If you never heard of Microsoft Pinpoint, you’re not alone. Apparently it is a catalog of thousands of applications for Windows, submitted by their developers.
Don’t be fooled, this is not a App store, but instead a Microsoft owned list of applications for Windows platforms including the WHS. This list and will help developers promote their add-ins and services. Now, Microsoft will be switching their existing Windows Home Server v1 add-in page over to the Pinpoint and are asking for developers to submit their add-ins to help build up the catalogue.
Having an add-in catalog is not a new concept and here at HomeServerLand we work hard to keep everyone up to date and always encourage developers to tell us about their add-ins and services. On that topic, shhhh, a new version of Add-in Central is nearing completion!
Here’s what Microsoft had to say about their switch to Pinpoint:
To our valued Windows Home Server V1 add-in developers:
Thank you for your continued support for Windows Home Server, we appreciate all you’ve done and want to make you aware of a new opportunity to list your existing Windows Home Server (WHS) V1 add-in directly with Microsoft.
Beginning on September 16th, the “Pinpoint” applications guide will have a new category for WHS V1. We are moving away from our static page on Microsoft.com to content delivered via the Pinpoint database. This has several key advantages for you:
1) The Pinpoint solutions guide is self-service; you can create and change entries yourself.
2) Over time, the database content will be surfaced on our team’s website as well as other Microsoft web properties.
3) We are also planning to create similar Pinpoint database entries for the upcoming Vail and Aurora releases for you to list your updated add-ins as well.
4) We encourage you to list any other software you’ve developed for our other products in the Windows Server Product Family.
Our WHS V1 listing in the Pinpoint applications guide has a planned go live date of September 16, 2010. You will be able to create entries on beginning on that date. The location for Windows Home Server will be found within the “Windows Server Product Family” category. The URL to sign up is: http://pinpoint.microsoft.com/en-US/GetListed
In addition, please keep us updated on your progress moving your add-in to WHS V2, or “Vail” via email to: hsbsisvx@microsoft.com .
Finally, in case you still need to sign up for the Vail and Aurora public betas, the URLs for their Microsoft Connect sites are listed below:
https://connect.microsoft.com/WindowsHomeServer
https://connect.microsoft.com/SBS
Thank you,
The Home and Small Business Server Product Development and Marketing team
If you are a Windows Home Server add-in developer you definitely want to head over to Microsoft Pinpoint and sign up to get listed.