One Suggestion for a URL Shortening Solution in SharePoint
December 30, 2011
We know that communicating SharePoint links can get pretty painful when you copy and paste a link to a document from a Document Library buried deep in a hierarchal list of sites. URL shortening has eased a lot of this pain across a variety of platforms. Jan Tielens discusses URL shortening and provides a suggested solution in “URL Shortening for SharePoint 2010.” The author describes her solution:
So to make a long SharePoint URL short, you can copy the URL to the clipboard, go to a URL shortener, past the long link over there and copy the short URL you get in return back to the clipboard. Works perfectly, but there are quite some tedious steps to go through. Already a long time ago, when SharePoint 2007 was still the rage, I posted some code that automates all these steps. Finally I found some time to update the code to SharePoint 2010 and nicely package it in a Sandboxed Solution, so it works both for SharePoint 2010 deployed on premises as in the cloud on Office 365.
A handy tip for a pesky problem, no doubt. We’ve seen how short URLs allow for convenient messaging and sharing, like in the case with Twitter or Identi.ca. But URL shortening is a tedious process.
If you prefer to focus your time on tasks of greater importance, check out Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Over there, they really have text processing components in SharePoint down to an art. You can read more here at, “Information Pairing Makes Websites More Intelligent!” to learn about some of the benefits of their information pairing technology. “It smoothly integrates itself into your website so that the user doesn’t even realize that Cloud services are working in the background. Furthermore, InSite always knows what a user is interested in.” Their great deal of digital know-how takes convenience to a new level with mobility and maintenance-free capabilities; check out Fabasoft Mindbreeze.
Philip West, December 30, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Protected: Cloud Applications May Keep Companies from Going Down with World Economy
December 30, 2011
Learn from a Cloud Fail with Office 365
December 29, 2011
The Clever Workarounds blog, run by Paul Culmsee of Seven Sigma Business Solutions, discusses mainly SharePoint issues with specific reference to strategy, governance, and return on investment issues. A recent post, “The Cloud isn’t the Problem – Part 2: When Complex Technology Meets Process,” follows an article asserting the need that for adaptive change with Cloud computing. In the current post, these adaptive changes and challenges are discussed.
The author begins with an Office 365 fail story that all can learn from. Lesson learned? Even a typo can take out a large system. From the typo in the Microsoft Online Services Company Identifier came a chain of events that could have resulted in a production E3 service being mistakenly deleted. While no one person or platform is to blame, it shows a flaw in the system. The author reflects:
Now I hope that I don’t sound bitter and twisted from this experience. In fact, the experience reinforced what most in IT strategy already know. It’s not about the technology. I still like what Office 365 offers and I will continue to use and recommend it under the right circumstances. This experience was simply a sobering reality check though that all of the cool features amounts to naught when it can be undone by dodgy underlying supporting structures. I hope that Microsoft and Telstra read this and learn from it too. From a customer perspective, having to work through Telstra as a proxy for Microsoft feels like additional layers of defense on behalf of Microsoft. Is all of this duplication really necessary?
For a stable and reliable system that still provides the benefits of complex technology, consider a third party solution like Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Their Web Parts based information pairing capabilities leave you with powerful searches and a complete picture of your business information. Here Daniel Fallman discusses the technology, “To put it concrete terms, the current Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite release enable a maintenance-free, always up-to-date conflation of information from different areas. Always relevant. Always interesting. Always to the point. For both you and your website’s users.” Consider Fabasoft Mindbreeze’s full suite of products to find a solution for your system.
Philip West, December 29, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Protected: The Best Post-X-Mas SharePoint Gift
December 29, 2011
In-Depth Look at Continuous Integration Benefits in SharePoint 2010
December 28, 2011
We recently wrote about Andrew Connell’s list of suggested resources for your ALM and CI questions. In his post, the first suggestion for a ‘why’ introduction to the topic was Chris O’Brien’s “SharePoint 2010 Continuous Integration – Part 1: Benefits.” O’Brien points out a SharePoint environment adds some additional challenges and involvement to CI implementation contrary to what ease you may find in the .Net world. However, he identifies many benefits and argues that the positive feedback from users is evidence it is worth it. First, he points out where to start with CI:
Let’s be clear though – Continuous Integration (CI) is probably best suited to projects with the following characteristics: Development-oriented – perhaps with more than, say, 3 Visual Studio projects; Multiple developers; Fairly long-running (e.g. > 2-3 months; to give the team a chance to implement CI alongside the actual deliverables)
Some benefits include consistent builds, automated testing, and increased team cohesion through build notifications. The rest of the fairly lengthy article gives a great overview of CI benefits and what an implementation actually looks like. Links are also provided to the subsequent posts in the series which follow up with topics including TFS 2010 Build Processes and Using PowerShell to deploy WSPs from build output.
With ample staffing and ability investments into implementing the CI techniques, you can really make a big difference on SharePoint development projects. However, to add efficiency to your organization without the need for such training and research, consider Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Their out-of-the-box solution gives you mobility and information pairing:
Information pairing unites enterprise information and Cloud information. This results in a complete overview of a company’s knowledge – the basis for your competitive advantage – allowing you to act quickly, reliably, dynamically and profitably in all business matters.
Consider their full suite of products and solutions at Fabasoft Mindbreeze.
