CorasWorks, author of many development tools for Microsoft’s SharePoint platform, recently debuted what they refer to as AppEngine. AppEngine, in their own words, “is an innovative runtime environment for SharePoint that allows users to download and run plug-and-play business apps from CorasWorks and its application publisher partners, or custom built applications from third-party service providers.” Think of Apple’s iPhone/iPod Touch “app store…” but for SharePoint.

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I can be a Microsoft fanboy from time to time, I’ll admit that. I’ll also admit that I’ve been looking forward to Outlook 2010 since Outlook 2007 first arrived… mainly because when OL2K7 was released to manufacturers in late 2006, it was STILL missing alot of productivity features; some of which Gmail debuted with almost 3 years prior. I’m talking about conversation view, the ability to quickly move a message to a specific folder, effective keyboard shortcuts, etc.

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According to an official press release from the big boys in Redmond, WA, using Windows 7 along with Windows Server 2008 R2 will grant you usage of Microsoft DirectAccess: “a new feature … that gives users the experience of being seamlessly connected to their corporate network any time they have Internet access … without connecting to a virtual private network.”

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If you’ve managed to get your grubby little hands on the recently-launched Windows 7 beta, there’s a good chance you’re pretty anxious to give it a test run. In my opinion, one of the best ways to test is through either Virtual PC or VMWare. If, however, you want to want to test it on genuine hardware but aren’t quite ready to reformat your hard drive, you can always try dual-booting. It’s really pretty easy.

First, you’ll want to create a new partition (research it… know the risks) onto which we would install the new operating system. Then, boot off of the disc as usual and install it onto your new partition (again, know the risks.)

There are a few ways to accomplish that first task… creating a new partition. My preferred method (mainly because it’s easier, not because it’s safer… yeah, I’m one of those people) is using a free utility by the name of EASEUS Partition Manager. Below is a quick video tutorial (no audio so feel free to play immediately) guiding you through the extremely quick process of using EASEUS to create your new partition.

BE SURE TO BACKUP YOUR DATA BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS PROCESS. I’ve personally used this tool twice with no problems but I’m also using both Mozy and Syncplicity to backup every last bit of my data.

If you can’t see the above video, just follow these directions:

• install EASEUS
• select an existing partition from which you’d like to take available space; resize said partition
• select the new unallocated space and click “create” to create a new partition
• name it and then click “apply” to finish (restart is necessary)

That’s it! Less than five steps. Again, you’ll want to make sure your data is backed up before attempting this procedure.

Once we’ve got your new partition, slap the Windows 7 installation disc you’ve created into your CD/DVD tray and restart. Once the installation loads, just tell Windows 7 to install into your newly created partition. A half-hour or more later, Windows 7 will be installed alongside your existing Windows installation.

Upon booting up your PC from here on out, you’ll be greeted with a new boot option from which you can select your new or existing Windows installation.

It’s pretty easy, actually. If you have any questions, feel free to drop a line in the comments and if I’m unable to answer your question, some of the other readers of this site might be able to. Best of luck!

This one flew past my radar but, back in April, Microsoft updated an existing tool for testing your HTML/CSS-based email design to determine whether or not it’s compatible with the immensely-popular Office Outlook email client.

“The Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 HTML and CSS Validator tool helps you to validate HTML and CSS grammar using some of the most popular Web developing tools such as Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer 2007, Microsoft Expression Web, Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 and Macromedia Dreamweaver 8.”

There are two separate downloads: one validator for Microsoft design tools and one for Adobe Dreamweaver.

So, why is this necessary at all?

Well, David Greiner from CampaignMonitor.com (an exquisite, online-based email blast campaign software suite) explains in great detail why you’re forced to use an application like this in an aptly-named post on the company’s official blog: “Microsoft Takes Email Design Back 5 Years.”

Basically, effective with Outlook 2007, Microsoft decided to ditch the Internet Explorer HTML rendering engine and begin using the MSWord engine instead. Given how crippling the Word rendering engine is, I think this may have been one of Microsoft’s worst decisions in the last decade. Part of the reasoning may have been, as Greiner points out, due to “Microsoft having to separate the browser from the OS for anti-trust reasons.” Regardless, it’s caused an unfortunate amount of grief for designers around the globe and I can only hope that Microsoft finds a way around the problem with the release of the next version of Office.

(Just as a side note, Campaign Monitor is also responsible for the Email Standards Project, a noble effort to raise awareness to the necessity of Web standards for rich emails -  on which I posted last month.)

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Outlook 2007 HTML and CSS Validator in Action Within Expression Web: