Scott Jamison

The Microsoft Certified Master, arguably the best possible credential for SharePoint Server 2007 (and soon to be 2010), is an intense three-week training and certification program led by worldwide experts. If you’re interested in this advanced program for SharePoint Server 2007, there are two remaining sessions available before the 2010 offerings kick in.

They are:

September 14–October 2, 2009
November 2–21, 2009

I will be leading the logical architecture and information archtiecture instruction at each of these. If you want to be part of the premier certification for SharePoint, be sure to apply soon!  (But read some first-hand experiences to make sure you’re ready, such as this one.)

Windows 7, which I’ve been using in beta form since January, is a major release for Microsoft. The combination of stability, speed, and UI innovations in this version have left me feeling very good about this version of Windows. I’ve got the RC running on all of my machines, and it runs great no matter whether it’s a netbook or a powerful workstation.  I’ll be upgrading to the RTM version shortly.

If you’re interested in grabbing the bits, here’s the schedule:

• Aug 6:  MSDN Subscribers
• Aug 7:  Volume Licensing Customers (VLSC)
• Aug 16:  Partners (via the Microsoft Partner Network Portal)
• Aug 23: Action Pack Subscribers
• Oct 22: General Availability

If you’d like to play with the Release Candidate until the RTM version is posted for download, check out this site.

Back in the summer of 2007, I was interviewed at Microsoft’s TechEd Conference on the topic of SharePoint Server 2007. A colleague happened to find those interviews on the Web recently using a bing search and mentioned that he thought the material was more relevant than ever. Why? Because Microsoft’s vision for SharePoint is still continuing to unfold, with topics like governance, business planning, and composite applications at the front and center of implementations worldwide. The stakes will continue to rise as planning for the next version begins anew. Moving to SharePoint Server 2010? Good choice.  But be prepared and plan well.

Essential SharePoint Part 1       Essential SharePoint Part 2

Interested in learning more about the next version of SharePoint? There are three new videos up on the Web where you can get a peek at some of the enhancements in SharePoint 2010.

In the first video, Tom Rizzo provides a 30-minute overview of some of the SharePoint 2010 investment areas, including the ribbon UI, new web features, and the SharePoint Workspace client.

In the second video, Richard Riley provides a 10-minute overview of the IT Pro investments in SharePoint 2010, including a streamlined Central Administration UI and new logging, throttling, and recovery options.

In the third video, Paul Andrew provides a 25-minute overview of the Developer investments in SharePoint 2010, including new tools like the developer dashboard and read/write access to data via Business Connectivity Services (formerly known as the BDC).

On the site, the team talks about how a public beta will be available later this year and that the final release will be available in H1 2010. Additional information is available on the FAQ portion of the site.