Philip West, December 28, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Protected: Mondeca Tackles French Electronic Patient Record Database
December 28, 2011
Trends and Challenges of Enterprise Search Discussed in Online Presentation
December 27, 2011
One of the best ways to stay on top of trends and happenings in the world of enterprise search is to check out some online training opportunities, webinars, talks, and lectures. Many are free, or relatively inexpensive, and can be easily accessed at your convenience. Susan Koch’s recent presentation from the Online Information Conference 2011, “The Landscape of Enterprise Search,” is one of these handy information sources.
Topics covered include challenges in enterprise search, four trends from the industry, and advice for those deploying an enterprise search system. So what are some trends in the world of searching and indexing diverse business information? With consumers driving social network proliferation, it is no surprise integrated social functions make the list. Most other trends revolve around the user experience: easy integrated searching, combining structured and unstructured data, and combining different content types in search results.
The presentation also includes some points on what a buyer should consider when transitioning to enterprise search, like the following:
What specific functions are essential? What kind of content is to be processed? How frequently is the index to be updated? How will the data to be searched grow? How might future search needs be different?
It is important to consider third party solutions when deploying your new system. They often provide an easy solution while easing startup costs. We like Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Their suite of products is in line with enterprise search trends, including social media and integrated searching.
In “Informed Decisions: Connect your Enterprise and the Cloud,” Daniel Fallmann explains:
To make swift and informed decisions it is essential to get a fast understanding of the available information and of all relations and people/experts involved. Enterprise Search and especially Unified Information Access allow a perfect symbiosis of (on-premise) enterprise applications with Cloud services and Cloud Apps. With our latest release, the 2011 Winter Release, we have released a brand new feature that empowers the individual user to make use of Cloud services to seamlessly.
Check out Mindbreeze solutions for your enterprise search system.
Philip West, December 27, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Resources for Your ALM and CI Questions
December 26, 2011
Recently, a SharePoint 2010 Developer instructor, Andrew Connell, posted some suggested sources to turn to for answering your frequently asked questions on Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) and continuous integration (CI) in “SharePoint 2010, ALM and Continuous Integration Resources.” Andrew Connell is a Microsoft developer specializing in the .NET Framework and content management, specifically Microsoft Content Management Server 2002 and SharePoint. He is also a multiple time recipient of the Most Valuable Professional for SharePoint Server Award. He explains:
When teaching SharePoint 2010 developer classes I typically get at least one question every other class as it relates to ALM. On occasion there is at least one student who is used to doing continuous integration (CI) in their non-SharePoint projects and want to know how to it in SharePoint 2010 projects. For me, the best person you can look to is Chris O’Brien.
ALM, the coordination of all aspects of software engineering, can be of benefit to your work processes. While Connell’s suggested resources are a little older, they have worthy advice on the topic and are a good place to start.
If after reading you find you still need assistance, consider a full-service firm like Fabasoft Mindbreeze. As a third party solution for your SharePoint system, their technology combines your on-premise information with Cloud information, connecting the right people to the right information. Here you can read more about how Mindbreeze adds more efficiency for SharePoint, “It enables all information that is connected to Mindbreeze to be displayed in Microsoft SharePoint. This takes place smoothly via Web Parts. In this way not only information contained within Microsoft SharePoint, but also all other information that is available within the respective company, can be consolidated within one “platform.”
Check out Fabasoft Mindbreeze’s full suite of solutions.
Philip West, December 26, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Protected: SharePoint: Easy Enough for Kids
December 23, 2011
Mindbreeze Deemed a Positive Force in Enterprise Search
December 22, 2011
Gartner’s MarketScope for Enterprise Search recently examined a group of generalist vendors that deliver simply priced platforms for solid enterprise search functionality. Mindbreeze is on the chart with a high rating of ‘positive’ based on evaluation criteria including product strategy, innovation, customer experience, overall viability, market understanding, and business model. Details of the evaluation and the enterprise search markets are discussed in, “MarketScope for Enterprise Search.”
“Gartner’s MarketScope for Enterprise Search reflects the changing needs and approach of users, who now generally ask first about technologies from Microsoft or Google, and then consider more platform-oriented or specialty-focused selections later. Specialized search-based applications are still priced to match their greater value for companies and organizations that must find information as a key element of strategic projects.”
Gartner’s MarketScope evaluated vendors that are ordinarily used for generalist projects, are well established, have the option to be bought and operated independently of other products, and were natively developed or founded on open-source technology.
In the report, Fabasoft Mindbreeze as a third party solution is noted for its broad product line, significant investments in federation as a means to broaden search, and its effective social search allowing user collaboration. Mindbreeze’s strong technological and functional offerings add value to your information in a user-friendly manner. Here you can read more about Mindbreeze solutions for facilitating findability:
“Our information pairing technology makes you unbeatable. Information pairing unites enterprise information and Cloud information. This results in a complete overview of a company’s knowledge – the basis for your competitive advantage – allowing you to act quickly, reliably, dynamically and profitably in all business matters.”
While there may not yet be an out-of-the-box solution for all your enterprise search needs, you’ll want to optimize your system with a professional vendor that has comprehensive solutions and an understanding of your business needs. To do this, check out the broad range of products available from Fabasoft Mindbreeze.
Philip West, December 22, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
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