The Microsoft Courier is scheduled to be released in Q3 or Q4 of calendar year 2010. As an early adopter of the TabletPC back in 2002, I am very interested to see how this device will compare with the iPad. The obvious difference is the pen, but until Microsoft actually picks a hardware platform not many more comparisons can be drawn, in my opinion.
Looking forward to it, none-the-less. Slightly more information available on SoftSailor.
Wow! As a former Microsoft employee supporting the Federal government, I can say with some limited amount of authority, that this is NOT an isolated incident (click the title to read the article).
The Microsoft Sales Machine often attempts to solve the problem before they really understand the problem, or even worse, truly relate to the problem. They do, typically have good intentions but their methods often miss the point.
Microsoft would be far better served actively participating in solving the business problem first, in its entirety, before offering (selling) up their software (be it in the cloud or not) as means of helping solve said problem. Technology is nothing more than a tool and tools don’t solve problems, people with great ideas do.
Yesterday, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting and receiving a personal tour of the Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress (LoC). I was overwhelmed by the impeccable detail and amazing beauty everywhere I turned. The Jefferson Building has to be one of the city’s best kept secrets. I cannot believe in all the years that I have lived in the area that yesterday was my first time in the historic treasure.
Several years ago the Library, in partnership with Microsoft and Terremark, created the Library of Congress Experience:
The Library of Congress Experience offers “hands-on” interaction with rare cultural treasures in ways that inspire and engage. Cutting-edge interactive technologies seamlessly integrate with the Library’s on-site exhibitions to provide dynamic access to the magnificent Jefferson Building and to the unmatched collections of the Library of Congress. The experience continues on-line through the companion web site myLOC.gov which contains exhibition content and can be personalized to your interests
The interactive technologies within the Library leveraged touch screen kiosks distributed throughout the Library along with Microsoft’s Silverlight to enhance a visitors experience while visiting the Jefferson Building. This interaction can be tracked and linked to a visitors’s myloc.gov account (which requires a Windows Live Passport) for continued exploration of the Library long after they have returned home. Not surprisingly, myLoc.gov was developed upon Microsoft’s SharePoint Server platform.
It has been almost two years since the Library of Congress Experience was first introduced and it received the following awards:
I couldn’t help myself, though, as I began to wonder how the experience could be enhanced? How could a visitor’s location aware, mobile device be leveraged to enhance the “experience”, for example? As my mind continued to wonder I could easily see a LoC version of Foursquare, points and all, being leveraged in a way that today’s mobile savvy users could enjoy. Maybe some sort of modern day scavenger hunt within the Library leveraging one’s mobile device with embedded GPS? It could also allow visitors from all over the world to collaborate and learn together, in real-time, with complete strangers united only by the fact that they happened to visit the world’s largest Library on the same day, at the same time.
Now wouldn’t that be an “experience”?
I think so!
Once upon a time, I designed and deployed SharePoint portals for a living in various agencies within the Federal government. My fascination with SharePoint has not dwindled and now I am on a quest to root out any and all implementations of public facing, government-run SharePoint sites. I am aware of the following at this point in time:
Treasury.gov (SP 2010/AWS) - added 3/22/2012
Marines.mil - added 3/22/2012
Department of the Navy/Civilian Human Resources (MOSS 2007) - added 5/16/2012
City of Des Moines (MOSS 2007) - added 5/16/2012
So if you are aware of any others, be it Federal, State, or Local government implementations, please drop me a line and let me know. Be sure to include which version of SharePoint is currently deployed and any other thoughts regarding the implementation (good, bad, or indifferent). Thanks in advance!
NOTE: My intention is to follow-up with a comprehensive post entailing my findings.
So the question is, should SharePoint 2010 try to be the end-all, be-all or should it become the “best of breed” in very specific areas?
Ummm… I got nothing other than LOLZ…
Devil’s Tower. This is as far west as we go my friends. Tomorrow we start the long journey home.
Prepare to swim to Sturgis!!
Just to prove my point about Miss Twinkle Toes, here is one more. Wedding post coming up next.
Not quite wedding related, but.. our baby girl is too cute not to share! We just can’t get enough of those little toes. Her toes have a mind of...
