Your questions: "What do people read on your blog?" Stuff about Time, Bill Gates, Kids and shopping for a new PC. Here are some of the most popular posts.
Jenn asks today…
"What do people read the most on your blog? I found your article on how to choose a new computer and found lots more stuff."
Good question, Jenn. I didn't really know until I looked today.
Here are the top recent posts from my blog in the last couple of weeks. Seems that the most popular are the historical pieces on daylight saving time, with one of the most popular in the last couple of months my post on " Microsoft Windows August 2009 Updates to Daylight Saving Time and Time Zones " with details on Microsoft KnowledgeBase Article 970653, "August 2009 cumulative time zone update for Microsoft Windows operating systems". (Note that details on the December 2009 cumulative time zone update will be posted next week.)
One of the most popular posts in the last quarter was " Be careful: Why getting Windows 7 "RTM" today can be like a box of chocolates " advising our customers to "be careful and don't download something from a less than trusted source. As noted in my post here on the Windows 7 Release Candidate, please don't use torrents or P2P to get Windows 7 bits, as has been noted in the in the news. (Also available via https://bit.ly/L9PaO.)So many people eager to get Windows 7 but may subject themselves to malware."
On the content side, the top post in the last year ((and still popular today) is the collection of articles titled "Halloween, Daylight Saving Time, Bill Gates' new company and other mysterious things I've read this week" – "Here's a blast from the past (December 2006): What do candy, Microsoft products and Congress have in common? You can read more about this in the latest news on the subject. If you thought tracking the machinations of various daylight saving time and time zone changes around the world was tough, Paul Tennant of the Eagle-Tribune reports that in Haverhill (MA), trick-or-treating is Saturday night this (and every) year rather than on Friday, October 31."
If the connection here is Bill Gates Halloween Masks, then you really want to read the article in Forbes (click the link on this link to the Halloween Masks article) from Matthew Herper back in 2003 (masks designed by Nina Gould)…
"He created a monster. In his younger days, Bill Gates was accused of being a monopolist. Microsoft is maturing, and now pays a dividend. The world's richest man is trying to remake himself as a philanthropist who uses his vast fortune to fight the scourge of AIDS in Africa. Which is the real Gates? Ask FrankenBill." Click on image for mask.
One of the all time most popular posts is this one on Your questions: 'If we installed the December 2007 Microsoft daylight saving time updates, are we covered for the changes this Fall?'
Recently, I received a question similar to one I answered last year on daylight saving time and time zone updates to Windows:
"We updated our systems earlier this year for daylight saving time [the rules for the US and Canada]. Is there anything we need to do? Should we also update our systems with the last DST update? [referring to the August 2008 cumulative update]
Generally, the answer is yes. As I noted earlier here, it depends.
Next, on the top list of posts is this how-to covering one of the most popular questions: "How do I make Internet Explorer my default web browser?"
As I work in the Windows division, a letter made its way to my office: a customer mail sent to one of our senior leaders that asked...
"How do I set up Internet Explorer to be my default web browser?"
Simple question you may say, but unfortunately in this case, the customer noted that they were unable to find the information on our web sites or using online help. So, after first apologizing for the difficulty the customer had in locating the information, I then provided the following steps on how to configure your PC to use Internet Explorer your default web browser.
But I digress…
Here are a few of the most popular posts from the blog in the last month or so. Seems that most of the info I share is via my feed on twitter, which I update a few times a day.
- The link to the video on migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7 using the User State Migration Toolis one of the top posts: "Of interest is the TechNet information on Migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7 using the User State Migration Tool (aka USMT). With it, you can migrate your files and settings from your Windows XP computer to a new Windows 7 installation."
