Blogging Again

So, I'm gonna make a go of blogging again. It's been a long time since I've done it, but I will try to get back into it.

SharePoint 2007 - Installed!

Whew. Finally. We finally have SharePoint 2007 Beta installed. It's a distributed installation (across only two machines - WFE and DB). What a pain in the butt it was. Yeah, I know, it's beta software, etc., etc...

We encounted that SID problem that occurs when machines are re-imaged and newSID is run. We did find an article or two that discussed exactly how to rectify this issue - and we did indeed heed their advice. However, we still had problems.

So, our solution, albeit drastic and not a configuration we'd recommend in a production scenario (and hopefully MS will have this problem fixed before RTM), was to give Local, Network Services, and WS ADMIN permissions to all registry keys. Once we did that, the SP config proceeded without a hitch.

We'll be focusing heavily on Workflow - trying to get a WWF-authored state machine attached to a list.

I'll post some more about our experiences later. I will say, though, that the system runs a heck of a lot faster than when we were running this inside a VPC image.

VS Dead?

I recently attended VS Live! in NYC. I've attended this conference 3 other times over the years. Boy, what a dissappointment this time around.

My only question regarding this year's event: What happened? This used to be a world-class conference. There were only two vendors at the conference - and neither one of them was Microsoft! What happened to midnight madness? Yes, a couple of the seasoned speakers were there (Hollis, Lhotka, Getz, and Kurata), who presented topics like WPF, VS "secrets", and OO design. But overall, the quality seemed significantly diminished.

Maybe the 9/11 anniversary kept folks away. Maybe Fawcette is having financial problems. Maybe other conferences have stolen the mindshare of the speakers. Whatever the reason, this will definately be the last time I attend a VS Live conference.

Have you attended VS Live recently? What was your experience like?

Software Complexity

While working as a Software Architect for a Health Insurance Company, it increasingly amazes me how complex software has become. There are literally hundreds of choices to make to deploy even the simplest enterprise package. Click this. Check that box. Configure this XML file. Jeez!

While experience in IT always matters, a "generalist" approach no longer seems to work. We need specialists. More and more specialists. Folks who are highly trained in specialized enterprise software. And that's the catch-22. If we as IT staff specialize, we run the risk of being pigeon-holed. If we remain generalists, we aren't as effective and productive as we could be.

I guess the the key is to specialize in "adaptability." As IT Staff, we must adapt to a changing world. Software vendors constantly bombard us with new TLA (three-letter acronyms) to learn and consume. Technology often changes right beneath our noses. New business requirements show up all the time (yes, even after sign-off). Spending time on your ability to adapt to these changes is the key for surviving and thriving in this rewarding industry.

What special techniques do you use to remain "adaptable?"

Bill Bryson

I've been listening to Bill Bryson's A Short History of Everything...wow! He really makes you think. Why are we here? (Because we're here...roll the bones). The thought that "here" is really nowhere makes the drive in to work seem so trivial - even when the guy in front of you is going soooooo sloooooooow.

Highly recommended reading.

Taylor Hicks - Is that you?

Taylor Hicks?