Here is a blog for those who find my Facebook app if it ever loads up.  This blog covers Help, Privacy and Terms of Service related to an app I was invited to create with Facebook at the link below.

This location is the be all end all for information about my little quiz app that is simply a test to see if I could successfully dev and post an app.

If you need Help email me at my Spaces site....YOU ARE ON THE SPACES SITE NOW.

If you need to know what information is used and how it is used then you are free to use the same format that I did and went where it was suggested on this page to make my own quiz. http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=87142097479

I do not need your information and will not be using it for any purpose and I assume that whatever rules and security Facebook has for the use of information for these quizzes is what is generally used by everyone who writes a quiz or other app using this format.  See the Facebook code of conduct and security notices.

Use these apps at your own risk and if you choose to do so I and suffer damage I will not accept any liability on you part for what happens.

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to post a few pieces of information about Western New York and what is going on in the local region since Flight 3407 crashed in Clarence Center, New York.   This community in Western New York is one large family.  The residents of the home located at the scene of the crash are our neighbors even though I personally live approximately 70 miles from the scene of this accident. Our community is family and every single person in Western New York would say they are my neighbor.  In this region we are all part of Buffalo and honor their name as being “The City of Good Neighbors” as if it is our own.  We are neighbors of the city and we honor that value in our adjacent communities.  The borders of the City of Buffalo have a territory that is designated on a map but it is irrelevant to the residents of Western New York (Not Upstate New York – We are residents of Western New York and you will get strange looks from us as we are not from Syracuse or other Upstate New York regions….it is not that we love them less it is just they are there and we are here….) and Buffalo actually reaches across the border toward Erie, Pennsylvania in the South and East to Allegheny State Park a straight line drawn from there to Rochester, NY who is considered a “sister city”.   We value people as precious individuals and if one of us gets hurt we all do.  In many ways I find that this area of the country is a rather large extended family.  I can make this claim and say this because I live in one of the smallest of areas in this several hundred square miles of territory I have mapped out and can tell you we all know each other or we are one degree of separation from someone that was involved in what is going on here.    This region ranges from the city of Buffalo to urban areas, to towns and villages, to farm land and Amish country.   For the precious people who have come here that live far from Buffalo, NY to care for their loved one who was on that flight you are one of us.  We have plenty of room in this family for you and you are permanently and irrevocably one of us and we love you.  We are keepers of this part of your heart and soul and you were given to us and we stand with you and we stand beside you and cry with you and hold you up when you cannot go on…that is what is most important and we know this…..   A soul that is most precious to you departed from here and we are keepers of that moment and guard it with reverence.

Many people reading may not think that what I have written is completely true or consider it simply words of comfort to those who have lost someone.  I want to assure you that there is much to reinforce to those who lost someone this is true and genuine.  When such tragic events happen it is essential to be able to look back and reflect upon what happened and who helped me and was it a memory I should hold onto that will help me move on and press forward while coping with grief and the life changes that come with such a loss.     Regarding the degrees of separation and the closeness of people over hundreds of miles in our region…. My husband introduced me to Emergency Coordinator David Bissonette at some point in the past several years.  You see David is not called into service as a First Responder unless there is a great emergency.  He is part of a Team assembled throughout the County to respond in the event of an emergency that one hopes will never happen.  When David is not handling an emergency situation his primary job is to coordinate safety at the same company that my husband works.  That company has sent David to this emergency and they are not concerned about when he is able to show up at work because he is taking care of something far more important at this time.   When you see the coverage of the press updates David is the one who opens the press conference and introduces the speaker.  He is in his yellow coat and gear prepared to leave if necessary to return to the scene of the crash. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hpSZzqkNMwZvX2xrejSSUOyBGCYgD96AOPC83 http://video.aol.com/video-detail/plane-crash/288230385389817289/?icid=VIDURVNWS10

We all have one degree of separation or less from someone who was lost to this accident in this region.  What does this mean…?  It means that if you did not personally know someone who passed in the accident or have a personal relationship with someone who is responding to the accident then you know one of their friends or family members who is supporting them in their grief while they are also grieving or you know someone who is supporting a family who has a member absent due to their duties to care for the scene.  Most have multiple instances and both know a victim and a responder.   County Executive Chris Collins indicated that he is cognizant of the impact in our area and that he has not found one person who has more than one degree of separation from someone who has been lost in this accident or someone who is involved in the process of resolving the scene of the crash.  I have indicated that I know David but for only the briefest moment that we were introduced but have one degree of separation as my husband interacts with David on a regular basis at his job.  We support his efforts 110% and can only hope what little help anyone can offer him and whatever is said in comfort helps him to do his job in this most trying of circumstances.   David has extensive training in his role at the company my husband works for and his training is frequently updated to meet the needs of the company that they are employed by.  This training is enhanced by what he personally does to keep updated in his role as a first responder.  I am so pleased that he has been able to use the skills he has acquired to ensure that this situation is handled properly and with great reverence for the gravity of the situation.   I also know one of the victims on a personal level.  Linda Davidson of Westfield, NY.  Linda was a nurse at the local hospital and was present to visit  me and my newest baby as they were born and I remember fondly the moments we shared in the hospital as she always made time for a visit while on break from her regular duties.  Linda is sort of a backhand relation through my mother’s half sister.  Regardless of how this is, she is family plain and simple.  We didn’t see each other often but Linda was precious to me and far more precious to her family and dearest friends.   My heart breaks for what her children are going through as I kept up through conversations with my Aunt and mother regarding how Andrew and his children were doing and how much Linda loved her grandchildren and occasional word of what Aaron and Carrie her other children were doing.  I have known Linda since I was a young child but cannot know if I ever met her husband Ron who was also on the flight.  You see this family who so desperately needed and depended on these people now have lost both parents at a time they were still so vital and community minded people with so much more to offer…had tragedy not taken them.   We also have mention of the off-duty flight member Captain Joe Zuffoletto who resided in Jamestown, NY who perished but is part of our community.  My deepest sympathies to his family, friends and co-workers.

