Where to Start?...

I guess id like to christen my blog with a big thank you to the guys already out there in the community blogging on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007. THANK YOU! The information available out there in the community at the moment is invaluable and can only get better... *refuses to pun about a rolling stone on first post*

I also wanted to give an overview of what ill be hoping to blog about over the coming couple of weeks. I've recently undertaken a project that leverages the Web Content Management (fantastic WCM linkfest from Andrew Connell) features of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server to create a medium-sized, relatively simple, web site/application. The aim is to keep it as much 'Out of the Box' as possible with little custom development, but the areas I will be looking at include;

• Setup and Configuration
• Master Pages
• Page Layouts
• Content Types
• Site Columns
• Workflow
• Info Path forms
• Content Migration

I shall endeavor to blog about my findings, learning's, solutions, thoughts, ideas etc. from the project here, in the hope of providing 'real world' examples of challenges that I encounter.

I don't have a SharePoint background, my focus has been more in the content management space, so I wont be tackling the project as either an experienced SharePoint Administrator or Developer. With a little luck this will serve well to others, like me, that are packing up their bags of web content and jumping aboard the Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 bandwagon or atleast thinking about it!

Right, time to get my hands dirty... Wish me luck :o)

Me, Myself and MyBlog

I'm a 20-something Information Worker, specialising in Microsoft technologies; specifically Microsoft Content Management Server 2002(MCMS) and Windows SharePoint Services(<).

More recently, my head has been turned by the upcoming release of the 2007 Microsoft Office system and since July06 my focus has been primarily on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 beta2. Coming from a web content management background my particular areas of interest in this release are obviously the Web Content Management (WCM) features, and the 'baked-in' migration tools for upgrading existing MCMS web sites.

Having read hundreds of blog postings, white papers etc and watched hours of web casts,  presentations, I guess now the time is upon me to start delivering solutions and learning in a more 'real world' manner.

The intention of this blog is to document my learning's in as concise and accurate manner as possible, but inevitably as with most good intentions, this may not always be true!  So do bare with me on this little journey, its gonna be a steep learning curve, we've got heaps to cover!...