April 27, 2007

Microsoft Share Point: Manage Content & Processes, Enhance Collaboration and More

I just finished watching a presentation about Microsoft Share Point. I've heard about Share Point for several years but really never realized how powerful it was until I watched the presentation.

Share Point, like many Microsoft applications is a server based service that works through a web browser and Microsoft Office applications.

The Wall Street Journal writes how many companies are using Share Point because its bundled and already a part of the software they currently use. The missing component is Share Point server.

When the Miami-Dade County Public Schools set out to build a way for its teachers, students and parents to collaborate online, it was surprised to discover it already had Microsoft Corp. software that could help do the job.

Included with software the school district had previously bought was something called SharePoint Services, which Miami-Dade used as the first step in creating a system for planning school programs and classes, posting notices, and handling other tasks that require its teachers and students to collaborate.

Collaboration is a VERY, VERY hot market now and will only increase. There's a long list of companies offering collaboration services.

WSJ writes SharePoint is now Microsoft's contender in an emerging battle over collaboration software with companies from a cross section of the technology industry including Oracle Corp., Adobe Systems Inc., IBM, EMC Corp., Cisco Systems Inc., Google Inc. and lesser-known players such as Zimbra Inc., Alfresco Software Inc., the Plone Foundation and Socialtext Inc. Each company has its own approach to collaborative software market, but "all want to be central to it," says Peter O'Kelly, an analyst at researcher Burton Group.

If you need to collaborate, the question is not how to do it, but WHICH software to use.

Some software offers basic features, that might be just fine for your business.

Other software is going to be a bit more complex to install and manage, but also offer more features.

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