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French to English

January 31, 2007 at 7:02 pm · in Internet · Comments (2)

I speak French! Kinda. Here’s the original article, and the Google translation:

“If you like your software better than Windows, keep XP at least a year more�, advises Chris Pirillo, on the site Windows Fanatics, by giving a long list of “tricks� for the difficult passage of XP to Vista.

“Your software will not go. Consider that if something goes under XP, there is a good luck that that does not function in the same way under Vista, because of new protections of safety�, explains Mr. Pirillo.

My buddy Chris Null gets Frenched, too:

“Microsoft would like that everyone adopts Vista immediately, but that would be a nightmare because the majority of the PC are not capable to make turn Vista, especially its most sophisticated functions�, specifies Christopher Null, technical adviser at Yahoo! , quoted by Orlando Sentinel.

I wonder if Victor’s errors have also been translated:

“Look at Vista, but wait later to buy it�, summarizes Victor Godinez, of Dallas Morning News, which tells its problems of installation: “my printer sends from now on every 10 minutes to me an error message�, many old programs are not compatible Vista, tells it.

And humor must be the international language, because I totally busted a gut after reading the last paragraph:

According to the American press, only some rare fans were at midnight in front of the CompUSA store of especially open New York for the launching of Vista, primarily to benefit from reduction on printers rather than to buy Vista.

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Pirillo’s Picks for 2007-01-31

January 31, 2007 at 10:19 am · in Picks · Comments (1)

Windows Vista and Outlook 2007 Thoughts

January 31, 2007 at 4:22 am · in Media Blog · Comments (7)

Oh, there’s more content coming down the pike - Jake’s still busy encoding interviews he did at CES a few weeks ago. Until then, I’m pushing my own personal envelope and inviting you along on a ride across town. Since I spend a fair amount of time in my own car, traveling to get a fine cup of Peet’s Coffee every day (if I can escape the hell of my home office), I thought I’d bring the recorder along with me today - if only to share my thoughts on Windows Vista and Outlook 2007 - two products I’m now using on a daily basis. If this one-way carversation works, then I’ll be thrilled witless.

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 Windows Vista and Outlook 2007 Thoughts: Download

Windows Vista Clipboard Secret

January 31, 2007 at 2:40 am · in Microsoft, Software · Comments (7)

If you need to copy the full path for a file (or any object), press SHIFT before right-clicking it and you should see a “Copy as Path” option in the context menu. Could certainly prove useful in your day-to-day file operations, although I’d also recommend both on ShellToys and CopyURL for extended shell clipboard functionality. Why Windows (or OS X) doesn’t ship with the ability to hold more than one item on the clipboard is crazy. We have plenty of RAM these days. More Windows Vista tips to come…

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Windows PowerShell for Vista Released

January 30, 2007 at 10:40 pm · in Microsoft, Software · Comments (1)

As promised, they did it - so if you want yet another cool tool to play with, give ‘er a go. “One hundred and twenty-nine command-line tools (called “cmdlets”) for performing common system administration tasks, such as managing services, processes, event logs, certificates, the registry, and using Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI).” It’s like CMD.EXE on caffeine, folks. Not sure it’s going to replace 4NT for me, though - which I’ve been using since I learned about 4DOS through NDOS back in the days when a command prompt was the norm (and not the exception. Congrats, gang - this is a wonderful Microsoft “PowerToy” that vigorously illustrates Microsoft’s commitment to empowering developers with good tools developed by good developers.

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Copying Brandon’s Copy

January 30, 2007 at 10:09 pm · in Microsoft, Software · Comments

Via Brandon Paddock, a note on how Vista handles file transfers:

Now, when you copy a large number of files/folders - Vista will prompt you for any permissions, overwrite requests, etc - at the start of the operation, for everything in the copy list. It will also copy as much as it can and save any errors for the end of the operation, so that you don’t walk away and come back later to find that one little error has stopped your entire copy operation.

It also has replaced the “Yes / Yes To All / No� style options, with more descriptive options and a “Do this for all� checkbox - thus ending cries of “Where is No To All!?!?!� (which secretly could be achieved in older version of Windows by holding down the SHIFT key while pressing No).

See, that’s freakin’ smart. Why aren’t they marketing THAT instead of THIS?