Tail section of the plane

This glimpse into what is happening behind the scenes might be of some comfort to those who have just joined our family.  David is not the only one who has not been at his regular job since the crash and not one person would expect they would be at work when they have more important things to be doing.    Most every single emergency worker has a regular day job that they are absent from and their employer is not at all concerned and would not expect them back until they had met their obligation to this situation.  Many people take much of their personal time to keep updated to the most relevant training for all types of disaster situations as there are few fire departments that are not volunteer departments in our area.   Stephen Wallace has been at the scene documenting what is there as it was before further efforts were made that would disturb the evidence at the site.

Stephen Wallace – Photographic Criminologist               brought in to document the scene.

For those of you who do not know….our local NBC affiliate is posting live news updates and all of the press conferences online if you want to follow the latest information.  This channel has been reporting consistently day and night and have the web feed on as often as there is new news to report.  You can view the reports at the following link…  http://www.wgrz.com/default.aspx

Also a slide show has been posted and if you have information that needs to be added to this slide show you can submit it through this link.  A list of passengers on the flight that has been released is there as well and updates regarding the complete manifest will be made as the names are released.   Here is a separate link to the slide show.  http://www.wgrz.com/news/breaking/story.aspx?storyid=64153&catid=298

Erie County Executive Chris Collins has done everything he can to ensure that every family has everything that they might need while they are here and there are people on staff to supply every need these families and loved ones might have.  We have been sensitive to the fact that so many tragedies are not properly managed and those who need assistance are ignored at critical moments in coping with their grief.  This is not the case here.   Press conferences are at 8:00 am EST for the general updates and at 4:00 pm EST for the NTSB updates and they can be seen live on our NBC affliliate.

Chris Cummings New York State Police, David Bissonette, Chris Collins Erie County Executive

We take great pride in our community and this area of the country is the home town that Tim Russert took such great pride in and noted his roots often.  Since Tim’s untimely passing we all strive to ensure the values and the community he cared for does not ever lose the values that we all share.

I personally wanted to note these things that are not part of the public news cast so that the families and friends and loved ones who could not be here have this small comfort that people who are dedicated and caring and hold the most reverence for this tragedy are present and caring for every aspect of this situation.

My prayers to each person affected and I send my deepest sympathies for your loss.

Mindy D’Amico
Microsoft MVP – Windows Live

View blog authority

This blog was created with Windows Live Writer which can be downloaded at http://download.live.com/

 

For anyone wishing to participate in the Windows 7 Beta the time frame has been announced for getting your download of the program in the Windows 7 Team Blog.  All downloads should be completed in the following time frame.

http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/01/23/general-availability-for-the-windows-7-beta-to-end.aspx

“The shutdown of general availability for the Windows 7 Beta will occur in 3 phases over the course of the next few weeks: Starting January 27th, the Windows 7 page will be updated with a warning that time is running out on downloading the Windows 7 Beta and that we will be limiting downloads shortly. People will be encouraged to register and start the download of the Windows 7 Beta sooner rather than later. February 10th, new downloads of the Windows 7 Beta will no longer be available. People who have already started their Windows 7 Beta download and have not yet finished will still be able to finish their download and are encouraged to do so. February 12th, people will no longer be able to complete their download of the Windows 7 Beta. Anyone who hasn’t finished downloading the Windows 7 Beta will be unable to do so. Product keys for the Windows 7 Beta will continue to be available. So if you have the Windows 7 Beta but didn’t get a product key you will be able to do so even after February 12th. MSDN and TechNet Subscribers will continue to have access to the Windows 7 Beta bits throughout the Windows 7 Beta phase. The above dates do not apply to MSDN and TechNet Subscribers. “

Questions about Windows 7 can be posted on Live Search QnA.  This forum is already compiling a large amount of information that will assist anyone with issues that they feel they might encounter.  I am a site facilitator on Live Search QnA and some find it helpful to add me to their contact list when they need site assistance.

Previewing these topics, or posting questions you may have in advance, might help someone decide if they should try the Beta.  Although anyone may download and try the Beta it really requires some experience or having someone who is experienced with installing operating systems available to advise a' ‘first timer’.

Please note that Windows 7 will no longer work after August 2009 so you must understand that your download will quit working and you must be prepared to re-install the previous programming in your machine.

To facilitate your ability to communicate with others on Live Search QnA please feel free to read the following help topics to avoid moderation.  There is a code of conduct on the site and veteran participants along with the QnA Team and Microsoft MVP’s will post advisory messages to new participants to help them understand the posting criteria.

Mindy DAmico Microsoft MVP – Windows Live Live Search QnA

Hello Everyone,

Our whole lives are slowly being taken over by our cell phones.  In a huge change from the last millennium’s technology our phones are able to do things that PC’s used to have difficulty doing.

In our mobile world everything has to be done yesterday and who has time to do anything anymore.

If your work is reliant on locating instant information, constant travel, social networking, photo journaling, presentations or updating staff regarding conferences and news and various changes that require posting of photos and tagging of those photos here is something really cool that makes your phone a more effective tool to create content as it happens rather than having to manipulate content multiple times before it goes online.

Have you ever been shopping for necessary products for business or home and did not have the chance to compare feature for feature products you did not plan to consider for a purchase?  Have you wished you had your computer handy for researching if you should consider an alternative rather than what you intended due to additional features, time saving, compatibility, ability to upgrade, etc….  Would you rather know at the store or would you rather have to return to your home or office to do further research about your product needs?

Get Instant information and entertainment. Microsoft Tag creates unlimited possibilities for making interactive communications an instant, entertaining part of life. They tranform physical media (print advertising, billboards,product packages, information signs, in-store merchandising, or even video images)—into live links for accessing information and entertainment online. With the Microsoft Tag application, just aim your camera phone at a Tag and instantly access mobile content, videos, music, contact information, maps, social networks, promotions, and more. Nothing to type, no browsers to launch!

Here are just some of the articles that show how mobile tags are making almost anything "interactive." Ansible, McCann Worldgroup use Microsoft Tag in print ad NFC sees future disappear in a Tag Microsoft Tag Debut Builds Momentum For Mobile Commerce, Quick Response Marketing Demo: A look at Microsoft Tag Microsoft Tag Debut Builds Momentum For Mobile Commerce, QR Marketing Microsoft's second iPhone app; Interactive bar codes NRF's New Tech Toys International Standard Audiovisual Number International Agency (ISAN) Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) TechNet Seattle Seattle Times Post-Intelligencer The sophisticated technology powering Microsoft Tag, High Capacity Color Barcodes (HCCBs), was invented by Microsoft Research.

