Tech Ed Sydney 2008

Microsoft TechEd 2008 was a mass of geeks with backpacks on rushing from session to session to fill their brains with more geeky knowledge. It sure wasn't a fashion parade! T-shirts with cryptic and witty technical terms housing light-deprived slightly hunched uber geeks.

The coffee stands did a roaring trade, the labs were chock full most of the time, the Microsoft staff were run off their feet but happy. The MVPs had another excuse to congregate, educate, be quizzed and go drinking together. All in all, a great few days!

There were sessions on zillions of topics - developer tools, server virtualisation and others I can't pronounce.

We had a theatre dedicated to presentations by MVPs and it was a hub of activity!

workplace efficiency consultant, coach, trainer: Document your processes#comments

workplace efficiency consultant, coach, trainer: Document your processes#comments

Community Clips

Microsoft have made a new service (it's still in BETA it's so new) called Communtiy Clips.

You can record video and audio showing a how to tip. There are tips about most Microsoft software on the site now. You can comment on tips and there's a feedback link as well so you can tell the development team of any problems ( I DID say it was in Beta didn't I?).

The tool to record your tip is very basic (compared to Camtasia Studio for example), and you cannot edit it. So have a few tries until you're happy with it before you upload it. It's very easy to use as there are no options apart from delete or post (no editing whatsoever).

To get rid of ums and ahs, write a script of what you want to say and say it and stop. try to keep your mouse still, except when you have a purposeful movement to make as it's very distracting to have it jumping about on screen.

Beware of puffing and P sounds in your microphone - I had to move mine up above my head to make it sounds half-decent. Of and of course - everyone apart from us Aussies down under have these horrid accents you'll have to live with. Arggghhh.

workplace efficiency consultant, coach, trainer: Have a play with another productivity tool - OneNote

workplace efficiency consultant, coach, trainer: Have a play with another productivity tool - OneNote
http://office.microsoft.com/en-au/onenote/default.aspx

Have a play with another productivity tool - OneNote

Ever seen OneNote? It's a productivity tool form Microsoft. In version 2007 it has come of age and is an excellent piece of software that's difficult to describe.

Regardless of which version of Office you have, download the trial of OneNote 2007 from the Microsoft web site and have a play. Make sure you read some of the Case Studies and think about their relevance to you as well. I often find it's challenging to see how OneNote could improve your productivity and the Case Studies do a fantastic job of putting you on the right track.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-au/onenote/default.aspx

NOTE:
As an MVP I don't work for Microsoft and I do regularly bag out what they've done with their software. I get no comissions, no payments from MS. I do get a little present each year I am an MVP - but it is little! Really.