Unified Communications: Microsoft Lync Attracts a Fanbase
It came as a surprise to everyone, including The VAR Guy himself, when Microsoft announced that Office Communications Server (OCS) would become known as Microsoft Lync. But it hasn’t taken long for an independent “Lync Forum” newsletter to spring up and start promoting a 2011 Lync Summit in Colorado. Here’s the scoop.
The Lync Forum’s URL is still OCSForum.com and the site looks like a work in progress. All the same, the first Lync Forum newsletter, as sent to The VAR Guy, praises Microsoft’s unified communication offering and its rebranding, singling out the new GUI as “very cool.”
For its part, the Lync Summit 2011 is slated be held from June 15-17 in the Westin Westminster Colorado. Lync Forum is accepting exhibition, speaking, and meeting-training opportunity inquiries, which indicates that the concept is in the larval stage.
That’s all well and good, but who is Lync Forum? They downplay their connection, but it seems to be operated by Telecom Reseller VoIP Networks, an internet telephony-focused news site that describes itself as “The Voice of Unified Communications.”
The VAR Guy’s team will be watching closely to see how the Lync Summit shapes up. No doubt, plenty of hosting providers and channel partners are betting heavily on Lync. Before the rebranding, numerous VARs shared upbeat views on OCS during Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC10) in July 2010.
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Hi Matthew,
Lync Forum is an independent forum. We did OCS Forum until MS was unsure what they were going to call it, so MCS Forum and now they have “branded the steer” we changed it to Lync. Just did our 53rd issue of the newsletter so been at it for quite a while. We work closely with Doug Green TRN but not owned by them.
Thanks for the blog and you have a great site as well.
If you are interested in being a media partner for our Lync Summit, would certainly appreciate your help.
Cheers, TC
Tom: The VAR Guy appreciates your comment and he looks forward to tracking Lync Forum’s progress. Our editorial team will be sure to touch base re: Lync Summit. Stay tuned.
-TVG
Hello guys im new on yous forum nice to see you all my website: google
Hi, all we changed the name to Lync User Forum http://lyncuserforum.com due to trademark issues though nicely resolved. We also focus on Skype (obviously), Google Voice, iCloud (when it really gets going) and Kinect a personal fav.
We invite apps, ideas, and articles, so bring it on!
Tom,
Ah… the trademark police came calling, eh? The VAR Guy thanks you for the update.
-TVG
Thanks for your support. Really great reading your latest news and views.