To try this Beta go to this link and get the free download or enter your phone number for the application to be sent to your phone. http://www.microsoft.com/tag/content/download/

Look for tags on the products you purchase and the locations that you visit and snap any tag you find as shown above.

These tags are unique in their design and are able to take up less space than typical product scanning tags currently in use.  It appears our product technology is going to have a major change in how information is processed from manufacturing to end user sales.  Here are some examples of our present tagging processes and this new tag for comparison.

Notice the dimensions and that only approximately 2 1/3 of the matrix pixel area is used to contain the same information that 8 matrix pixels are necessary to hold now in the HCCB format.

Below are actual dimensions of what coding is presently used.

Here is what the new coding with triangulation in the HCCB format shows in comparison.

Here is what the dimensions are in actual pixel size comparing a penny to the HCCB formatted tag.

Watch for these product tags and let them help you in all ways to get done what you need to get done fast and accurately.

This beta is currently available and feedback is appreciated to make this product work effectively for your business and personal needs.

 

Hello Everyone,

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Steve Ballmer delivered a keynote address that discussed the future plans for the next operating system being released by Microsoft.  http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/events/ces/

This operating system, called Windows 7, will be made available for a limited number of participants to download and beta test.

This Beta test is unsupported, meaning that you do not have staff to assist you with glitches on your computer if you beta test Windows 7.

In that regard, there will be a video that demonstrates how to submit your issues and any bugs that might be found while you test the operating system and various forums will be discussing the release and post information and participants may inquire about “fixes” and “work arounds” for their problems. One forum participating in this beta test is Live Search QnA located at this link http://qna.live.com.  To participate in this forum you will need a Windows Live Id and thereafter you can create an account on Live Search QnA by going to the link and following the instructions. Both of these registrations are free of charge. You will also need to register as instructed for reporting bugs and suggestions to Microsoft directly once you have the Beta downloaded as the information and videos instruct you to do for reporting your observations while using Windows 7 Beta.

Here are some informational links for those who wish to participate in this short term Beta release which is scheduled to end on August 1, 2009. These links offer a variety of information about the Windows 7 Beta itself and the Live Search QnA forum where questions can be posted that other Beta testers can respond to and exchange information.

Due to demand for this Beta please get updates from this link regarding availability of the download. http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/01/09/update-on-windows-7-beta-availability.aspx

Windows 7 Home Page – Links To Various Updates & News http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/

Windows 7 Beta Frequently Asked Questions  https://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-faq.aspx

Technical Questions That Are Not Addressed By FAQ OR Live Search QnA Can Be Asked Here http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/category/w7itpro/

Live Search QnA Team Blog With Information About  The Release And Participation In The Windows 7 Beta http://liveqna.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2933A3E375F68349!2065.entry

Help Links For the Live Search QnA Forum

Microsoft Service Agreement & Code of Conduct For Live Search QnA (Do not miss the Live Search QnA Code of Conduct Supplement at the end of the general information – scroll all the way to the end for that additional information) http://help.live.com/help.aspx?project=tou&market=en-us&querytype=keyword&query=coc&tmt=&domain=qna.live.com

For general information and tips for participants in the Live Search QnA forum http://liveqna.spaces.live.com/?_c11_BlogPart_BlogPart=blogview&_c=BlogPart&partqs=cat%3dTips%2band%2bTricks

Community News (scroll down to second entry for an important update with instructions on how to post “conversational” questions so they are not moderated as a violation of the code of conduct) http://liveqna.spaces.live.com/?_c11_BlogPart_BlogPart=blogview&_c=BlogPart&partqs=cat%3dQnA%2bCommunity%2bNews

If I need to contact someone directly for assistance with Live Search QnA http://liveqna.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2933A3E375F68349!1666.entry  OR http://liveqna.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2933A3E375F68349!1814.entry

Instructions for dealing with and reporting participants who do not adhere to the code of conduct http://liveqna.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2933A3E375F68349!1193.entry?sa=463871481

Happy Testing!!!

Mindy D’Amico
Microsoft MVP – Windows Live – Live Search QnA

I don’t know about you but my friends, online friends, online communities, newsletter services, social networking sites, co-workers, clients, business networking contacts, and a few zillion other kinds of contacts are not all at the same location at the same time.  Since all of these sites have a separate web location this requires I must go to all these locations and manage all these people from a variety of websites…all with different passwords, logins, profiles, etc…  I have had to copy and paste the same updates amongst all these services to update all who would need the information or would just be plain curious about what I am doing at that moment and submit this same information multiple times. I don’t know about you, but I have been looking for an easier way to manage the information and to do it from one spot…it would also be really really great if it didn’t cost an arm and a leg and require a trip to the store to get it….  I found just what I NEED and it is FREE and available ONLINE and I can get it in a simple download!!! I stumbled across a bit of information regarding managing your Web Activities through your Windows Live and Spaces profile.  I found since the recent upgrade of December 2008 there is now a way to manage many of your other social networking and online community profiles and have that information appear in your “What’s new” list.

You can also go to your own “What’s new” list once you have integrated your other networks to manage all these other profiles by using links within your “What’s new” list to go directly to various locations and post information and responses to those you communicate with most often.  There are also options to import friends from some of these networks to your Windows Live Network and see who is already using Windows Live that you have not yet added from other networks.  These options have saved me an incredible amount of time and it permits me to be “EVERYWHERE” and take care of “EVERYTHING” as it happens rather than being horribly late and missing the opportunity or the essential facts and most of all the fun by arriving late to the show.  Okay…so you want and need this…  What do you have to do to get this integration of services?  Logging into your Spaces or Windows Live Profile is all you need to do and then follow this link to your… web activities …and begin adjusting them as follows: You will see this list (which has many more options not shown) to review and manage what services you also belong to.

Simply click on the “Add” link and follow the steps that are shown to add each service to your “What’s new” list.

