Sometimes technical, sometimes not, never a kitty

In Mindsharp's SharePoint Discussions group, the following question was posted:

Does anyone have experience with both SharePoint and DotNetNuke to the point where they could comment on the benefits of each are compared to the other?  Is there a type of installation where you might use one vs. the other?

Here's the answer I posted in the group:

SP and DNN are very different beasts which offer some similar functionalities.  I'm using SP as a generic term for either WSS or SPS, which is a different decision.  DNN is really an easy website creation tool, while SP was designed to be an information repository and collaboration tool in a corporate environment.  The best way to summarize might be "Extranet vs. Intranet".  My thinking is Extranet=DNN, Intranet=SP.  DNN is designed to be used and maintained by persons with little IT experience.  SP is one of those things that will require having a decent IT person around.

First question would be whether or not you need tight integration with Office.  If so, then hands down your only choice is SP.  Another feature that DNN is lacking is a document library with version control, although one may appear down the road.  SP offers full-text indexing of the documents you store in it, and so you can search inside the documents in its libraries.  DNN doesn't offer this.  SP stores its documents very securely in the SQL database; DNN stores them as files, which means if someone knows the right path, the site's security could be bypassed and the documents downloaded directly.

If you don't need the tight Office integration, DNN is a very valid choice for a website.  A good use would be for a school's website.  DNN supports multiple child portals, just as SP does, and you can distribute administration, just as with SP.  The school could have its main portal, and each department or club could have its own child portal, each with their own radically different looks.  True, you could pull off the school's website with SP, but it wouldn't be so flexible, and you would put in a lot more effort to make it work.

Another consideration is what type of authentication you need to use.  WSS was designed to integrate with Active Directory, DNN was designed to work with anonymous users and Forms Authentication.  There are ways to make DNN work with AD, and WSS work with anonymous users, but anytime you make a change as significant as authentication scheme, you introduce adminsitrative overhead.  One point of using these tools is to simplyify your life, not create extra work.

Cost might also be a consideration.  True, if you have Windows 2K3, then WSS is essentially free; DNN is entirely free.  There are a lot of good web parts available for free and cheap for WSS, but many are very expensive.  DNN can also be extended with inexpensive or free modules, and even the ones you have to pay for are still pretty cheap.

One main difference I see is the amount of different things you can do with DNN.  DNN can also serve as an e-commerce platform, or host robust photo galleries (rather than the "list of photos" in SP).  There are some nice calendar modules for DNN that not only list events, but allow registrations and can accept payment for them.  In this case, it might seem like SP is lacking in some functionality, but SP was never designed to do these things--these are functions of a website, not a collaboration tool.

Skinning is a bazillion times easier with DNN.  The DNN core team did a great job with its skinning engine, and there are lots of skins available for free or cheap.  Changing the look of a single page, or entire portal is done with a simple package upload and a few mouse clicks.  With enough work, you can do some really nice skinning on SP (both SPS and WSS), but it takes some work.  I've done both, and DNN is by far easier and more powerful (mainly due to DNN's simplicity--features which are hidden or difficult really aren't features at all).

DNN runs very well in a shared hosting environment; SP, not so much.  Although DNN only ships with SQL Server provider, if you're handy enough, you would write one for MySQL, or Vista, etc.  You don't have that option with SP--it's SQL Server only.

<update 2006-02-01>

If you didn't come here from there, Bil Simser has a much more detailed post at http://weblogs.asp.net/bsimser/archive/2006/01/31/437023.aspx.  Bil also includes some of the features of SharePoint 'v-Next' (currently due to be released at the end of this year), and better breakdown of the OOTB functionalities.

spreskit

dnnbooks

The first “bug” I’ve found is actually on Page 2 of the manual.  If this were a coing, it would be a serious collector’s item.  Any takers on a manual?

Second bug is when using Mobile MSN Messenger.  If you type your password in wrong, the error message comes back that the server is not responding.  I’m not sure if that’s a true bug, or just a crappy error message.  The server seems to respond just fine when you enter your password correctly.

Third bug is when changing your ringtones to an audio file stored outside of the Rings folder.  The 700w can use WAV files as ringtones, and you can set the ringtone by tapping and holding on the file name in File Explorer, then choosing “Set as ringtone” from the menu.  You get a message back that the file has been copied to the Rings folder and has been set as the ringtone.  The file does get copied to the Rings folder, but isn’t set as the ringtone, despite whayt the little message says.  You need to set the ringtone manually.

Now playing: The Call - Let the Day Begin

My coworker Bob has a Treo 650, which has a 320 x 320 screen.  The Treo 700w has a 240 x 240 screen.  When we compared them side-by-side, images were markedly better on the 650 thanon the 700.  In some cases, the images were pretty close.  However, in images that contained wording (like on the front page of MSN), the words were crisp and readable on the 650, and unreadable blobs of white on my 700w.  Not even a comparison--his 650 won hands down.

However, the 700w supports Verizon's EV-DO network, and the 650 doesn't.  My 700w smoked his 650 when downloading web content.  Not even close.  My connection speed was clocked at 445 kbps in a bandwidth test.

