Microsoft Short Takes

The Wow Is Pow
The folks at BadVista.org have some Microsoft "actions" planned for next week's Windows Vista launch. Actions? They're going to demonstrate against an operating system? Get a life.

Maybe the BadVista group is miffed Microsoft wouldn't give them an invitation so they could protest inside the event. No matter, the group plans to share its "wow" moments with Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.

"BadVista.org would like to take Mr. Gates up on his open invitation. But since the Web site Microsoft set up to collect the 'wow moments' doesn't work with free software browsers, we decided to deliver our message in person."

Please! Can we keep the pie throwers away from Gates and CEO Steve Ballmer? That's one wow moment we don't need to see again.

Picture Perfect
Today, university student Long Zheng blogged about Windows Vista Wallpapers and where Microsoft got them. In addition to the usual stock houses, Microsoft sought out Flickr photographers, some of which the company sent out on specific photo shoots. Of the 36 wallpapers on my Vista PC, only 19 are stock images; the others are copyrighted by Microsoft. The Flickr approach is brilliant and demonstrates how Microsoft took a much more community-customer approach in developing Windows Vista than its predecessors.

For all those Flickr photographers, Microsoft released a new photography tool this week. Windows XP add-on Microsoft Photo Info provides additional image information and quick editing of some attributes, such as metadata tags.

Anti-Vista Marketing
I know Microsoft has antitrust troubles in South Korea, but what gives with governmental agencies telling consumers to hold off Windows Vista upgrades?

Apparently, Microsoft is the victim of its own success, with way too many banks using ActiveX controls that won't work with Vista. Maybe South Korea should be looking at Internet Explorer 7, too. I'm confused. Surely, people could continue to bank on their Windows Mobile smart phones.

Better than Conan?
Two years ago, Gates chatted with Conan O`Brien during the Consumer Electronics Show keynote. Gates was so straight he made a poor straight man to O`Brien, who couldn't get laughs by making fun of the world's richest man.

On Monday, Gates will try another shot at comedy, all in the good interests of Windows Vista marketing, when he appears on the Daily Show. Host Jon Stewart has a better track record at getting laughs out of any old fool or, in this case, genius.

Now, if Stewart were using the old noggin, he would bring out correspondent John Hodgman (the PC in Apple's "Get a Mac" TV ads) for a spoof. "Hi, I'm a PC." "And, hi, I'm a PC." Gates and Hodgman could circle each other for laughs. Maybe one PC could be Vista and the other Windows XP.