SharePoint University

Hey everyone, 

 I'd like to introduce a site that some of us nonprofit folks are building to support the needs specific to the SharePoint / Nonprofit folk out there. That's probably not all of you, but it's a couple :o)   Anyway, check us out & join our community at http://www.sp4np.org (new window) , and please suggest the resources that could be most helpful to you!

 Thanks and see ya,

--Dave
 

Dave,

Welcome; its a great place to find help and get answers for most of the things you are asking for on your site.  I've done work with non-profits in the past where MOSS / WSS has come into play as the main collaboration system for the organization.  Almost everytime the systems have been setup completely different; however I'd be curious to know if you are trying to design or develop a template or a set of templates/webparts specific for non-profits?

I went to the site (seeing as how I'm a non-profit), and frankly found it to be confusing, busy, and I never did find the "suggest a site mechanism."  As of right now, I say no thanks... Who knows about the future...

David,

Fair enough. We constructed this on the fly with little time. If you have suggestions about how to improve what we can offer, please do let us know. For instance, what kinds of information are you seeking? What would be helpful? Critique is great if it can help us improve the resource for others in the nonprofit community.

 
--Dave
 

Well, for starters, I'd like to be able to add my site, but as I mentioned, I cannot find the "Suggest a Site" feature mentioned in your news item. 

I'll be frank (just for a moment and then I'll be David again - buh-da-bump) and ask what is the goal or the mission?  I know you said it's a place for NPs to gather, but what would like the NPs to do once we get there?  I saw a couple things listed under articles...  Are you trying to be Sharepoint-U but geared more toward the folks that most likely don't have ready access to programmers, etc (that may be a gross generalization of NPs)?  Are you looking for folks (NPs) that have managed a degree of success with Sharepoint to submit articles?

I totally understand the "on the fly!"  Heck, I think that is how many MOSS2007 users have no choice but to operate! 

If you are hoping to be a central resource for things like FREE webparts to accomplish various tasks, I'm all for it!  I know as a educational service center, we have to do everything we can for as 'free' as we can get it! :-)

I think the potential is there, I'm just not sure right now what it is you are wanting to achieve.... 

Well, DUH, okay, I created an account and found the "add a link" feature...  Yeesh.. I have a serious ID-10-T error going on here... Or perhaps a PIC-NIC in my office... :-)

Yow! No worries -- happens... like, let me tell you about this new coaster I found, works great for coffee, and most offices have them around. Comes in a little jewel case, nice like a rainbow... Er --

 
But really, I've had to consider the question of mission, and will address that there (and in this space) for certain. I agree, the mission needs to be more clear -- but I'm headed out of the country for a few days, so I'll post it up when I return, cool?

In the meantime, know that what wer'e trying to provide is a resource focused more on the management, integration and design than on the programming and code. No need to duplicate what's out there, but there is a need to fill this knowledge gap. Even more specifically, the use of SP as a vehicle for e-learning is quite undocumented, and so we're going to try to look closely at this...

--Dave 

Cool!  I'm looking forward to seeing where the site goes! :-)  I have a better understanding of what you're trying to do, and you are right on the money with the lack of resources for management and integration (an issue we face here!).  Have fun and keep safe!