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the Treo 700w (left) and the Treo 650 (right) viewing the same image on the MSN homepage.  You’ll see the words are clearly readable on the 650, but almost unintelligable on the 700w.  Click the image for a larger view.

Now playing: Sugarland - Something More

I see this a lot, and it's easier than you might think:

1. Open the e-mail, and click File >> Save.
2. In the "File Name", enter the URL to the document library, and click Save.
3. A view of the document library will open in the folder list window.  Confirm the file name (which will be the e-mail subject), change it if you need to, and click Save again.
4. Your e-mail message is now saved in the document library!

Tip #1: You can get the URL of the document library by navigating to it, and copying everything up to the end of the library name.  For example, you'd use http://MyPortal/sites/TestSite/Document%20Library/.

Tip #2: If you need to save a lot of e-mails in the same document library, create a Network Place for the document library.  Open My Network Places and use the wizard to create a new network place for this library, using the URL as shown in Tip #1.  Then, you can choose this library by browsing My Network Places.

Wifey has just become a gadget widow (again).  I couldn't wait to get mine set up, but once she saw how much these things were going for on eBay, she thinks she may make a few bucks and buy another one later.

Other things I like so far:

• The OK button, which ‘clicks’ the icon in the upper right corner (either Close or OK, usually)
• The start menu button
• Broadband speed Internet.  Sweet!

• The keyboard is surprisingly easy to use—the buttons are slightly domed, and very easy to hit squarely.  Hy hands are kind of large, and the Treo is kind of not, and my hand started to cramp when typing a long e-mail. 

One of the toughest challenges going to be finding replacements for the software I liked on my Axim.  Handango has a lot of software available already for Windows Mobile 5, but some of my favorites haven’t been released yet.  Fortunately, my password keeper (FlexWallet) is available for Windows Mobile 5.0, and that was a major concern.  Unfortunately, Pocket Breeze (a Today screen plug-in) hasn’t been ported yet.

Something I totally hate:

• There’s no colon on the keyboard.  WTF?  That’s kind of useful when typing in URLs into some programs.  It’s the first choice in the Alt keys, so it’s not a total loss.  But still…

A few things I’ll miss:

• Monet backgrounds on the Today screen
• Pocket Breeze
• Program Switcher, because I could close programs without navigating a menu
• ADB Weather
• Pocket RSS
• Jawbreaker (addictive game)

I’m trying to get DopplerMobile to work as my RSS reader, but it keeps crashing.

Here is the Treo 700w compared to my old Axim X5.  The screen isn’t scratched—thats one of those scrren protectors that I didn’t do a great job of applying.

The Treo 700w is small in my hands.  My hand started cramping when using the little keyboard in a long e-mail.  My Axim’s thumboard was about 1/3 again as wide, and a little more comfortable to use.

 <update 2006–01–13>

The Treo ships with a game called Bubble Breaker, which is the same as Jawbreaker.  And I can get my weather information on demand with MSN Mobile or Mobile Yahoo, so I don’tneed a desktop module for that. Still looking for a good RSS reader and blogging app.

Now playing: Weezer - Beverly Hills

This is a fancy bookmark for myself—nothing exciting here.

Get Ready to Become a Small Business Specialist

Gain new skills working with small businesses and become a Small Business Specialist. You can take free courses that help you meet the needs of small businesses. Begin qualifying as a Small Business Specialist by completing a sales and marketing assessment.

Now playing: Bowling for Soup - 5 O'Clock World

If you're impatient, Shel and Scoble's book Naked Conversations is now available as an e-book.  I'm not sure why Amazon says that Acrobat Reader isn't available for Pocket PC devices, because I've had a reader on my Axim for a while now--the e-book may require a new version, or features that aren't supported by the mobile versions.  You can find the mobile Acrobat Reader download page at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2_mobile.html#pocketPC.

If you'd rather wait for the printed version, you can find the hardcover version here.

Now playing: George Strait - Living and Living Well

This is a question I see very often, and you can set the paper orientation in code-behind as such:

ReportDocument.PrintOptions.PaperOrientation = CrystalDecisions.[Shared].PaperOrientation.Landscape

Crystal Reports .NET Programming
If you're new to Crystal Reports, or just to CR .NET, this is the book you need. Part how-to, part programming reference, lots of simple examples in both C# and VB.NET.

Now playing: Rent - Out Tonight

Teun Dynstee released his Gantt Chart Web Part today:

The part allows you to specify a list and view to render. You select the fields from the view that will indicate the start and end date of an item. The third required field is the title field. Because the part works with view fields, you can also use calculated fields to specify the start date, end date or title of the item.

Now playing: Dierks Bentley - Lot of Leavin' Left to Do

Bob Mixon has released a beta of his Quick Launch Web Part:

This Web Part can be used to replace the hard coded HTML in a Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) Site. The first advantage to this Web Part is simply being aware of the current users security permissions. Meaning, if a user does not have the permissions to view the items in a document library or list, even if it is marked to be displayed on the Quick Launch bar, it will not be displayed.

