Bill Baer /bɛːr/

Microsoft Ignite will open the window to our vision, strategy, and future for SharePoint and provide a first look at most recent developments with SharePoint Server 2016. From the business value for organizations looking to modernize their workplace and infrastructure to the technical value it will deliver to IT Professionals and Developers as well as new hybrid investments for those customers looking to enrich their existing investments with cloud innovation. With Microsoft Ignite just around the corner, it’s time to look back and provide a little historical SharePoint information.

Register to attend the SharePoint 2010: Bits from the Edge Virtual Conference brought to you by SharePoint Connections. Bits from the Edge is free one day online conference for SharePoint Developers February 16th 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. EST and 18th 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. GMT, 2010. On both dates I’ll be presenting a 30 minute session from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. covering several new features in Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 designed specifically for the IT Professional and answering any questions you may have related to IT Professional features or Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 in general.

Conference season is upon us and it’s gearing up to be a great way to close out the year - join me at the 2009 Microsoft SharePoint Conference in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center October 19th through October 22nd, 2009 or for those locally and can’t make the conference join me at the 2009 Pass Community Summit with Burzin Patel November 2nd through November 5th, 2009 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle.

I’m often asked either when I became involved with Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies or what single event resulted in my evangelism and subsequent work with Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies, so here we go: I was attending a meeting in June of 2000, at the time, just having joined Compaq Computer Corporation’s Enterprise Solutions and Services division when I listened to Michael Capellas, then CEO, envision Compaq as “guided by a single, focused vision: Everything to the Internet”, (I still have my laminated card, fitted for a badge holder, with those words emblazoned).

While walking about the various booths and displays this afternoon during the Ask the Experts session at the Microsoft Office SharePoint Conference 2008 I found this rather unusual SharePoint user in the midst. If Master Chief uses SharePoint…. ;-)

Seattle → Amsterdam → The Hague → Seattle (TechReady6) → SharePoint Conference 2008. February has been an amazing month for myself and SharePoint, having the opportunity to promote the platform in Europe and discuss security and data protection with SharePoint in Seattle at TechReady6, a whitepaper published, and a birthday in between ;-). I won’t be presenting at the SharePoint Conference (I always say that and always find myself doing so), but will be present at the conference and represented during the Ask the Experts session on Wednesday, March 5th, 2008 11:00 A.

The Microsoft Office Developers Conference 2008 is less than one month away. The Microsoft Office Developers Conference is the premier event for both Microsoft Office and SharePoint Products and Technologies developers. Visit https://microsoft.crgevents.com/ODC2008/Content/default.aspx?p=UC3HYF to learn more or register for the event which runs between February 10th - 13th, 2008 in San Jose, CA at the San Jose Convention Center. The Microsoft Office Developers Conference 2008 will include a set of keynotes by senior Microsoft executives, five (5) technical tracks, 90 break-out sessions and hands-on labs in addition to an Executive Track where analysts, Microsoft and industry executives can learn the how and why of Office applications and their respective competive advantages.

For those internal readers attending TR6, I’ve confirmed as a speaker/presenter for the following topics (dates and locations TDB) - as dates/times and locations are finalized, I’ll make them available here. OFC322 SharePoint Backup and Restore OFC321 Securing SharePoint OFCIL300 R1 and R2 Upgrading to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 from Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 *Instructor Led Lab co-presenting with Rick Taylor [You’ll enjoy this one!]

If you are in or plan to be in the Puget Sound area on November 8th, I encourage you to register for the PacWest Sales Event focused on governance in SharePoint Products and Technologies; presenters will include myself, Joel, Jim Adams, and others…for more information on registration, location, date, and details visit Joel’s blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/joelo/archive/2007/10/30/free-pac-west-sales-event-meeting-of-the-minds-governance-and-sharepoint-2007.aspx.