As you can see from the caption adding Facebook information is a simple 3 step process and you can skip steps to include only the portions of the network information you want available in your “What’s new” profile.

In Twitter you can see that there is an option for limiting the feed from Twitter if you do not want everyone accessing that feed. There are also new networks joining all the time so what you might not see today could be available tomorrow and one should check the web activities link often to see what networks can be added that were not available before. If you have not yet downloaded all of the Windows Live services it is now a good time to do this.  They are available at this link…. http://download.live.com/  …and you can get the whole package.  You do not have to get them to adjust what is on your web activities feed but these additional features will enhance what information you can get to your other networks and manage that information from everywhere.

Mindy D’Amico
Microsoft MVP – Windows Live

The recent Windows Live Wave 3 upgrade integrated various aspects of Windows Live that permit a wide range of new uses for your Windows Live Profile.  Due to this integration many people have noticed that their name is more visible and appearing where they may have previously posted a nickname or user name. Some participants prefer to have their name visible on their profile while others prefer to be known by their nickname or user name that they are known by in other forums. The changes to Windows Live also result in changes to where information is edited which is the reason for this tutorial.  In this blog I will describe what to do to change your name.  Changing how your name appears requires that you edit your Windows Live "Profile" Module. To access your Profile Module you should first login to your Windows Live Spaces. If you cannot get to these features in your Profile Module after logging into Spaces, you can follow these steps to get directly to that module.  The instructions below and the images show what you will need to adjust if you want to make changes to your Profile Module

Name http://account.live.com/editname.aspx Make any changes you would like. Click Save. If you use the link given above to go straight to your Profile Module you will see this page with an instructional note in the Yellow box.

If you make adjustments to your Profile Module from Spaces here is what you will see and where you should click to edit your Profile Module.  By editing your Profile Module from your Spaces page there are additional items that are revealed to personalize how your information appears.  In each image instructions are added with arrows that designate what  each instruction is referencing.

After clicking on "Edit profile details" as shown above, you are taken to this page which contains settings for all of the Windows Live options for your account.

Make adjustments to your Profile where the arrows indicate your preferences can be customized.

My blog and Spaces is limited to my participation in Live Search QnA, therefore I want to customize my profile to have my user name or nickname for my QnA account visible.  In that regard, I have made several of the following customizations to my account to reflect my participation on Live Search QnA as a site facilitator.  Live Search QnA is integrated to Windows Live to permit the friends you meet on QnA to learn more about you and share more personal information.  The name "Mindy-QnA-MVP" that I have posted in this image is now integrated with my Live Search QnA account so I only have to change the settings once and the changes are made across Windows Live.

Here is what the edits look like once I have clicked "Save" on my Profile.

This change also adjusts your settings on your Windows Live Mail or hotmail.  Your chosen name, nickname or user name will now appear on your outgoing email so you can communicate with other participants in the Live Search QnA forum or participants in other forums who know you by your nickname or user name only.    Any variation can be used in the fields in your Profile Module to customize the information to do what you need it to do.  Some QnA participants post their first name and instead of a last name use a nickname or simply post a period in the "Last name" field if they do not want any information there. This same technique can be used to adjust your Profile Module for the Clubhouse if you prefer to use a nickname or user name.  To participate in Live Search QnA you can find it at this link... http://www.qna.live.com .

 

Mindy D'Amico
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live

I am delighted to be a part of the creation of Windows Live and represent the concepts that Microsoft is has developed as a Microsoft MVP*.  For those of you who are not aware, Microsoft has created a whole package of online programming that is free to download.  This package is an enhancement that offers solutions to people using online features that are part of Windows Live.

All of these features are integrated for easy navigation and you can easily navigate between them and download those that are relevant to how you use your computer and what you do online.  Best of all they are FREE!!!

I have been posting blogs to inform various online communities in particular Live Search QnA about how they can have an enhanced experience while participating in this forum by adding features such as Live Messenger for instantly messaging participants in Live Search QnA while on the forum at the same time and a Spaces Blog written with Live Writer that is enhanced with images edited with the Photo Gallery feature.

While doing this I reached out to various forums and found various forums within Windows Live that were also reaching out to present

information to people about what fantastic things one can do to save time and communicate effectively with anyone you need to communicate with.  One of these contacts is Marcus at Microsoft who is the Community Manager for a forum called the Windows Live Clubhouse.

Much of what I was doing already was universally of interest to the Clubhouse Community and Marcus found Live Search QnA to be a fascinating way to obtain information from "real people" and his forum emphasized what "real people" do with their computers.  I think you can see that at some point it was inevitable that we provide some cross-over information for both Communities to be aware what is out there.  Windows Live Clubhouse knows how to use all the features of Windows Live to communicate and have fantastic Spaces and online interaction and Live Search QnA is all about getting out information and interacting with "real people".

Anyone can be a Clubhouse member and after following the process my blogs that were relevant to Clubhouse participants were tagged so they would appear in Clubhouse and of course always visible to Live Search QnA participants and anyone who found my Spaces blog.  When Marcus was invited to try the new "Conversational" tag being tested on Live Search QnA he indicated it would make a great topic for one of his podcasts and suggested if I was willing to participate he would love to do a podcast about Live Search QnA.  It was easy to see how Windows Live options can make the experience even better for Live Search QnA participants and that Live Search QnA would be embraced by the Clubhouse Community as a tool for both information and communication of ideas.

In that regard I am happy to announce that our podcast is now publicly available and for those of you who want to hear it.

Here is the link for the blog Marcus wrote to announce a new podcast.  Click on that link and select what format you prefer to use to listen to the podcast. There is also an option to subscribe to his entire podcast series for the latest information from "real people" using these features.

http://marcusatmicrosoft.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!503D1D86EBB2B53C!1207.entry

If you listened to the podcast please leave a comment for Marcus on the blog entry at this same link.

Live Search QnA can be found at		http://qna.live.com
Windows Live Clubhouse can be found at		http://windowslive.com/Clubhouse
Windows Live features discussed in this blog can be found at		http://windowslive.com/Home

 
Mindy D'Amico
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live

*Microsoft MVP's are not employees of Microsoft and content posted by them is their personal opinion.

