Another year, Happy Birthday!
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Resolution: Make this the best 2013 ever!
(Hint: There are at least three meanings in the line above.)
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Resolution: Celebrate New Years Eve, not just celebrate on the day before New Years Day.
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Idea: Celebrate New Years every time zone!
(For the advanced users, that would be more than 24 celebrations in one day)
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Idea: I'm starting a countdown until next New Years Day. 365! Now, somebody else keep track.
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Maybe as an April Fools joke, they should let the New York Times Square ball seemingly be dropped by full gravity and nothing slowing it down. Actually, imagine if all the lights in the Empire State building, or another tall building, make it look like the lights were sinking like a Tetris piece falling.
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If somebody had no resolutions last year, then let their resolution for this year to have at least one resolution next year.
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One of these years, in order to try to please people, there is going to be a savvy politician proposing celebrating New Years twice instead of just the traditional, once.
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Using the numbers in 2014, make 42: 42^1+0. Others?
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Crazy prediction for 2014:
- Octopus found with nine tentacles, called Nonapus. There is also an octopus with seven tentacles found.
- Microsoft creates a movie, about elves.
- McDonald's creates a product and one of their marketing lines is, "A McDonald's in every home!"
- People start growing "regular" grass of different colors to stand out.
- "Artificial" Intelligence "creates" its own music after analyzing millions of other different songs.
- Stocks continue going up for another three months, then many analyst decide they've all been too excited and driving up prices to much. Thus, stocks dip a little and flat-line compared to past few years.
- A new type of fire is invented.
- Spray-able electronics fused with bio-something allow creation of faster/cheaper devices and easier Christmas trees.
- China couldn't stop Santa with their no-fly zone last year. This year, they will either call for an all-out war against Santa, or say he's obviously Chinese and supports Communism.
- Scientists/archaeologist discover that Rudolph didn't actually have a red nose despite what that one reindeer song says.
- Pillows scientifically proven bad for health.
- Robot plays guitar! (already done)
- Wal-Mart raises their minimum wage above the state minimum wages.
ps - I tried to stay away from the computer (or uses computer tech) category because those are easier to think of compared to other industries.
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~ Danial Goodwin ~
Showing posts with label microsoft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label microsoft. Show all posts
2013-12-24
Terrible User Experience - There's Only One Major Application I Know That Does This
Perhaps the most terrible example of all user experience (UX) an application/program can give to users, is to shut down the program when the user is in the middle of working. Case study: Windows. I just got auto-updated.
In Windows 7, there is a small window that pops up that says the computer will restart in 15 minutes, in order to install updates. After that message is postponed, it doesn't pop up in the front any more. In my multiple monitor setup, I don't always pay attention to all of them. There is just typically one main monitor I work with. My current work involved having about 20 tabs in a browser open and a few more large RAM-hungry application, so I didn't want to have to re-setup my workspace. So, I was able to postpone the auto-update a few times. But, when I was really into my work on one monitor, the auto-shut-down prompt I assume was ominously counting down on my other monitor, behind everything. In the middle of typing, sudden the document disappears. There goes all the work (if I was working in a program without autosave).
I am a UX designer and have many recommendations to improve this "feature" in Windows 7. I'm glad my biggest recommendation is taken care of in Windows 8: Make the death prompt more visible. Just having that one change would save me from more trouble.
I understand where Microsoft and other companies are coming from. They want to make sure that updates are installed so that users are protected from even worse virus/malware attacks. I'm sure they've done their research to learn that many people unfortunately don't install the updates in a timely manner, if at all. So, in order to protect users from worse troubles, Microsoft has by default decided to be more aggressive in getting the updates installed.
I had to throw in that "by default" in the last sentence because I know there is the option to disable all automatic updates. But, good UX and good customer service wouldn't put the blame on the user/customer. If the user does something "wrong", then it is only because the application allowed the user to do so.
Bonus: Here's a copywriting tip: Never have long chunks of words/paragraphs.
~ Danial Goodwin ~
In Windows 7, there is a small window that pops up that says the computer will restart in 15 minutes, in order to install updates. After that message is postponed, it doesn't pop up in the front any more. In my multiple monitor setup, I don't always pay attention to all of them. There is just typically one main monitor I work with. My current work involved having about 20 tabs in a browser open and a few more large RAM-hungry application, so I didn't want to have to re-setup my workspace. So, I was able to postpone the auto-update a few times. But, when I was really into my work on one monitor, the auto-shut-down prompt I assume was ominously counting down on my other monitor, behind everything. In the middle of typing, sudden the document disappears. There goes all the work (if I was working in a program without autosave).
I am a UX designer and have many recommendations to improve this "feature" in Windows 7. I'm glad my biggest recommendation is taken care of in Windows 8: Make the death prompt more visible. Just having that one change would save me from more trouble.
