Category: Server Technologies

MOSS 2007 and Commerce Server 2007 in action

I was working for the last 1 year on E-Commerce Solution. The main purpose of this project is to provide a plateform where we can have B2B transactions. The project can be divided into following areas:
 
  • Web Portal for delivering Ads and products to the Internet users
  • Internal portal where internal users can manage Ads, transactions, ECM contents for the web portal, customers, reporting and parameter management.
  • Accounts management for all the transactions.

This project was initiated by Microsoft for one of their clients in UAE and my part in this project was to work on the Internet facing portal and Services. We adopted Software as Services approach and develop the entire plateform based on WCF services that can be exposed to any presentaion interface. So it became quite easy for us to develop 2 different portals over the same BL.

Now I am sure, most of people out there agree with me that MOSS is getting popularity as an ECM and getting matured quite rapidly so our natural choice was to use MOSS for our Internet facing portal. We modified every bit of MOSS to satisfy client requirements and I was quite surprised to see the flexibility. Check out what can be achieved using MOSS at Logta. I have read on many places that there are issues with MOSS page size for Internet facing sites and for ECM but believe me there are ways to reduce it. Check page size at Logta and you will start believing me. Out-of-Box MOSS is not upto the standard but you can find a lot of documentation on MSDN of how to optimize MOSS for Internet facing sites. With all the images and Ad stuff, we were able to reduce page size of Home page to around 400K. Also if you will check download time of MOSS pages, you will find it there with all other cool E-Commerce Sites. 

The second cool thing about this solution was that we integrated Commerce Server 2007 with MOSS to provide E-Commerce Services and I am sure it will be the first implementation of MOSS and Comemrce Server 2007 together for an Internet facing site.

For internal portal, we used a mixture of custom ASP.Net 2.0 web site and CRM 3.0 as CRM has all the features required for customer management and campaign management.

This site is getting quite popularity in MEA region and I am sure, it will become one of the most famous web sites in this region by the end of this year. Logta will be soon be launched in Saudi region after its successful launch in UAE.

Office 2007 RTM available for download

Microsoft has announced the release of RTM of WSS 3.0 and Office SharePoint Server 2007 on November 16.  Please read the all information on the details page. 

 

Note: Installing Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 over any beta or trial edition of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 is not supported. 

 

Links to download the RTW versions:

 

Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 x86 English Evaluation 

Windows SharePoint Services 3.0


Here are the Product Keys you will need when installing SharePoint Server 2007

SharePoint Server Standard Trial: XJMKW-8T7PR-76XT6-RTC8G-VVWCQ
SharePoint Server Enterprise Trial: F2JBW-4PDJC-HKXTJ-YCKRP-T2J9D
 

Installation Instructions and ReadMe

 

Windows Live

Well as the name suggests it is not an online version of Microsoft’s venerable operating system. It is a kind of new type of web-based Microsoft Live Communication Server or you can say an enhancement of the services developed by MSN.
 
Windows Live consists of eight so Web-based services  designed for customers. It consists of services like mail, online-messenger, online folder sharing, Internet telephony etc.
 
The most striking examples of Windows Live is ways of of tying it with desktop. People could share files-folders with the instant-messaging buddies and use the ww.Live.com page to view not only the Web-contents but also the things like recently opened documents or corporate SharePoint portal.
 
Live.com and Gadgets
 
Although customizing Live.com is not as easy as it should be due to skills and steps required to add cutom gadgets to it but the personalization features offered btu it are far more than that of Yahoo or even Google. Imagine you can use same point to view your corporate portal from home, access files from your office PC  in another country or even check mails, send messages to your buddies and share file-folders with them. All from same point.
 
Microsoft has promised to ensure that adding gadgets will be as easy as dragging and dropping a link on a site but at the moment it is not as easy. People have to go to microsoftgadgets.com, copy a special URL, then go back to Live.com and follow a series of "advanced options".
 
Gadgets has an important place in Windows Vista and Windows Live as Microsoft plans to use them thorughout them with no difference. The same gadget can also be used in Windows Vista. Microsoft also plans to use gadgets to retrieve locally stored information from PC to Live.com Web-page.
 
Gadgets are actually small applications like Web-parts but they mainly consist of XML-based manifest file, JavaScript (containing entry point) and CSS file. Live.com uses Atlas framework to extend JavaScript functionality.
 
Live.com is designed to take things one step further. It allows people not only to view Web contents and personalize them but also to save search queries as well as data from their PCs.
 
Windows Live Mail
 
Windows Live mail is an  extension of hotmail codenames KAHUNA. It provides a new style of interface, a more desktop like mail software, with features including automatic inbox refreshing, spell-checking, phishsing detection and a preview pane that will enable hotmail users to read and respond to thier e-mails without ever leaving their inboxes. Its interface in known internally as  "WAVE 11" and it is designed to be lightweight and clean for better performance. It provides preview to your e-mail without loading a new page each time (like Outlook®) drag and drop messages into folders, and generally power through your e-mail in a flash.
 
Windows Live Spaces
 
Windows Live Spaces is a transition of MSN spaces with some added functionality.
 
Windows Live Messenger
 
Some of the biggest new thing that Microsoft has introduced in Windows Live is Windows Live Messenger. The new messenger has additional features like social networking, Internet telephony, folder sharing etc. Folder sharing is really a fantastic idea. You just have to drop a file on top of a contact which will allow you to create a shared folder. This folder will exist on both members’ desktop and stay up-to-date with any changes to the shared file.
 
Windows OneCore Live
 
It is a security system that helps you protect your system. It includes features like virus scanning, firewall settings, software backups and tune ups.
 
Windows Live Search
 
It includes elements of Microsoft’s Virtual Earth mapping. It allows members or their buddies to creat annotations, creating a personalized map of their favorite spots in the city, even from your mobile, plus you can see detailed maps, driving directions and more.
 

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MSN decides to jump into Net-calling future

Well now after Google Microsoft has also decided to come into Net-calling business. One of its demonstrations was given by Microsoft on the .Net 2005 launch ceremony. In Windows Live messaging service it is as easy to make a call to a friend as sending a text messaeg. It seemed to be a shot across the bow of companies like Skype and Vonage, which provides voice over IP.
 
The move comes as all the major portal and IM companies are moving more heavily into Internet calling. This move comes after the launch of Googles IM Google Talk, which focus on voice chatting. But Microsoft further added that it will be paid service even in its beta state.