- Next is this post on " Being foolish about customer and partner satisfaction at Microsoft " – "I recalled tonight an old quote: Fortuna favet fatuis. If you know me, you'll likely understand my personal, off-hours affinity for such a quote and my penchant for Monty Python humour. But in all seriousness, I'm reminded of a past post in which I noted that fools may find fault with ease. It takes the persistent to note that the customer experience isn't a commodity, and to course correct when we find fault…"
- "I'm a PC and Windows 7 was my idea." Perhaps, but the look-and-feel of Windows 7 was done in Redmond - "Brandon over in Windows (interesting to write it like that, having recently moved from building 26) posted here about how we really designed the look-and-feel of Windows 7, in contrast to a quote in a short interview from a Microsoft employee not involved in designing Windows 7."
- From Windows 7 to working with product groups customer satisfaction - "With this move comes a move from my office in the Windows division and later this week across campus to my new home. Sad to leave Windows but excited to move to this new role on the heels of one of the most successful product launches the company has seen in some time."
Your questions: "How did you collect cool items for the Microsoft Giving Campaign Auction?" I just asked. – More than almost any item on the blog save my articles on daylight saving time and more recently the arrival of my Windows 7 Party Pack is the interest in the items I provided to benefit the Microsoft Giving Campaign this year. I received more email this week on these posts than any other post this month." Also see the related post " A couple of choice items benefitting the Microsoft Giving Campaign this year " and "Wonder what's up at the Microsoft Giving Campaign? Here's a look at few auction items generating interest". In all, these items added several thousand dollars to the total Giving Campaign auction.
My Windows 7 Party Pack Arrives– "The package may've been a little rough, but the contents are all intact, including the copy of Windows 7 Ultimate Signature Edition, various party favours and decorations and instructions on how to throw a successful house party. (We're throwing ours to friends with kids to look at the family safety features and home applications, along with plenty of pop and pizza, 'though I'd love to show some of the more advanced management features.)"- Free download: Microsoft Security Essentials suite available now – "Now available (US and Canada) is the new Microsoft Security Essentials suite, available for free, providing protection from viruses, spyware, and other malicious software for your PCs at home. Just installed the release version on my home PCs today. (Security Essentials will replace Windows Live OneCare, as I noted here this summer.)"
- Reminder: Microsoft Windows 2009 Daylight Saving Time and Time Zones Hotfix available for Egypt, Western Australia – "In case you missed the announcement, there is a new Microsoft Windows 2009 Daylight Saving Time and Time Zones Hotfix available for Egypt and Western Australia. See my original post here."
- More help and tips in finding that perfect laptop computer, this time from Rob Pegoraro of the Washington Post – "Over swim lessons today, I read Rob Pegoraro's article "Tips to boot up your laptop hunt" (which was picked up in today's local paper) for users looking for new laptops (as I Tweeted today)…"
Also see the related post "It's nearly back to school time: here's info on buying a new PC" – "As I posted on Twitter today, Joel Santo Domingo over at PC Magazine has published a new article, How to Buy a Back-to-School PC. He covers what you should consider when shopping for a new PC for back to school or for you home." It's helpful and timely information given the article I recently read from Jonathan Starkey on How to clamp down on spending for college, given how expensive tuition and housing are these days. Starkey said that "It all can add up quickly, but there are ways to stretch a family's college budget."- This reminds me of my prior post, "What kind of a computer should I buy?" from late last year.
- Windows 7 flying high in the skies above Redmond – "Last week a few of the folks got together and enjoyed a cool but fun afternoon on main campus. A fun time was had by all celebrating the RTM Engineering Milestone. And one of the signed Windows 7 flags was on display for all to see."
- Ed Bott offers up his update to the Windows 7 upgrade chart in Walt Mossberg's blog– "As I noted on Twitter, a quick nod of the head to Ed Bott for his post on the Windows 7 upgrade chart published in Walt Mossberg's blog this week. Ed took a few moments and updated the Windows 7 Upgrade chart with a more simplified look and feel..."
Last but not least, I'm not sure why, but my humourous post " Apologies for my ode on the Day Before Christmas " (https://tinyurl.com/64uu5f) remains one of the top posts in the last year. My guess is that pictures of snow and kids always get folks online.
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