Microsoft and Windows Live has recently upgraded several features related to Windows Live mail which enhance the options that one can have with their @hotmail and @live free and premium email.  This change permits those who use hotmail or live mail to do more with less effort in regard to communicating with those that you keep in contact with on a regular basis.  I will be posting a series of blogs regarding these upgrades because there are so many and they are designed to be interactive throughout all of Windows Live services and features and msn.com.  Most people are familiar with the recent Wave 3 upgrade and have questions but many do not realize all that Windows Live Mail can do for them or that these features are available to download.

I want to bring some information directly from the web page that one would go to who is considering obtaining the features offered with Windows Live Mail.  At this link you can obtain a download which will permit you to have the features listed below and get additional information about system requirements and a quick overview. 

http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview

Windows Live Mail is Microsoft’s next-generation e-mail program. It includes the familiar features of Outlook Express and more. Use it to get multiple e-mail accounts in one place, and seamlessly access other Windows Live stuff like Spaces and Messenger.

Get multiple e-mail accounts in one place—not only Hotmail, but Gmail, Yahoo!*, and many more. Plus, you can start a Windows Live Messenger conversation right from your inbox, or jump right into the latest updates from your friends' Windows Live Spaces blogs.

Send high-resolution photos without clogging their inboxes with gigantic attachments. Your contact will see a thumbnail image embedded in your message. When they click on it, they'll see the full-sized picture, at a private Web location. Plus, you can do basic photo editing, add borders, and control just how the thumbnail images are displayed in your e-mail.

Use Windows Live Mail to help maximize privacy, safety, and security across your e-mail accounts. Spam filters scan for junk e-mail, red and yellow warning bars tell you when a message seems to be suspicious, and the "Delete and block" button lets you tell scammers to buzz off.

So, for some reason you've got Hotmail, Yahoo!*, and Gmail? (It's okay, we've all got our reasons.) Windows Live Mail is your e-mail command center where you can get messages and manage multiple accounts in one place: your desktop.

 

	Quick views show you specific categories of messages from across all of your e-mail and news accounts. You select the quick views you want and see them in the folder pane.
	Make it yours. Change the colors, move columns around, and show just the stuff you want to see.

*Requires a premium Yahoo! account

RSS without the mess

Get content feeds delivered directly to your inbox—from news sites, blogs, and anywhere else that offers RSS. (RSS means "Really Simple Syndication," and is a way for web sites to send out their content.)

Do it offline

So you're traveling and can't get online? Read and delete e-mail, and write messages that will be sent whenever you're reconnected to the Web.

Best of all this is

If you like what you see here for email features you can see a full compliment of additional features that are completely integrated and accessible from your email to connect with everyone you communicate with online, friends and family at this link...

http://get.live.com/wl/all

Please come back soon for information about the Wave 3 changes and what they permit you to do to customize your Windows Live content.

  
Mindy D'Amico
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live
http://qna.live.com

I am delighted to inform everyone that a new feature is being introduced to Live Search QnA!

    

Various participants on the Live Search QnA Beta and other Windows Live Communities such as the Clubhouse have indicated they would love to use the QnA forum for participants to communicate ideas and concepts in a "Conversational" manner. 

Live Search QnA is primarily an enhancement to Live Search where you can ask real people to assist you in locating information that you are unable to find in real time.  Now you can share information as well by following some basic principles for tagging your questions to make sure that they are properly categorized.

For a great tutorial about how to participate in this new feature please refer to the Live Search QnA Team Blog entry at this link.

 http://boards.live.com/QNAboards/thread.aspx?boardid=260&threadid=850896

This will offer opportunities for discussions related to online communities and sharing of concepts. 

Here is a question posted by one of our Program Managers announcing the new feature.

 http://liveqna.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2933A3E375F68349!1982.entry

Please use your Windows Live ID to login and try Live Search QnA at http://qna.live.com

A Live Event is being held at this location and all are welcome to join.

http://cid-00093b8d423f4036.events.live.com/default.aspx

Mindy D'Amico
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live

Hello Everyone,

It has come to my attention today that people are receiving notices through Facebook that appear like this.





These are not valid sites and although I have not been able to track down the origin, it is stated on many sites as a virus that is spreading via Facebook contacts.  Do not go to shobase.com or ubzstate.com or any site listed in similar posts indicating your photo is being posted there.

Facebook is posting the following notice on their site:

Protecting Your Account and the "Koobface" Worm

We are currently helping our users with the recently discovered "koobface" worm and phishing sites. If your account has recently sent spam (e.g., "check this out!" messages you don't remember sending), please visit the Facebook Security Page, for information about resetting your password, downloading free antivirus scanners, and other helpful tips.

Support for your Computer

If your Windows PC or Mac is ever infected with malware or a virus, check out these helpful sites:

• http://www.microsoft.com/security/default.mspx
• http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

Free Online Virus Scanners

You should also immediately run a virus scan using one of these sites:

• http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner
• http://security.symantec.com
• http://us.mcafee.com/root/mfs/scan.asp?affid=56
• http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8
• http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.htm
• http://ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx
• http://www.ewido.net/en/onlinescan
• http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/solutions/activescan

If you see this on your site do not go to the site and contact who sent it to you that they could have a virus of some kind and to scan their computer.  They should also use the links above or click "Help" at the bottom of their home page on Facebook.com.

 

Please keep your antivirus and spyware programs updated and scan your computer frequently.

 
Mindy D'Amico
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live

Hello Everyone,

I have been looking at the various updates on the new MSN.com home page and found that there are more Beta opportunities than I realized. 

I was looking on the MSN Tech page and found that there was a link to get some free downloads and decided I would see what they have available for a selection.  When I clicked on the link it offered the option of participating in another Beta test or just continuing to the download page. 

If you select the white button (shown in the lower middle of the page) and do not continue to the Download beta you will get a list of over 15000 free downloads to choose from shown by the most popular download to the least popular.  You can also look to the menu on the left to select specific groups of downloads you might be interested in such as Office or Games or downloads for your Mobile devices.



As you can see in the image above by clicking the blue button "Try the beta" you will proceed to the beta area and that you will be prompted as the last line describes to download Microsoft Silverlight to participate.