I understand where Microsoft and other companies are coming from. They want to make sure that updates are installed so that users are protected from even worse virus/malware attacks. I'm sure they've done their research to learn that many people unfortunately don't install the updates in a timely manner, if at all. So, in order to protect users from worse troubles, Microsoft has by default decided to be more aggressive in getting the updates installed.
I had to throw in that "by default" in the last sentence because I know there is the option to disable all automatic updates. But, good UX and good customer service wouldn't put the blame on the user/customer. If the user does something "wrong", then it is only because the application allowed the user to do so.
Bonus: Here's a copywriting tip: Never have long chunks of words/paragraphs.
~ Danial Goodwin ~
2013-11-02
Idea: Google and Apple Purposely Produce Less Devices Than Market Demand
The sudden thought occurred to me, though perhaps not new, there's a strong possibility that large companies like Google and Apple and Microsoft purposely supply less than demand. It seems like just about every time a device is produced, it sells out.
I know producing millions of phones is a lot of work, but for the purposes of this post, I'm going to consider that these large companies choose to throttle output.
Determining market demand is not an exact science, but it can be determined to a degree of significance how much demand there is, even just looking at past trends. So, if companies can't determine exact demand, then they will either produce more or less needed (:idea:). If they produce more, then the extras could be sold eventually. If they produce less, then they sell less (at least in the beginning).
Now for more specifics for meeting demand.
If companies produce supply to meet demand, then they do have the opportunity of making more money in the short run, but the long term revenue differences would be insignificant. Another benefit of satisfying demand might be that more consumers have the brand's device in their hands.
On the other hand, there are many benefits to under supplying demand. A list might be easier here:
1. More publicity. Journalists don't know exactly how many devices are produced/shipped, all they know is when something is out of stock.
2. Inflate prices/value. Google sells the Nexus 5 for $349-399, but you can find some pre-orders selling for $600-650. Also, more publicity.
3. The large companies don't have to worry as much about their devices flopping. Aka, mitigating risks.
4. More publicity. This time the reason is for when the large tech companies ship their second and third rounds of devices.
5. Chance to fix some [software] bugs before "everybody" gets the device.
6. Also, minimize costs of a recall... just in case.
Any more thoughts that I missed?
~ Simply Advanced ~
I know producing millions of phones is a lot of work, but for the purposes of this post, I'm going to consider that these large companies choose to throttle output.
Determining market demand is not an exact science, but it can be determined to a degree of significance how much demand there is, even just looking at past trends. So, if companies can't determine exact demand, then they will either produce more or less needed (:idea:). If they produce more, then the extras could be sold eventually. If they produce less, then they sell less (at least in the beginning).
Now for more specifics for meeting demand.
If companies produce supply to meet demand, then they do have the opportunity of making more money in the short run, but the long term revenue differences would be insignificant. Another benefit of satisfying demand might be that more consumers have the brand's device in their hands.
On the other hand, there are many benefits to under supplying demand. A list might be easier here:
1. More publicity. Journalists don't know exactly how many devices are produced/shipped, all they know is when something is out of stock.
2. Inflate prices/value. Google sells the Nexus 5 for $349-399, but you can find some pre-orders selling for $600-650. Also, more publicity.
3. The large companies don't have to worry as much about their devices flopping. Aka, mitigating risks.
4. More publicity. This time the reason is for when the large tech companies ship their second and third rounds of devices.
5. Chance to fix some [software] bugs before "everybody" gets the device.
6. Also, minimize costs of a recall... just in case.
Any more thoughts that I missed?
~ Simply Advanced ~
2013-09-22
Microsoft's App Studio
Today, I wrote two blog posts regarding a new product from Microsoft that allows anybody to easily and quickly create and publish Windows Phone apps.
Learn about it: What Is Microsoft’s App Studio?
Learn more about it: How To Edit App Studio Code
~ Simply Advanced ~
Learn about it: What Is Microsoft’s App Studio?
~ Simply Advanced ~
2013-03-04
Answered: Outlook 2010 Not Able To Send Emails
Suddenly, I couldn't send emails anymore through Outlook, I could only receive. No settings were changed since when I first set up Outlook 2010 about two months ago.
I searched five minutes online and found a few promising answer, but no solutions. Anyways, the solution that worked for me was to change to using the SSL server instead of the regular mail.domain.com server. After changing the incoming and outgoing server addresses, mail in Outlook works again. In order to find the SSL addresses, look at the properties of your email provider. (This method was only tested connecting to Bluehost mail servers)
Other answer or way get Outlook to be able to send emails again:
If none of those solutions helped, then Microsoft provides a comprehensive guide on troubleshooting Outlook 2010.
