Office Newswire: Office news you can use! – 2.15.2012

Today’s newswire will be written by me, the author, while performing the following two tricks:

1. Drinking coffee
2. Standing up

They might not sound like tricks to you. But those of us that are older know these are indeed tricks.

Heck, sometimes just being alive is a magic trick in and of itself.

I think there is some really good stuff this week. I make this comment at the risk of sounding as if some newswires are better than others. I like to think that isn’t the case… that they are all great. But the reality is probably a lot like a lyric from the great prophet of our time, Bono:

“Some days are better than others.”

So, is today’s Office Newswire better than others? I’ll leave it to you to decide. But before you judge, please consider the two tricks I am performing as I type. I think they comprise part of the quality equation today.

Okay then… let’s get it and keep on getting’ it!

Office news you can use!

• Office 15 will be installed automatically on Windows 8 for ARM :: Well maybe. Still a lot of details to decipher from Mr. Steven Sinofsky’s blog post regarding Windows 8 on ARM but it just might be true. Mary Jo Foley (MJF) has additional info and interpretations on her blog.The biggie here is that MJF states definitively that Office 15 “will be a Desktop application, meaning it won’t be redone to take advantage of WinRT.” That’s big news.
• First glimpses of Office 15 don’t include the ribbon :: Is the Ribbon dead? Will Microsoft finally heed the complaints of baby-boomers everywhere and return to the command bar? Ha! I highly doubt it. But what inquiring minds want to know is… just how will MSFT alter the Office UI to support the traditional desktop as well as the Metro UI? At this point, I speculate that only Microsoft knows these details. If you want to some of this in action, there is this video on YouTube. Everything looks so nice an clean!
• Windows 8 Consumer Preview + Office “15” Technical Preview :: You want lots and lots of screenshots? Mr. Paul Thurrot has lots of screenshots! You think a picture says a thousand words? Then this item has 15,000 of em.
• Confessions of an office worker, or why Google Apps rules and Outlook sucks :: I include this item in an attempt to maintain some form of objectiveness and avoid appearing like a total Office fan boy. See, I offer both sides. Not everyone prefers Office. In fact, some go so far as to so not-so-nice-things about beloved applications like Outlook. I think they’re crazy but who am I to judge? I’ll leave that to you.

Office tips, tricks & tools

• Insert database query results as a table programmatically in Word 2010 :: This item reads like it belongs in the developer section of the newswire. I assure you it does not. This is a little known feature inside Word that is pretty slick. I admit, I didn’t know about it.
• Introduction to SharePoint 2010 :: If I had a dollar for each time I have been asked to explain SharePoint… well… I’d most likely still be here writing the newswire. Still, I am asked often and I just might starting point the inquisitive individual to this article. But I think it would be wicked cool to make a video that does the job in 3 minutes or less.
• How to cut and paste in Word without messing up formatting :: I still become confused by the many options that are part of cut & paste. This article from the Word team clears it up for me.

Office developer items of note

Sometimes it’s a struggle to find fresh developer items. This is expected given Office 2010 is no longer the center of attention due to our clamoring for more Office 15 details. Those details will arrive soon enough. For today, we have some solid items for your consideration.

• Add a VSTO Ribbon through late-binding? :: Can it be done? I feel certain it can. I like discussions of late-binding, it’s an essential Office developer skill.
• Build your first SharePoint 2010 Web Part :: Never done it before? This is a great 4-part series for the beginner. The beginner meaning someone that has never build a web part and knows mostly nothing about SharePoint development.
• How to get Outlook attachment contents :: It isn’t as easy you I’d like it to be. Read this post from the forums. Our own Andrei Smolin was part of the discussion and provided the best information.
• How to export your Outlook tasks to Excel with VBA :: This is a nice chunk of VBA code that performs a task Outlook should support out-of-the-box. BTW, I think I wrote a better Outlook to Excel export solution that does the same thing several years ago. I’m just sayin’.

Cutting room floor

• Microsoft + Google = Apple :: some journalists have too much time on their hands. Or (and more likely), they have a deadline and nothing of substance so they come up with link bait like this. I suppose it worked.
• Everything you wanted to know about Microsoft’s upcoming iPad killers :: but were afraid to ask?
• OneNote now available for Android
• AARP and Microsoft release new study on how online communication connects generations :: There is a nice infographic that explains everything.

That’s it for today. I’m going to sit down now and ask someone to bring me another cup of coffee.

See you Friday when I do it all again for the Office 365 Newswire!