Once you have Silverlight installed then you have a completely different view and an opportunity to try various software products from Microsoft that are recently released....



...such as Visual Studio 2008

SQL Server 2008 is another great program that is available for short term use and is of interest to those who just cannot get enough technology in their lives.
	For those who enjoy web design or ever wanted to try their hand at learning about web design here is an opportunity to preview Expression Web 2.
Gamers have a variety of trials that they can select from.
	For those of you who want the latest technology available for your cell phone to keep you on top of things at work take a test drive of MapPoint 2009.  It is also great for your desktop or laptop as well!!!
At some point everyone needs to create a flyer or poster and Publisher is a fun and professional way to make your document stand out!!!
	Multiple versions of Microsoft Office are also available for trial such as Enterprise, Professional, Home and Student, Accounting Professional, and many other specialty add-ons that will improve your productivity and quality when you must be on top of your game.

Don't miss the opportunity to try these downloads and free trials but remember to get the best selection you need to participate in the Microsoft Download Center Beta.

Have a great weekend and enjoy testing your free trials and downloads!!!



Mindy D'Amico
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live

 

Hello Everyone,

Microsoft sent a small request to their MVP's to join in the Beta test for the new Windows Live products that are just released in Beta.  These products are the same as many of you have been using but with upgrades that need testing.

The Microsoft MVP's are permitted to inform their Blog circle at this time that their readers are getting a special preview of the Beta and the opportunity to download the program to test before it will be offered to others.  If you love Beta testing then you will enjoy these programs and how they will enhance your Windows Live experience.  All you need to do is get a Windows Live ID to participate and visit the site to register.

http://qna.live.com

This blog is primarily for the Windows Live QnA Beta participants although it is tagged for various locations for tech-minded people to have access.  The Windows Live QnA Beta  is currently open for new participants to join.  I am one of the Microsoft MVP's present as a resource contact for all participants.

The Betas that are now released are as follows:

	Windows Live™ Messenger beta More than just chatting Sure, you use Messenger to send instant messages, but did you know you can also make phone calls, video calls*, play games, and exchange pictures too? Features: Overview Make it personal Your favorite people Share photos Updates from contacts Send SMS messages * To place a PC to PC call, both users must have Messenger installed, a compatible microphone and speakers or a headset, and Internet access (webcam and broadband required for video). ** Recipients may be charged a fee by their mobile provider to receive messages.
Windows Live Mail beta All your mail in one place Manage your Hotmail, Gmail, and other e-mail accounts, plus your calendars and contacts, all in Windows Live Mail. And you can download it for free!
	Photo Gallery beta From your camera to the web Photo Gallery makes getting your photos off your camera a snap. Edit them with an array of features and effects—even create amazing panoramas—and then publish them online.
	Movie Maker beta Ready, set, action! Import and edit your movies so they look great, and then publish to the web with a few clicks.
Tool Bar beta Windows Live at a glance Add Windows Live Toolbar to Windows Internet Explorer and you get quick access to your e-mail, calendar, and photos.
	Family Safety beta Help keep your kids safer online With Family Safety, you decide how your kids experience the Internet. You can limit searches, block or allow certain websites, and monitor where they're going online.* * Family Safety software must be installed on each computer your children use. If software is not installed, the safety settings cannot be enforced.
Manage all your email accounts with ease Outlook Connector provides a free solution for managing your Windows Live Hotmail e-mail and contacts from within Outlook. With the new release of the Outlook Connector, you can connect your Windows Live Hotmail account in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2003 free of charge. http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA102225181033.aspx	Get Office 2007 Buy Office 2007 Download a free 60-day trial

Windows Live Writer beta

Blog your heart out

Create great-looking blog posts, including photos, videos, maps, events, and tags, and publish them to almost any blog service—Windows Live, WordPress, Blogger, Live Journal, TypePad, and many more.

As a matter of fact this blog was completed using the Windows Live Writer beta.  To see how simple it is to add these modules and use them here is a video explaining how to install and use Windows Live Writer.  If video window is not visible then please click this link to view it at the original blog.

http://missionjesusmom.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!C9B90F15AA74BD26!1789.entry

My Video

By visiting this link you can acquire all of these betas for FREE in one simple download OR Select the ones that interest you at this time.	http://download.live.com/
Mail beta Messenger beta Photo Gallery beta Movie Maker beta Writer beta Toolbar beta Family Safety beta Microsoft Office Outlook® Connector beta	All of these programs are mostly web-based, meaning that you don't require a great deal of hard drive space to add them because the majority of the program is online and operates while you are connected to the online location of the program with your Windows Live ID

I can hardly wait to see what others have to offer once they have these AWESOME free tools to make the time they spend on the computer more productive and easy to manage.

 
Mindy D'Amico
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live
Live Search QnA

Submitting clear and accurate bug reports is the best way for you to make a real difference in the products you are testing. The product teams can address issues submitted in detailed, clearly-written bug reports more quickly and efficiently than ones submitted in reports which are unclear or lack detailed information and reproduction steps.   

• Tips for writing good bug reports
• How to submit a bug for Windows Live Products
• Example of a good bug report
• How to create a screenshot
• How to get a crash report
• What happens to a bug after you submit it?

How to keep your bug from getting sent back to you as “Not Reproduceable"

Too often Microsoft gets bugs about issues that you and others have experienced but we are unable to take action because the bug report is unclear or is missing important information. When this happens, our only recourse is to resolve the bug as “Not Reproduceable” and to request additional information. This delays our ability to fix the bug and may ultimately result in the fix getting postponed to a future release. If your bug does not follow the below guidelines there is a high likelihood that it will be sent back to you for additional information.

• Submit one problem or issue per report. One problem at a time is easier to reproduce, track, and fix.
• Attach files, screenshots and logs to every report if you can. Teams rely on this information to troubleshoot problems accurately.
• Use a clear and understandable title. Teams look at a lot of bugs. Make your bug stand out by using a clear and descriptive title.
• Create clear and detailed steps to reproduce the issue. If we can’t reproduce the issue it is almost impossible to take action on it. Check out the section of this guide titled “Tips for writing good bug reports.”
• Attach screenshots. A picture is worth a thousand words. A screenshot is often the best way to show us what’s going wrong. For help on getting screenshots check out the section of this guide titled “How to create a screenshot.”
• Include a crash log for all crash reports. This is an error that causes your computer to immediately shut down and require restarting to work.  Technicians can't find the cause of a crash without a crash report, so any bug reporting a crash that does not have a crash log will immediately be sent back. For help on getting a crash log check out the section of this guide titled "How to get a crash log."

