Office Newswire: Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference news – 7.11.2012

It’s Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) Week. Next to Tech Ed, this is probably Microsoft’s largest conference of the year. WPC is for the marketing & sales peeps. I’ve never attended it and I don’t really ever want to. I prefer Tech Ed and PDC.

Still, there is a place for WPC as people need to know how Microsoft plans to hit the market and position their wares. Therefore, I recommend paying attention to it. But if you prefer not to do so, relax… you have the newswire.

BTW: I need to pause for a moment to congratulate Mr. Roger Federer for winning his 7th Wimbledon title. This title is his 17th Grand Slam overall. Even you don’t like tennis, you gotta respect this athletic achievement. Federer increased his record number of Grand Slam titles and regained the #1 ranking. He will now surpass Pete Sampras for the total number of weeks spent as #1 during his career. Now… if he could just figure out how to beat that pesky Rafael Nadal.

Office news & editorials!

• The Next Microsoft :: There’s a reason I’m leading with this item. A designer gives himself 3 days to remake Microsoft’s branding. Those three days produced some impressive ideas. I’d love to see MSFT ditch their branding plans for Windows & Office in favor these ideas.
• “Over 1,000,000,000 served” -Microsoft Office :: 1 Billion people can’t be wrong… Kurt DelBene is quoted in an official Microsoft.com blog post. That’s a lot of potential customers for us Office Developer types.
• Microsoft’s lost mojo: Is this the final straw for forced rankings? :: I touched on this topic last week. Here’s more commentary. I agree that blaming Forced Ranking for Microsoft’s issues is silly. By this I mean that Forced Ranking didn’t create Apple… which seems to be Microsoft’s biggest problem right now. That… and… the fact that they rested on their laurels for a decade.
• MS Office vs. Quickoffice: BYOD could win the battle :: BYOD = Bring Your Own Device. Yes, Google paid big sums of cash to acquire QuickOffice. This purchase gives Google a solid mobile Office suite. The trouble is, it isn’t Office and it doesn’t match MSFT Office feature-to-feature. To me, apps like QuickOffice are good for reading documents when all I have is my phone. The lack of features makes them less than desirable for document authoring purposes. Which leads me to our next item…
• Microsoft Office for iOS could solve the BYOD problem :: For all things good and holy, Steve Ballmer and Kurt DelBene… are you reading the newswire? I sure hope so. If Microsoft doesn’t defend Office by delivering a multiple platform mobile version of Office… well… it’ll hurt.
• Windows 8: Redmond, we have a problem :: Three words… lack of Outlook. We’re talking Windows RT for ARM. At least that what I think Microsoft calls that version of Windows. Sometimes it is hard to keep this stuff in your head.
• Steve Wozniak excited about Microsoft, sees a new company :: I like Mr. Wozniak because 1) he is a technology enthusiast and 2) he calls it like he sees it. His loyalty is to the truth, not politics. The article’s pull quote is proof that The Woz remains right on the money.

Still no news regarding the long expected and upcoming Office 15 (2013?) public beta. By no news, I mean, no news except for screenshots of Office 15 icons as they might appear in Windows 8 metro.

Office tips, tricks & tools

• Tips & Tricks to get the most from Microsoft Office :: YAOTTA. I’m adding a new acronym to the acronym lexicon. It’s pronounced like “yoda”. It means… Yet Another Office Tips & Trick Article. Enjoy.
• Download: Microsoft Office 2011 14.2.3 update :: The latest update. Download today and keep your system secure.
• SharePoint 2010 Composites: Do-It-Yourself Business Solutions :: Composite applications are SharePoint’s “no code" solutions. This means you can thumb your nose at developer types (like me) and build an app. But while you make the magic happen and build an app of your own… be nice to use developers. One day, you’ll hit the infamous capability wall and you’ll need a friendly developer to extend the magic.
• Too much data? Use Auto Outline to group and view it :: A short article explaining how to use an underrated Excel feature. This is stuff you need to know if you want that raise.
• How to add new sounds inside Microsoft Office applications :: Some of you might be interested in this. I have a few sounds I want to change on my friend’s systems. Sounds that embarrass.

Office developer items of note

• 10 steps to enable ‘Anonymous Access’ for your SharePoint 2010 site :: Want to enable anonymous access to the super cool SharePoint site of yours? There is 10 point action plan to make that happen.
• Create a workflow using Visual Studio 2010 :: This is the kinds of magic made possible by a friendly and knowledgeable developer.

Cutting room floor

• What to never eat at fast food places, according to fast food workers :: I wish I had not read it but my curiosity overwhelmed me.
• A Higgs boson Q&A :: Gluons, Quarks, & Protons oh my!
• Star Trek Ambient Engine Noise: In case you can’t find a coffee shop… hat tip to Mr. Eric Legault
• Novak Djokovic unbelievable training :: Looks easy… is very difficult.