If you haven’t gotten a chance to check out the recently updated Windows SharePoint Services Hands on Labs, you might be interested in their recent integration with Visual Studio 2008. Not only is it integrated with the new version of VS, it integrates with the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Tools: Visual Studio 2008 Extensions. Very cool and a great introduction to what is new in both updates! Take advantage of the Virtual Labs, Mike Walsh has the best list. If you go the local development machine route, I’ve got one tip that may save you some time.

FIX: An Application Pool issue for the Site Navigation Exercise

As the lab document clearly states, the Site Navigation non SharePoint test web site works because the application is created in the SharePoint context. This worked on the Virtual Lab, but when I tried to repeat it I came across an error, "Service Unavailable." It turns out that one extra step was needed. Because I didn’t extend SharePoint on my default website, but disable it, the DefaultAppPool isn’t really in the SharePoint context. A quick switch to your SharePoint application pool as demonstrated below will relieve the error. Once beyond the error, this is a handy little trick for developing and editing your User Controls consumed by Web Parts.

SharePointReviews.com

Don’t miss Joel Oleson’s post, Announcing SharePointReviews.com. This is a new site with a lot of potential. I know that a lot of projects I’ve worked on have need of 3^rd party products. An unbiased review site like this could really help inform both IT shops and the consultants helping them. I added a review of Tzunami Deployer and Andrew Connell added a review of Metalogix just today.