Tips for writing good bug reports

Write your report clearly so that anyone can sit down and reproduce your bug. Avoid using jargon or abbreviated words because the person reading the bug report may not know what you're referring to. If you have difficulty following your own steps for reproducing a bug, chances are we'll find it difficult too. If you've found a workaround (alternate way to make the program function to compensate until a repair is released), include step-by-step instructions of how to do it in the "Steps to Reproduce" field.

Test your bug before submitting it. Do the steps to reproduce your bug result in the same error or bug every time? Did you forget to write down a step? Walking through a bug report before submitting it helps ensure that your report is complete and contains enough information for us to research the problem effectively.

Follow the recommended format. Include a detailed description, numbered reproduction steps, expected results, actual results, and any other comments, including recommendations or workarounds. See the example of a good bug report below.

Rating: You have the ability to rate a bug on a scale of 1 – 5. Staff will use the average ratings when prioritizing the bugs. Please use this scale when rating a bug.

1. I can live with this bug. If it is not fixed it will not lessen my satisfaction with the product and I will continue to tell my friends to use Messenger.
2. This bug is mildly annoying. If it is not fixed it will slightly lessen my overall satisfaction with the product.
3. Although this bug is not severe. I may consider another product if I don’t see that it’s being resolved.
4. This bug should be fixed. If it is not fixed I may consider alternative products.
5. If this bug is not fixed I will uninstall the product and tell my friends not to use it.

Validation: If others can reproduce this issue or if issue happened on your computer, indicate Yes, I am able to validate that this issue occurs and links to Windows Live ID's of those who also have experienced the bug or can reproduce it. If not, indicate No, I am not able to validate that this issue occurs. Bugs with more “Yes” validations will get prioritized over those that don’t have as many.

Workaround: If you have a method that can help other beta participants avoid or fix the issue enter it in this section.

Comments: If you have information that you want added to the bug or if want to view other beta participants’ comments, click on View or Add in the Comments box.

Example of a good bug report

This is an example of what a bug should look like. This is an actual bug report filed during an MSN Messenger Beta. As you can see it has clear and concise instructions that are easily reproducible for Microsoft employees.

Title: Crying Face emoticon and Disappointed emoticon appear the same in the emoticon dropdown.

Description: In the emoticon dropdown in the conversation window of MSN Messenger, the "crying face" emoticon and the "disappointed" emoticon appear to be the same. Hovering over each emoticon reveals the name; however, they are indistinguishable graphically.

System: Intel P3 900MHz 256MB RAM 60GB Hard Drive – 42GB free space Windows XP Home with SP 2 1024x768 resolution with 32bit color See system info attachment for further details

Repro Steps:

1. Sign in to MSN Messenger
2. Open a conversation window to a contact
3. Click on the Emoticon dropdown (Smiley Face)
4. Look at the first two emoticons in the second row of "My Emoticons"

Expected Result: For each emoticon to be represented by a different graphic.

Actual Result: The emoticons look exactly the same.

Attachments: < Screenshot of the Emoticon dropdown window and MSINFO32 file attached>

How to create a screenshot

A screenshot is a captured image of your computer screen. Including screenshots of the problem you've encountered or the behavior you're trying to explain is an easy way to add value and clarity to your bug description. Here's how to make a screenshot:

1. Reproduce the problem or condition you want to capture in the screenshot. With the problem still on the screen, press the PRINT SCREEN key (this key is usually found to the right of the function keys and may be labeled PRT SCR on some keyboards). Windows will copy an image of your screen to memory.
2. Open up a graphic editing  program (such as Paint). Click Edit > Paste, or press CTRL+V, to paste the captured screen image into the blank file.
3. Consider using the drawing functions of your graphic editing program to circle the issue so it is super clear to us what you are reporting.
4. Save this file to your desktop. If your graphics program gives you the option to Save As a certain file type, please save the picture as a .jpg or .gif file to keep the file size down.

How to get a crash report

Windows XP and Windows Vista enable you to obtain a crash report easily by using a utility called Event Viewer.
Windows XP
To start the Event Viewer:

1. Click Start, then click Run
2. Type eventvwr, then press ENTER. You will see a log of your system events.
3. Click the Application log in the left pane to open the Application Event Log.
4. The right side of the Event Viewer dialog box window will display all application events logged on your system. Search for logs near the time of the crash. A crash should be marked with a red circle containing a white X.
5. Copy the crash information into Notepad and attach the .txt file to your bug report.

Windows Vista
To start the Event Viewer:

1. Click Start and type ‘eventvwr’ in the Start Search field
2. Click on ‘eventvwr.exe' in the search result list to open the Event Viewer
3. In the left pane, click on Windows Logs
4. In the right pane, select the application selection
5. Click on Date and Time to sort on the list and select the most recent event where Source is "Windows Error Reporting" or "Application Error"
6. The crash record is marked as ‘Error’ with a red warning sign
7. Open the record you will report on
8. Click on Copy to copy the crash information into Notepad and attach the .txt file to your bug report.

Note: it’s possible to filter on application errors using the filter button in the right most window.

What happens to a bug after you submit it?

Ever wonder what happens with the bugs after you submit them? Here is a brief description of that process:

1. Beta testers enter bugs through designated channels.
2. The Staff then makes a copy of the bug in the product team bug database.
3. The Product Team reviews all of the bugs on a regular basis.
   When they review the bugs they are looking at the following:
   
   

   Does the bug have enough information? If it doesn’t, the bug gets sent back to the beta tester with a more information request. See the section titled How To Keep Your Bug From Getting Sent Back To You As “Not Reproduceable” for additional information on the criteria.
   