~ Simply Advanced ~
I searched five minutes online and found a few promising answer, but no solutions. Anyways, the solution that worked for me was to change to using the SSL server instead of the regular mail.domain.com server. After changing the incoming and outgoing server addresses, mail in Outlook works again. In order to find the SSL addresses, look at the properties of your email provider. (This method was only tested connecting to Bluehost mail servers)
Other answer or way get Outlook to be able to send emails again:
- Go to File->Account Settings->Account Settings->Double-click on the problem email.Then check the box that says "Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA)"
If none of those solutions helped, then Microsoft provides a comprehensive guide on troubleshooting Outlook 2010.
~ Simply Advanced ~
2013-01-28
Windows 8 Power Users
There is going to be a new paradigm with Windows 8. I'm not just talking about the Modern UI (also was known as Metro UI).
Microsoft provides users many advanced mouse functionalities that hasn't been natively including in an operating system.
Typically, when we think of power users, we think of experts at the keyboard that have memorized many shortcuts and snippets of code. But, the new paradigm shift from Windows 8 is going to provide people the ability to call themselves mouse power users. Perhaps more people will learn about mouse gestures because of this. I'd give it at least another two years before mouse gestures become more mainstream, not just the mouse device gestures.
Personally, I typically prefer the keyboard to mouse, so much so that I created a script that allows keyboards to perform a double-click. But, there are definitely some times that the mouse is faster. Also, for those who don't like to use the keyboard at all there are many programs that you can download to provide your mouse the ability to do pretty much anything.
- Just Gestures
- Mouse Gestures
Let me know your experiences with mouse gestures.
~ Simply Advanced ~
*I did not personally try out these programs
Microsoft provides users many advanced mouse functionalities that hasn't been natively including in an operating system.
Typically, when we think of power users, we think of experts at the keyboard that have memorized many shortcuts and snippets of code. But, the new paradigm shift from Windows 8 is going to provide people the ability to call themselves mouse power users. Perhaps more people will learn about mouse gestures because of this. I'd give it at least another two years before mouse gestures become more mainstream, not just the mouse device gestures.
Personally, I typically prefer the keyboard to mouse, so much so that I created a script that allows keyboards to perform a double-click. But, there are definitely some times that the mouse is faster. Also, for those who don't like to use the keyboard at all there are many programs that you can download to provide your mouse the ability to do pretty much anything.
- Just Gestures
- Mouse Gestures
Let me know your experiences with mouse gestures.
~ Simply Advanced ~
*I did not personally try out these programs
2012-12-10
Highlight Text in PowerPoint
There is no easy way to highlight text in PowerPoint. There is an easy method for Microsoft Word. But, PowerPoint wants you to first draw a rectangle around the text and use the "Shape Fill" feature...
Please, somebody prove me wrong. Show me an easier way to highlight text in PowerPoint 2010.
~ Simply Advanced ~
Please, somebody prove me wrong. Show me an easier way to highlight text in PowerPoint 2010.
~ Simply Advanced ~
2012-11-08
Sticky Notes Shortcuts You Didn't Know
The desktop application I am talking about today is Sticky Notes that comes standard in Windows.
I used to think that Sticky Notes was a featureless program. But, one day I decided to try out some formatting shortcut keys that I typically use in other Windows products. So, then I discovered that the application supports Ctrl+b for bold, Ctrl+e for aligning text to center, Ctrl+Shift+> for increasing text size, and more. This has made Sticky Notes much more useful than before.
I used to think that just writing on paper was the quickest way to keep notes and a todo list. But now, for efficiency, I use just one large Sticky Note on my desktop. This has the added benefit of not having to throw away physical paper.
List of hidden Sticky Notes shortcuts:
I'd like the chance to answer any questions.
~ Simply Advanced ~
I used to think that Sticky Notes was a featureless program. But, one day I decided to try out some formatting shortcut keys that I typically use in other Windows products. So, then I discovered that the application supports Ctrl+b for bold, Ctrl+e for aligning text to center, Ctrl+Shift+> for increasing text size, and more. This has made Sticky Notes much more useful than before.
I used to think that just writing on paper was the quickest way to keep notes and a todo list. But now, for efficiency, I use just one large Sticky Note on my desktop. This has the added benefit of not having to throw away physical paper.
List of hidden Sticky Notes shortcuts:
| Bold | Ctrl+b |
| Italic | Ctrl+i |
| Underline | Ctrl+u |
| Strikethrough | Ctrl+t |
| Decrease Font Size | Ctrl+Shift+< |
| Increase Font Size | Ctrl+Shift+> |
| Align Text Left | Ctrl+l |
| Align Text Right | Ctrl+r |
| Bullet/Numbered Lists | Ctrl+Shift+L |
| Subscript | Ctrl+= |
| Superscript | Ctrl+Shift+= |
I'd like the chance to answer any questions.
~ Simply Advanced ~
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