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links for 2007-01-30

January 30, 2007 at 10:18 am · in Picks · Comments (1)

Windows Vista TV Commercials

January 29, 2007 at 11:37 pm · in Media, Microsoft · Comments (37)

DUDE! MAKE THEM STOP! SERIOUSLY, THESE ARE EMBARASSINGLY BAD. I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO USE MY CAPS LOCK KEY TO CONVEY JUST HOW MUCH OF A WASTE OF MONEY THIS WAS.

I’m sorry. I’m watching Comedy Central right now, with Windows Vista (apparently) sponsoring the hour of standup (even though Scrubs was scheduled to air). Instead of the regular din of commercials, the network is running nonsensical clips of some “old guy” teasing people to TheIAP.org - where you’re pointed to an even more confusing teaser link (Clearification.com). The “old guy” keeps talking about making life “clutter free” but I’ve never, ever, in my entire life felt more confused about what a commercial was trying to communicate to me. I understand the unspoken meaning behind “that not-so-fresh feeling” a woman has, but I’ll be damned if I can make heads or tails of this Windows Vista campaign.

Dude. Seriously. No. This isn’t happening. Don’t take these links as validation - I’m merely baffled at what a horrible waste of resources this was. Microsoft: you had a TREMENDOUS opportunity to blow people away with what you put in Windows Vista. Instead, you send them to Web sites that don’t make any sense (though Clearification.com sports an RSS feed that will likely die in a month).

My god, even the “PC” in Apple’s Get a Mac commercials does a better job at representing what your product does.

Wow. Seriously. Wow.

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Gnomedex 7.0 Dates

January 29, 2007 at 8:46 pm · in Gnomedex · Comments (14)

Congrats to Scott Beale for getting his photo of John Edwards at Gnomedex 6 into the latest issue of Time Magazine. Sadly, “Gnomedex” didn’t score any ink in the article - but that’s not keeping us from rolling forward with Gnomedex 7. If you wanna save the date, put August 9th - 12th 2007 on your calendar (Seattle, mixer on Thursday night, possible unconference on Sunday). Oh, and you might also think about penciling in the middle of January 2008 for a special Gnomedex back in Des Moines, Iowa.

We should be opening registrations for 7.0 very soon. I’ve gotta update a few more pieces on the Web site first (as well as identify a volunteer to help me manage the registration process).

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Sy Snootles Didn’t Die!

January 29, 2007 at 8:35 pm · in Fun · Comments (4)

I’m still a Simpsons nerd after all these years. Didn’t really get into ‘em until I was a junior, though - when my roomie (Craig McClure) brought home a VHS tape with back-to-back episodes. I happened to catch last night’s episode, although I didn’t devote my full attention to the screen throughout. Before credits rolled, the producers ran a short list of characters who had died in the Star Wars films - including Darth Vader, who was last seen on Thursday’s Daily Show with Jon Stewart (hilarious).

Anyway, one of the fallen names was “Sy Snootles” - lead singer for the Max Rebo Band at Jabba’s palace. But she didn’t die in the film! Unless she was on the sail barge when it went down, there is absolutely no visual record of her death in any of the six Star Wars films. Maybe they were thinking of Oola - rancorpoodoo? I know, I shouldn’t be obsessing about such things on Monday. There are far more important things to worry about, like… Windows Vista, or why people aren’t apparently linking to Robert Scoble?

In other Star Wars news, I’ve got two 50-gallon tubs in the garage filled with excellent-to-mint condition Star Wars figures (still in the packages / boxes). Know anyone who might want ‘em? May have to eBay everything, anyway.

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24, Lost… TV Recommendations?

January 29, 2007 at 8:28 pm · in Video · Comments (37)

Do I dare start watching 24, Brad? What about Lost, Maryam? Quite simply, I’m afraid I’ll get addicted to either show. I don’t have much leisure time these days, but “everybody” swears by these two television programs. It’s easy enough to pick up DVD sets to get caught up on earlier episodes, but…? Maybe I should ask this question: who thinks 24 and/or Lost are overrated?

There’s only so much time in the day, and I’m (sadly) placing more weight on HDTV programming anymore. I’ve got a few favorite shows, but am looking for general recommendations for more. I’m also trying to find new sitcoms to love. Here’s my current “wanna see very episode” list:

  • Scrubs
  • The Daily Show
  • Family Guy
  • The Simpsons
  • Robot Chicken
  • My Name is Earl
  • Numb3rs
  • Malcolm in the Middle
  • Two and a Half Men
  • Monk

What’s everybody else watching these days? I gotta find me some new shows to bittorrent enjoy.

