WebProNews » Workspace

Early Look: Microsoft Office Live Workspace

WebProNews Staff — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:59:15 +0000

We have picked up a trio of screenshots of the forthcoming Office Live Workspace, which we’re just thrilled beyond rational thought to share with you.

Pre-registration for the beta version of Office Live Workspace opened at the beginning of October. Microsoft has positioned the service as an online complement to the desktop version of Microsoft Office.

The Office productivity suite represents a significant portion of Microsoft’s annual revenue. No one in Redmond would willingly take a sharp blade to the throat of that golden cash cow, but Microsoft had to do something to appeal to people who have embraced software as a service concepts for, among other things, productivity applications.

Office Live Workspace represents a compromise. All the document sharing, none of the cannibalization. A Microsoft spokesperson said the service will be available at no charge later this year.

Each of the following screenshots are clickable; even I’m not mean enough to make you squint for details. The first one shows an event list date and calendar view, with the ability to create and manage schedules:

Here is a view of shared workspace projects and programs, with a listing of documents and files in the workspace and the status of each:

The last screenshot shows the ability to preview Microsoft Office files, in this case a PowerPoint slide, within the browser:

Microsoft, Adobe Scribble Online Docs Products

WebProNews Staff — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 11:23:27 +0000

Adobe reached out to snap up Buzzword, an online word processor, while Microsoft looked inward to find its Office Live Workspace.

Who knew the ability to collaborate online over a corp-speak-laden memo or some other document would be so interesting to big tech companies? Adobe and Microsoft will push Google Docs and other firms offering Web-based document products.

The Adobe Max conference is underway, with Adobe’s acquisition of Buzzword via a deal to purchase its parent company, Virtual Ubiquity. That firm built Buzzword on Adobe’s Flex platform, and it runs in Flash.

Buzzword is doling out invites to try out the service. TechCrunch writer Erick Schonfeld tempered enthusiasm by noting a few of Buzzword’s current and correctable shortcomings:

Buzzword

Resources for New Media and Social Media PR

Lee Odden — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 14:30:30 +0000

There’s a growing amount of buzz about social media lately, but specifically of interest is social media press releases.

As we fold the new media press release, press room and media relations tactics into our PR strategy, I’ve been monitoring a number of resources on the topic if new media PR and the hRelease or social media release and offer some of those links here.

New Media Release Group – A Google group started to discuss the new media release format with participants ranging from independent PR consultants to PR Newswire and Market Wire.

New PR – Constantin Basturea’s “Digg style” site for new media public relations news.

Workspace for Social Media Press Release (hRelease) – hRelease is a community effort to define a new format for press releases via a community standard microformat

Social Media Club – Chris Heuer’s site focused on sharing best practices, establishing ethics and standards, and promoting media literacy around the emerging area of Social Media.

Social Media Press Release Template (pdf) – SHIFT Communications

Inspiration for the Social Media Press Release from Tom Foremski

New Media Release Podcast – With Chris Heuer, Tom Foremski, Brian Solis and Shel Holtz.

Web 2.0 Press Release Marketing – PRWeb’s many social media optimization tools for press releases.

Social Media Power Players – Wall Street Journal profiles the users who dominate various social media formats. Via Steve Rubel.

PR Squared Blog – “Scenes from the trenches of PR 2.0″ by Todd Defren of SHIFT Communications.

PR Meets the WWW – Constantin Basturea’s blog.

Social Media – Online Marketing Blog

Reinventing the Media Interview – Steve Rubel offers some interesting alternatives to providing journalists with information using social media.

Examining The Social Media Press Release – HealthCareVox

Part I: Is It Ready For Prime Time?

Part II: Paradigm Shift Or Incremental Change? Interviews with Todd Defren, David McInnis and Mark Nowlan

Part III: How Could The Healthcare Industry Use It?

What resources on new media press releases do you have? Please post in the comments.

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IBM Enters Microsofts Workspace

WebProNews Staff — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 21:03:47 +0000

IBM is poised to join the assault on Microsoft’s traditional dominance of preferred office applications, as Big Blue sets to roll out an “MS-Office killer” with the not-so-threatening title of “Workspace,” complete with Open Document Format (ODF) support.

Wind of the upcoming releases swirls this way via ZDNet’s David Berlind, who had the opportunity to chat with IBM’s Ken Bisconti about it.

