 2006
Amanda Murphy appointed Vice President of INETA Community Activities
Congrats to Amanda
I have known about this for quite awhile but was unsure on if I was allowed to post it yet but obviously I can now.
Amanda Murphy was appointed Vice President of INETA Community Activities. Amanda puts an enourmous effort into the community and user-groups, alot of which is behind the scenes and you do not even see right away.
Press release below:
INETA Announces New Board Members
INETA ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF AMANDA MURPHY AS VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND SCOTT SPRADLIN AS VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING
Redmond, WA – February 1, 2006 – INETA, an organization that provides resources, services, and support for .NET user groups around the globe, today announced the appointment of Amanda Murphy as Vice President of Commuinity Activities and Scott Spradlin as Vice Presidnet of Marketing for INETA North America. “Amanda has been a valuable member of our Community Activities team and is well positioned to lead the team. Scott has been a member of the Marketing team and we are pleased to have him in a leadership role.” says Chris Pels, President of the North American Board of Directors.” Both individuals will be leading several new community efforts with their teams.
About INETA
INETA's mission is to provide the developer user group community with information, resources, and services to facilitate the growth and development of user groups and their membership. Supported by Microsoft Corporation and other sponsors, INETA is an independent volunteer organization run by user group leaders and developers. Currently, INETA supports 773 user groups that represent more than 365,000 developers worldwide. http://www.ineta.org.
Read this article on INETA: Amanda appointed VP of Community Activities at INETA
February 15, 2006
Microsoft Antispyware -vrs- The Rest
One thing is certain, we live in a world filled with spam and people with entirely to much time on their hands that wish to create malicious code simply for the sake of doing so.
In such a world we need to protect our computers and of course the data on them. Next question; What software/technology gets the job done best?
Why don't you be the judge after reading Microsoft's - Comparing Microsoft Antispyware and other Antispyware Technologies
24 years since the Ocean Ranger
It has been 24 years since the disaster of the Ocean Ranger. This probably means little to anyone not from Newfoundland but if you are in the market for a 5 minute history lesson follow the link.
If you would like to take an in-depth history lesson about Newfoundland and Labrador you can always visit quite possibly The Largest Knowledge Base/List of Links about Newfoundland and Labrador on the Internet.
February 12, 2006
My fears and hopes for Web 2.0 and SharePoint
By now everyone has heard the term "Web 2.0". The term was brilliant from a business perspective but somewhat annoying from a technical one.
First we have to figure out what it (Web 2.0) actually means based on dozens of different opinions and then make our own idea from it.
To me web 2.0 means the web is evolving - It's a marketing/hype term being used to breathe new life into a stagnant internet. In short it's simply a buzz-word but it does have merit.
Does Web 2.0 really exist? I guess it depends on your idea of what web 2.0 really is but yes there is something to it when the big players like Microsoft (www.live.com) decide they're going to make an investment. Google is also rumored to have some 2.0'ish experinments in the works. (Ajax Web Editor)
My idea of what web 2.0 is simple, It's a more portable, usable, content-centric and just plain enjoyable online user experience made possible by the numbeous new technologies such as AJAX, Ruby on Rails, .NET 2.0, CSS 3 etc.
This leads me to my main fears for Web 2.0:
- Portability seems to rely on the fact that we're doing everyone online via someone elses website. What if this website goes down? or worse disapears? What happens to your data? We need guarantees that our data is safe, it's able to be backed up, it's able to be ported from one system (website) to another should an inevitable disaster occur.
- Ideas versus Buzzwords. I fear that really great ideas are becoming secondary to a term used to describe it. For example: People might refer to http://deliicio.us as a really cool example of web 2.0. Sure that may be true to an extent but it shouldn't override the fact that it's a brilliant idea The marketing hype will push thrings through for awhile but what happens when people get bored of hearing about web 2.0 and want web 3.0 or 4.0?
Don't take this the wrong way. If the SharePoint Technologies team was to adopt the web 2.0 thinking for the platform I would do the happy dance, twice.
What does this have to do with SharePoint?:
To me SharePoint is a perfect example of web 2.0 (idea wise) but not architecture wise. If however the team was struck by lightning and had an decided to simplify the UI, rethink the markup model of bloated tables and implement instead CSS based layout well then you would have a platform that people would "want" to extend to the extranet.
The idea of making it so easy to create lists which allow users to capture and store dynamic data was brilliant. The idea of re-usable drag and drop components (web parts) was brilliant. When I look at www.live.com or www.netvibes.com etc I just can't help put think of what SharePoint could be as an external platform.
January 25, 2006
Disney buys Pixar
A marriage between Steve Jobs and Disney, a relationship sure to hasten Hollywood’s embrace of the digital world, could be announced as early as this morning.
Not much else to say, Disney buys Pixar
http://photoshopnews.com/2006/01/24/disney-buys-pixar/
January 24, 2006
Information Worker Solutions: Congrats to Infotech Canada
We (Infotech Canada) recently had one of our Team Tools products Trace veritested.
We we happy to find out it passed with flying colours and is now a member of the Windows Server 2003 catalog from Microsoft.
We were also happy to find out that this also put us over the top in the competency/partnership program. With the recent developments Infotech moved from Microsoft Partner - Information Worker Solutions to Microsoft Gold Partner - Information Worker Solutions and Internet Services Vendor.
We are all quite stoked about it, it's good to see the hard work we've put into the SharePoint initiative really start to show.