There are many additional features currently present in this Web Part, which include:

1. The ability to turn any set of lists on or off. So if you chose to not display Surveys, simply turn it off!
2. The ability to display separation lines below the grouping headers.
3. And, the best of all features, the ability to dynamically add any items to the quick launch bar through a standard SharePoint list.

Now playing: M - Popmuzik

From the CR .NET Newsgroup:

Due to the popularity of my CR.NET Programming book being posted online for
free prior to its publication, I'm doing the same with my new book. You can
read chapters from "Crystal Reports XI Encyclopedia" online for free. I'm
posting chapters as I finish them and I currently have four chapters posted.
I'll post the next four after I review them for errors. If you find the
chapters helpful, please link to them so that others may read them.

You can find the chapters listed on the home page of my website:
www.CrystalReportsBook.com


Enjoy!

Brian Bischof

Now playing: Chic - Le Freak

Want one, too?  Become a benefactor: http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Home/tabid/894/Default.aspx.

The logo is actually grey (matches my eyes), it just looks blue-ish with the flash.

Now playing: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center - 3. Allegro Assai (Brandenburg Concerto #2 In F, BWV 1047)

I would claim that the image says it all, but I'm not quite sure what it's saying...

Now playing: Southern Culture On The Skids - Galley Slave

Business blogging is exploding this year, but content ideas are always in short supply.  Small businesses can benefit from blogging, but ideas may be even more difficult to come by, especially in small towns.  There was a good article this week from Marketing Profs with "Five Surefire Content Ideas (When Your Blog Is Drawing Blanks)" (http://www.marketingprofs.com/6/kranz9.asp).  Here's the intro:

This is free content, so definately check it out when you get a minute, and keep working on the content for your blog!  For more insight into business blogging, I do recommend reading Naked Conversations.  I was fortunate enough to be a galley reviewer, and you can read my review at http://www.rjdudley.com/blog/Review+Of+Naked+Conversations.aspx.

If you're interested in adding a blog to your website, drop me a line through the contacts page and I'll be glad to help you get started.

TiE PittsburghEvent:

Sales & Marketing Network: The Blog
Blogging and podcasting are revolutionizing the way companies interact and communicate with customers, suppliers, partners and employees. Learn how these new tools are impacting marketing and branding efforts as you hear from a panel of regional and national experts, including Microsoft's Robert Scoble, Pepper Hamilton's Jim Singer, Schwartz Communications' John Moran, Pittsburgh Bloggers co-founder Mike Woycheck and moderator John Soat, Producer of InformationWeek's The News Show. Note: Pre-registration is required. Please bring valid photo identification for security purposes.
Date: Thursday, January 19
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Venue: One Mellon Center, Third Floor Conference Room
Cost: $25 for Council and TiE Pittsburgh members, $35 for non-members
RSVP: Online, Council Events or 412.918.4229

Scoble first announced this a while ago, but the Tech Council’s newsletter just came out today.  Blogfest 5 will happen the night before, and Scoble’s an scheduled guest.  Nothing’s guaranteed with weather at this time of year, but I look forward to the event!

Now playing: Electric Light Orchestra - Do Ya

One great advantage electronic media have over printed media is quick and easy corrections.  Someone may capture screenshots or save printouts, but you don’t have to send your delivery guys all over a city to retract a headline.  The PG was able to correct on their website in short order, but the printed copies had already flooded the streets.

This is a serious mea culpa:

via Digg

The Software for Starving Students CD enhances the Windows and Mac desktop computing experiences by providing an easy way to install free, high-quality software titles via a user-friendly interface. It includes popular open source programs like Firefox and OpenOffice, intended to help students learn about and benefit from open source and free software programs. The SSS team put all the most commonly used free programs onto one CD to make it easier for students to install useful software (including fully-featured office suites, 3D graphic editors and much more) for free. To preview the new SSS interface, check out some screenshots of the latest release.

Full info at http://mirror.softwarefor.org/index.html.

via Digg

O'Reilly Media's latest book, Asterisk: The Future of Telephony, written by Jim Van Meggelen, Jared Smith, and Leif Madsen is the most complete book on the Asterisk PBX system to date. The new book, announced at Astricon 2005 covers many of the new features of Asterisk 1.2. In the spirit of open source, O'Reilly has licensed the book under the creative commons license making it free to download and distribute. If you are looking for the ultimate Asterisk book, you can now download the entire book as a PDF file!

Find it at http://voipspeak.net/index.php?/content/view/33/2/.

Good advertising isn’t dead, there’s just so much bad advertising that it seems to be.  Below is a photo of a recent full-page Coke ad that caught my attention.

Things I liked:

• Tasting Coke vs. Coke is a little dig at the Pepsi Challenge of yore.
• “Blindfolding mechanism”.  That’s a hilarious overdescription of a cut-out paper blindfold.  The “blindfolding mechanism” reminds me of the Joo Janta 2000s that came as part of Infocom’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy game in the 80’s, so it has the cool retro feel to it also.
• The bottom of the coupon is right on the fold in the newspaper, for easy removal.

Coke is preaching to the choir here, since I prefer Coke in general. I’ve had Coke Zero (and I can tell the difference), but I’m redeeming the coupon anyway.

Now playing: Pearl Jam - You've Got to Hide Your Love Away