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Windows Vista Launch

January 29, 2007 at 7:55 pm · in Microsoft · Comments (15)

I’m celebrating tonight’s Windows Vista launch in style - at home, on my computer, sitting in my half-finished home office, with the candlestick, watching the Plasma television screen (currently running an OS X RSS screen saver). Party of one! I’d turn on my new webcam so that you might celebrate with me, but… Microsoft’s LifeCam drivers are still wonky on Vista.

This is an event that you will remember for the rest of your life - or, at least, for the rest of this week. What will you be doing at Midnight? Where will you be? Are you heading out to stand in line at the store? Are you already waiting in line for Windows Vista SP1? Are you holding your own Vista launch party? I just finished responding to a series of email questions for an impending Vista interview (phoner) with German public radio - and that’s about as exciting as my Vista life gets tonight.

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Windows Vista Makes Your Life Easier?

January 26, 2007 at 8:21 pm · in Microsoft · Comments (11)

I kid you not. Here’s the official process for saving an image in a different format inside Windows Vista (using only what ships with the OS). Directly from the Windows Vista help center:

To save a picture in a different file type

  1. Click to open Windows Photo Gallery.
  2. Click the picture you want to change.
  3. On the toolbar, click Open, and then click Paint.
  4. Paint will open with your picture displayed.
  5. Click the File menu in Paint, and then click Save As.
  6. Click the Save as type list, and then click the file type you want to use to convert your picture.
  7. Click Save.

I discovered this only after being told that I couldn’t adjust saturation, hue, etc. on a BMP image. Sounds like a niggling point to bring up at this stage in the game, but it only underscores my initial arguments. “Wow?” This kind of workflow would have been acceptable in the days of, say, Windows 95 - but Windows Vista’s Photo Gallery should have been a bit smarter. If I can’t Fix a PNG or JPG in the Gallery viewer, then why is the toolbar button still illuminated? This isn’t just a fontface oversight.

I’ve been living inside Windows Vista (32-bit) for the past week, and I don’t think I could go back to Windows XP. I want Windows to be better - as a consumer, as a technologist. Maybe that’s why I’m disappointed when I find details like these skipped. Microsoft Paint is just… the anti-Vista. Why not just license PhotoFiltre or the fresh-out-of-beta Paint.NET? Let’s just see what gets patched when Vista’s first service pack hits the streets later this year.a

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Vanishing Point Clue

January 26, 2007 at 6:08 pm · in Microsoft, Fun, Games · Comments (2)

Heh heh heh. I was trying to learn more about tomorrow night’s Vanishing Point Game event in Seattle (Saturday night). The invitation link shared with me ultimately 404′ed. I checked Google’s cache and came up empty handed there, too. What about Live Search?

Vanishing Point

Pay attention to the fifth link. “Good, you’re paying attention. You’ve found something that very few others will…” Either someone forgot to edit a robots.txt file, or they just assumed nobody would ever think of using a search engine (Live or any other) to scour the site for information?

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Windows Help program (WinHlp32.exe) is no longer included with Windows

January 26, 2007 at 3:10 am · in Microsoft · Comments (19)

Okay, this is completely lame:

Windows Help (WinHlp32.exe) is a help program that has been included with Microsoft Windows versions starting with the Microsoft Windows 3.1 operating system. WinHlp32.exe is required to display 32-bit help content files that have the “.hlp” file name extension.

However, the Windows Help program has not had a major update for many releases and no longer meets Microsoft standards. Therefore, starting with the Microsoft Windows Vista and the Microsoft Windows Server Code Name “Longhorn” operating system releases, the Windows Help program will not ship as a component of Windows. Also, third-party programs that include .hlp files are prohibited from redistributing the Windows Help program together with their products. Users who want to view 32-bit .hlp files must download the program from the Microsoft Download Center, and then install it on their computers. The download for Windows Help is still in development. It will be available in time for the consumer release of Windows Vista scheduled for early 2007.

Yeah, well… I guess I’ll have to wait four more days before I can view a .HLP file that will likely never get updated. I’m thinking this is going to turn into a tech support nightmare for everyone. The decision will ultimately be reversed - and WinHlp32.exe will be pushed out through Windows Update within a year, if it doesn’t first get included within Vista SP1.

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