2006 has started off quite nicely. Ok I am done gloating now, hey it's my blog!
January 21, 2006
Home again!
Sorry the blog has been a little slow the last couple of weeks, I have been on the road with Amanda doing some training/presenting on SharePoint customization.
It was fun, but a lot of work as well so it's nice to be home again. If I have missed any emails over the last couple of weeks my apologies but I have well over 1,000 spam messages to pick through so if it's important please send again.
January 10, 2006
Blog-tastic! - I am not ignoring it!
Just a quick note, I am not ignoring the blog just a little busy for the next couple of weeks. I am on the road with Amanda. We are doing some training and presenting on SharePoint best practices and customization.
This whole presenting preparation is a lot harder than it looks! :)
We expect to be back home around the 20-23 so the blogging will pick up again then!
December 19, 2005
myBlog: Suspicious Activity and Links
Problem solved! - Old MT version + SQL Injections are evil. 3.2 version supposedly fixes the vulnerability.
To those that do it - I hope you are castrated with a rusty spoon! It's my blog I'll be hasty if I want to :)
/shane
December 06, 2005
Presentation Tips
I was just reading Arpan's presentation tips. Some key things to keep in mind if you do much presenting. Head over to Arphan's blog and take a look.
November 02, 2005
12 reasons Web 2.0 entrepreneurs aren’t using Microsoft’s stuff:
Scoble has an interesting post on why some people are not using Microsoft stuff.
Without stooping to the "cult-like" level I will give my personal opinion on the matter:
A lack of education on platforms and technologies and the resources required to maintain and use them would be the only thing that could drive people away from Microsoft completely.
October 19, 2005
Blog Maintenance
Due to an overwhelming amount of SPAM I had to blast and re-roll out the Blog. Things were so slow on the back end that it was unavoidable. If I clicked comments it would take 10 minuts to display. Amanda and I both have our blogs in the same place so it was a nightmare.
Last count there were 15,000 SPAM comments (this is after deleting hundreds and hundreds). The fact that you can accumulate that much spam on a SharePoint Blog is a definate indication that something is seriously wrong.
Nothing has changed but the search isn't working, I have to fix the config file for that. It will be working again tonite. I think Moveable Type is going to need to work a little magic in the comment/spam management area.
October 14, 2005
I just noticed some Team Systems MVP's
I just noticed Jean Luc David was awarded Team Systems MVP, congrats to him on that.
I met him at Tech-ED Orlando. Cool guy, he's written several books and is thoroughly involved in the community and knowledge sharing.
October 10, 2005
AOL Buys Weblogs (25 Mil)
NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 6 (Reuters) - America Online on Thursday said it will buy Weblogs Inc., a network of Web sites focused on topics ranging from scuba diving to gadgets, marking the biggest bet on unfiltered online commentary.
The deal, which is expected to close next week, is worth about $25 million, one source said on Wednesday. Financial terms were not disclosed.
AOL's agreement is the biggest price paid for a network of blogs, or Web journals, analysts said, although it is a smaller price compared with recent Internet acquisitions by media companies such as News Corp.'s (NWSa.N: Quote, Profile, Research) $580 million deal to buy Intermix Media Inc. (MIX.A: Quote, Profile, Research)
Weblogs is one of the more successful attempts at weaving together a network of individual blogs to attract a stable of advertisers and cash in on the blogging phenomenon ... full article
October 07, 2005
30 Years and Beyond for Microsoft
Test your Microsoft trivia knowledge, send a card, or just browse around a 30 year timeline.
Nice interface (done in flash) quite friendly to the eyes.
September 21, 2005
Microsoft Reorg ...
Skip this and read the article
Microsoft on Tuesday announced a sweeping reorganization of the company into three new divisions, a shift that will lead to the retirement of longtime Windows development chief Jim Allchin.
The plan calls for a reorganization of Microsoft into three large divisions led by individual presidents, each reporting to Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's chief executive.
• Jeff Raikes will head up the company's Business division, which will house Microsoft's Information Worker group (which includes its Office product line), and its Business Solutions packaged applications group.
• Kevin Johnson and Jim Allchin will be co-presidents of the Platform Products and Services division, which will comprise Windows Client, Server and Tools and the MSN division. Microsoft said Allchin will hold that new position until he retires, once the company ships Windows Vista at the end of next year.
• Robbie Bach will be president of the Entertainment and Devices division, which will oversee games and mobile device development.
The huge reorganization is designed to streamline the company's decision-making process and improve product development, Ballmer said in a statement.
September 07, 2005
The Hurricane Relief Fund
I am sure by now pretty much everyone on the planet has heard and seen the utter devestation of Hurricane Katrina so not much needs to be said on what it is or was.
The time being wasted with all this he said she said garbage and pointing fingers and whining about who should or shouldn't have done what and when isn't going to help those suffering one bit.
Not one ounce of the morbid or political crack the media shoots into the veins of those that need a daily dose of tragedy, scandal or failure makes a lick of difference to those that are suffering down there right now.
These are people, grandparents, parents, childen and friends, they are not statistics and they need help. Not yesterday, not tommorow they need it now.
Before you scarf down that next cheeseburger, buy that new pair of shoes or even sit curbside to sip on a latte think about one simple fact.
You will not die if you don't get your cheeseburger, latte or shoes but the people of New Orleans very well may.
Everyone can help is one way or another and blogging is no exception. News travels fast.