   Has the bug already been reported? If the issue has already been reported during the beta it gets resolved as duplicate to the previously reported bug. The beta team will let the beta tester know to which bug it was resolved so that the tester can track the progress on the issue.

4. When all needed information has been provided by the beta tester, the team assigns a priority and severity rating to each bug. The priority and severity are used to determine if and when each issue will be fixed. Not all bugs will be fixed. The team will resolve each of those to the beta tester who opened them with a note on why they won’t be fixed.
   

This process takes time and depending on the bug it might take days or weeks to determine if there is enough information to reproduce the error, discussion might be necessary to determine if it is part of a larger error that is being tracked or any number of other variables.  Generally if more information is needed then there are requests made the first week.

I hope that those of you who like to search for bugs can use this comprehensive reporting style.  I found this recently while looking over various Beta information sheets and paraphrased it for the purposes of the participants in many of the Windows Live Betas and Windows Live Products.

Have a good one!!!

Mindy D'Amico
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live

Note: Link may not work if access is not available to reader
Excerpt from: https://connect.microsoft.com/content/content.aspx?ContentID=9640&SiteID=658&wa=wsignin1.0

Hello Everyone,

I wanted everyone to know of new features that are coming out that can be incorporated to your Windows Live experience.

There is a location called "The Clubhouse" where Windows Live Participants can find people who like to do the things you like to do with Windows Live.  It is also a way to communicate new ways one might never think of to use various aspects of Windows Live.  It is sort of a place to have inspired thought about Windows Live and what you can do to make it all the better for you and your personal needs.

If you want to learn more about the Clubhouse then click on this link to sign up and visit to learn more.

http://windowslive.com/clubhouse/Join-Step1

Mindy D'Amico
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live

Hello Everyone,

I blog mostly to the participants of the Live Search QnA Beta which is in a constant state of improvement due to the fact it is in development. 

It is important however to indicate that all of Windows Live is being improved and developed.  There are recent changes in many areas of Windows Live and soon Hotmail will be going through another upgrade. 

I know that many people love technology and enjoy having the latest updates and information.  I have been trying these products and they are awesome.  I cannot tell you how much fun I am having using them and how simplified the use of other products are. 

Here is a link that I recently came across describing  updates that will soon come out for Windows Live Hotmail.  Since these updates are not yet released you have time to look them over and get a preview before they are part of your email experience.
 
http://www.windowslive-hotmail.com/comingsoon/


For an overall enhancement to features you are probably already using there is a page to update your Windows Live products and add new ones you may have missed.

http://www.windowslive.com/Home


If you are interested in blogging on your Spaces and want to have great effects and features added but you are certain that you need to learn web design to get the look you want you should try using Windows Live Writer.  It is so much better than a WYSIWYG editor due to all the extras you can put into your blog and very easy to use.  Following the previous link to Windows Live gives you the option to download the Live Writer.

I am so excited with all the new features that are coming out that I wonder if I will be able to keep up and have all these tried out before the next update to Live Search QnA Beta.

One last feature that is really wonderful especially for me is Windows Live SkyDrive.  I am always losing my jump drives because they are so small and easily overlooked when you walk away from the computer after using one.  I have the convenience of a 5 GB jump drive that I can get to on any computer that I can login to Windows Live.  Anytime I can leave something at home rather than risking its loss is a great great thing to me!!!

When you have a moment then download these programs and give them a try.  You will be amazed what you can do and so will your friends, family and co-workers.  The most amazing this is that I am getting all these great features and functions that make everything that I do look awesome...I am also getting all this done twice as fast as I formerly could doing it my way.

 
    Have a good one!!!

                                          HUGZ to you all!!!

                                                  Mindy

Windows Live Tags: Windows Live, Windows Live, Microsoft, Microsoft, SkyDrive, SkyDrive, Live Search, Live Search, Hotmail, Hotmail, Live Writer, Live Writer, technology, technology, computer, computer, internet, internet, clubhouse, clubhouse

Technorati Tags: Windows Live,Microsoft,Windows Live SkyDrive,Windows Live Search,Windows Live Search QnA,Windows Live Hotmail,Windows Live Writer,technology,computer,internet

  Do you feel they can handle shoe shopping on their own???

Quote

Shoe Circus

  
Video: Shoe Circus

Windows Live Tags: Bill Gates, Bill Gates, Jerry Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld, Microsoft, Microsoft, Windows, Windows, Windows Live, Windows Live, viral, viral, Jupiter brain, Jupiter brain, Fall 2008, Fall 2008, video, video, Microsoft MVP, Microsoft MVP, clubhouse, clubhouse

Hello Everyone!!!

A brief update here for our veteran users of Live Search QnA.  I am writing to let you know that our little corner of the internet is featured on the MSN.COM home page.

This means that we will be having a lot of new users and a lot of repeat questions.

Just so everyone is aware....we will be seeing some of our favorite questions repeating over and over again.

What is the best dog breed? Why is my connection slow? Do V.P.'s matter: Palin or Biden? Better convention: DNC or GOP? Need dating advice?

Please try to keep your sanity and welcome all our new participants to our neighborhood and help them to find a happy place!!!

Thank you for everything you do and for giving a hand up to our new participants today!!!

 

HUGS

Mindy-QnA-MVP

Hello Everyone,

There have been frequent episodes of blocks of questions missing that the Team is trying to track down.  They are still looking for good feedback about occurrences and any reports of other unusual things that are different than normal.  Providing good and timely feedback is the best way to help the Team use their time productively to locate errors and bugs and get them resolved.  They will continue with this issue until they find the source of the problem and at this time it is so random where and when it happens and who it affects that they are unable to find a fix at this time.  The more feedback to analyze the more likely a pattern will be found which will lead to the fix.

Due to adjustments on this rebuild many users found their account not working as it normally would and they were being redirected to vote or answer or ask questions.  This is a feature that is being tested for new users to become aware of the site features and things that participants should be doing here.  This was a feature that was requested on the list of wants and needs.  When it was implemented it was affecting many accounts and should not have been appearing on veteran accounts and the Team feels that adjustments that they have done will now prevent this from happening. 

Please report any bugs or issues to your MVP's by emailing them through their Spaces.  We are here to help and don't mind....really we don't!!!

HUGS
~Mindy~