“Built on top of IBM’s Java 2 Enterprise Edition-based Websphere application server stack, Workplace can trace its pedigree to the collaboration technologies found in Lotus Domino/Notes and to Big Blue’s portal technologies, typically based on WebSphere,” writes Berlin.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts recently bailed on Microsoft Office products in favor of Sun Microsystem’s ODF as the state office standard. IBM, no doubt encouraged by the development, realizes the potential of large office solutions with ODF support.

Berlind says storage capabilities will set the new system apart.

“Using the IBM’s Java-based Cloudscape database technology that was recently contributed as open source to the Apache Software Foundation – users will be able to save their data to the network and, much the same way their portal with all its components follows them everywhere, so too will the storage and everything the user has saved to it,” he says.

Check out the rest of Berlind’s article here.

Taking Control of Your Workspace

Glenn Beach — Mon, 09 Feb 2004 15:29:55 +0000

Let’s face it: it’s HARD to always be “on” when you’re at work. No matter how much you try, even the best-laid plans and schedules break down; sometimes it seems like all the forces are against you. You can get discouraged, weary, frustrated and unfocused. You can blame your boss, your spouse, interruptions, computer crashes, too much work, too little time…the list goes on and on.

When it comes right down to it, though, we each have to take responsibility for our work environments. It’s up to us to create pride and excellence in our workplaces. We need to take responsibility for our own productivity, morale, creativity, motivation and sense of humor that we bring to our work.

You say “but stuff just happens that I have no control over.” That’s true. “Stuff” will happen, so it’s your job to come up with disaster prevention and back-up plans. Interuptions and snafus don’t need to become setbacks. Lists and schedules make the world go round. Be sure to prioritize, and take note of a few things that could be realistically postponed, if need be. Speaking of realism…be realistic in estimating how long it will take you to do the tasks at hand.

Computer maintenance can make a big difference in minimizing downtime. Regular virus scans, firewalls, defragmentation, and file back-ups are crucial to maintaining computer health and well-being.

There are a few well-known organizational tips worth repeating. My personal favorite is not touching mail more than once. I sit down with the mail at my desk, waste basket on one side, file cabinet at the other, and sticky notes in front of me. If it’s junk, toss. If you can deal with it right now, do it, then toss it or add a sticky note with the details and file it. You aren’t going to deal with it right away? Then sticky note and file it. Do NOT just add it to a pile on your desk. Can you tell piles of papers are my personal Waterloo?

My other favorite is standing up when someone comes into my workplace. It doesn’t matter who it is or what’s the reason. The message to myself is: this is my workplace and I am here to work. If I’m not seated, chances are my guest won’t sit down either. It’s a bit more polite than just continuing to work without looking up…and if you do that, chances are the guest will still sit down.

Here is where a back-up plan is important. Have it already in your head what you will say if you are interrupted. “I’m busy at the moment, can you come back in____ minutes…hours”…whatever works. “Would you like to make an appointment?” “I’m taking a break at_____, would you like to join me?” And so on.

This even works when I’m working at my computer at home and the cat comes in. She loves to sit on my hands on the keyboard! or my lap, or right in front of the monitor. I stand up (no lap) and I even make an appointment with her (in my own mind of course!)…to play, feed her, watch tv for a few minutes so she can sit on my lap; sometimes we play Catch the Cursor for a couple minutes…something. She quickly leaves or curls up somewhere else if I’m not sitting down.

You may be thinking that productivity and organization are a lot easier to take responsibility for than motivation, morale, creativity and humor. Maybe your boss is stubbornly refusing to give you a raise, no matter how well you do your work. Maybe the job is “straight and narrow” with no room for creativity, and humor is ok in small doses, but not really appreciated. Maybe its your own work ethic nagging at you to work, work, work, no time for play. Maybe its your spouse nagging you with money worries, or feeling neglected.

You need to realize that in order for you to be a healthy, balanced, satisfied, and fulfilled human being, you need these things in your life. Rather than just going to your boss and complaining, you need to creatively bring your own suggestions and solutions to the table. You need your sense of humor to maintain a healthy perspective. The ability to express yourself creatively is as important as the ability to support yourself; so brainstorm with others, research, its up to you to find the innovative solutions. You need the breaks: 5 minutes; 15 minutes every hour or two; weekends; or a REAL vacation, so take them. And if your spouse misses you, take the vacation together.

If no matter how hard you try, you can’t get a grip on your lifestyle, then its time for YOU to change it. Consider a new workplace, or possibly being your own boss. Pride and excellence are up to YOU. It’s YOUR life.

Glenn Beach is a poet, writer and home business entrepreneur in Nova Scotia, Canada. Free newsletter, more articles, and business start-up info at: http://www.work-at-home-business-opportunity-canada.com