This tip applies only to Tablet-PC enabled Windows Vista versions (not Home Basic). If you don’t use a Tablet PC, then this tip probably won’t be as useful.
It is probably fair to say most of the world’s population are right-handed, and even more so, left-handed people will use their right-hand on computers. Having said that, if you own a Tablet PC, then you would know how frustrating it is to click open a menu for it to appear right under your hand. This is because, by default, Windows assumes you are left-handed and opens menus on the right.
To change this setting, open the Control Panel, click on the “Mobile PC” category, then click “Tablet PC Settings”.
In the dialog, set the Handedness to either right-handed for menus to appear on the left, or left-handed for menus to appear on the right.
Save settings and close all appropriate dialogs. Rinse and repeat if necessary.
This is a clip from of the Australian version of the “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” quiz-show. The show was broadcasted on the Channel 9 channel, who had a strong affiliation with Microsoft through their collaborative content portal, NineMSN. The host (Eddie McGuire) insists the contestants should use NineMSN search over Google search.
What follows is pure marketing gold.
Credits to Lorna Farrar and Alex Khristov for bringing to my attention.
Bill Gates is asked about what motivates him to do the work that he does at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. You can watch the entire 50 minute interview with Charlie Rose at Stanford University available on Google Video that talks about Google, the iPod, XBOX360, IPTV, Windows Vista, the EU and much more. This is a snippet that caught my attention.
I’ve been having so many problems with my Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 6000‘s scroll wheel ever since upon receiving it.The first problem is that the scroll wheel doesn’t ‘click’ – the feedback you get on most mice, but that I could live with that. The second problem I thought I could live with it, but I can’t. For about 80% of the time, I can’t middle click or scroll vertically. In other words, I can’t do the things I want with this mouse the times I want to do them.
This is of course, a manufacturing defect with the scroll wheel. I have to push down really hard with two fingers to get the scroll working even for a little bit. Not only does it make 80% of PC games impossible to play, but it totally breaks my browser tabbing experience.
I’m just so fed up with it today, so I decided to get it RMA’ed. Finding support on the Microsoft site is like finding needles in a haystack of toothpicks. When I finally found what I was looking for (http://support.microsoft.com), I was greeted with this.
It might look like an innocent server error. But…
Believe it or not, the official Microsoft Support website does not work in Internet Explorer, but does work in Firefox. Irony. 
Update 2: I can’t use Microsoft Support because the product is from the US and I’m in Australia. 
Update 3: Website error in Internet Explorer 7 was fixed after deleting cookies as suggested by Martin Ennemoser. I’d like to see an average Joe who’s looking for Microsoft support figure that out. 
Update 4: Yay. I should be able to get a replacement unit.
I have a theory. The amount of hair of a Microsoft executive determines how eccentric he or she is.
- Bill Gates – lots of hair, not eccentric.
- Jim Allchin – fair bit of hair, bonus points for white hair, not eccentric.
- Ray Ozzie – a bit of hair, bonus points for white hair, not so eccentric.
- Steve Sinofsky – barely any hair, the man started a communications blackhole, a bit eccentric.
- J. Allard – did have hair before cosmetic surgery (bonus pity points), no hair now, eccentric.
- Steve Ballmer – barely any hair, very eccentric.
Over 3 months ago, I published an announcement and subsequent drawing of a competition to win 1 of 100 Windows Vista caps. I knew from the beginning the logistics of sending out 100 gifts would have caused problems both financially and physically. Luckily, Microsoft Australia came to help me out by distributing the caps through their channels. However, the three months that followed didn’t go quite as plan.
What was quite simply, a dropoff at the reception of Microsoft Australia’s Melbourne office, turned into the perfect plot for a Sherlock Holmes story. I won’t dive into the detail of how I got the caps on the counter, in short, it was a lot of work. I put it on the counter when I got in, and was still on the counter when I left. Somehow, nanoseconds between the elevator door closing and the receptionist opening her eyes again, the box vanished. It was as if MIB took the box, and then flashed everyone.
The box wasn’t finger-tip sized (as you can see from this archive photo). Perhaps it fell down an enormously large crack in a corner of the wall. Who knows. It was gone, and there was nothing I could do about it.
Luckily, Aaron from Microsoft in Redmond was generous enough to fulfill the request for another 100 Vista caps to make sure those who were promised one, got one. These caps were ordered, delivered and finally distributed in just weeks. Special thanks to Aaron and Bernard!
Some of you may have received your caps today. If you haven’t, they will be there soon.
You might notice the dissimilarities between the caps you receive and the photo of the caps I originally planned to distribute. That is because these are not the same caps. These were ordered from another merchandising vendor which had a different design to the originals.
Apart from an apology, there’s nothing better I can do at this time. It’s still a Windows Vista cap, but just not the orb. I hope you understand.
MetroTwit
