Biztalk Error Message - SSO masterkey not backed up

After installation of Microsoft Biztalk 2004, following error message gets written to the eventlog:

"The master secret has not been backed up. If you lose the master secret all the information stored in the SSO system will be lost permanently and your systems may fail to work correctly. Please use the SSO admin tools to back up your master secret."

To get rid of it, the SSO master key must be backed up using following command (assuming a default installation):

cd C:\Program Files\Common Files\Enterprise Single Sign-On\
ssoconfig -backupsecret filename.bak

The program will request a password and a reminder phrase for the backup file. After the file is created the error message should be gone.

I hope this blog can be useful to you and save some time in searching for a solution to this error.

http://www.cubido.at/Blog/tabid/176/EntryID/139/Default.aspx

Are you a good decision maker?

Decisions, decisions, decisions. It seems like every time we turn around, we have to make more decisions. The question is, "Are you a good decision maker?" If you aren't (or don't think you are), there is no need to worry. Decision-making is a skill that can be learned by anyone. Although some people may find this particular skill easier than others, everyone applies a similar process.

There are two basic kinds of decisions: those that are arrived at using a specific process and those that just happen. Although both kinds of decisions contain opportunities and learning experiences, there are definite advantages to using a specific process to make a decision. The most obvious advantage is the reduced level of stress you will experience.

Wise decisions are made using a definite process. They are based on the values and perceptions of the decision-maker and include carefully-considered alternatives and options along with periodic reassessments of the decision and its effects. Wise decisions may or may not follow societal norms and expectations, but they are right for the decider based on what he/she knows at that point in time about his/her options as well as him/herself.

Ten Steps to Wise Decision-Making

This process can be applied to any situation where you need to make an important decision. If you follow these ten basic steps, you will find yourself making wiser decisions in your professional as well as your personal life.

• Define, as specifically as possible, what the decision is that needs to be made. Is this really your decision or someone else's? Do you really need to make a decision? (If you do not have at least two options, there is no decision to be made.) When does the decision need to be made? Why is this decision important to you? Who will be affected by this decision? What values does this decision involve for you?
• Write down as many alternatives as you can think of. Brainstorm as many different alternatives as you can imagine. Let your imagination run free and try not to censure anything; this is not the time to be judgmental. Just be sure to write everything down.
• Think where you could find more information about possible alternatives. If you only come up with a few alternatives, you may want to get more information. Additional information generally leads to more alternatives. Places where you can look for the information you need include friends, family, clergy, co-workers, state and federal agencies, professional organizations, online services, newspapers, magazines, books, and so on.
• Check out your alternatives. Once you have a list of alternatives, use the same sources of information to find out more about the specifics of each option. You will find that the more information you gather, the more ideas will pop into your head. Be sure to write these down and check them out too.
• Sort through all of your alternatives. Now that you have your list of alternatives, it is time to begin evaluating them to see which one works for you. First, write down the values that would come into play for each alternative. Second, look for the alternatives which would allow you to use the greatest number of your values. Third, cross the alternatives off the list which do not fit into your personal value framework.
• Visualize the outcomes of each alternative. For each remaining alternative on your list, picture what the outcome of that alternative will look like. Here, too, it helps if you write out your impressions.
• Do a reality check. Which of your remaining alternatives are most likely to happen? Cross off those alternatives that most likely will not happen to you.
• Which alternative fits you? Review your remaining alternatives and decide which ones feel most comfortable to you. These are your wise decisions. If you are very happy about a decision, but are not as comfortable with its possible outcome, this is a clue that this is not a wise decision for you. On the other hand, you may dislike an alternative, but be very excited about the possible outcome. This decision would probably not be wise for you either. If you feel you can live with both the alternative as well as the possible outcome, this is the wise decision you should follow.
• Get started! Once you have made your decision, get moving on it. Worrying or second-guessing yourself will only cause grief. You have done your very best for the present; you always have the option of changing your mind in the future. Remember, no decision is set in stone.
• How is it going? Be sure to review your decision at specified points along the road. Are the outcomes what you expected? Are you happy with the outcomes? Do you want to let the decision stand or would you like to make some adjustments? If the decision did not come out the way you planned, go through the complete decision-making process again. In the process, answer the following questions: Did I not have enough information? What values actually came into play? Were they my values or someone else's? Remember, you can always change your mind!

Common Decision-Making Mistakes

As much as we would like to believe that we do not have any prejudices or biases, the fact is that everyone does. The more aware you are of yours, the better off you will be. The main reason everyone has their own way of viewing the world is because our brains simply cannot take in everything, at least not on a conscious level.

Have you ever tried to learn ten new things all at once? If you have, you know that it is very easy to become overwhelmed and end up learning very little at all. That is because of the way the brain works. Our brains screen and categorize information so that we can understand the world around us without being overwhelmed by it. We get into trouble when we fail to realize that many of the perceptions we hold are based on what society (i.e., parents, teachers, the church, all institutions, etc.) teach us, not what we actually know to be true.

Below is a list of the most common decision-making mistakes. By learning about these pitfalls now, you will be able to avoid them in the future.

• Relying too much on expert information. Oftentimes, people have a tendency to place too much emphasis on what experts say. Remember, experts are only human and have their own set of biases and prejudices just like the rest of us. By seeking information from a lot of different sources, you will get much better information than if you focused all of your energy on only one source.
• Overestimating the value of information received from others. People have a tendency to overestimate the value of certain individuals in our society and underestimate the value of others. For instance, experts, authority figures, parents, high status groups, people who seem to have it all together, and people we respect have a way of swaying our opinion based simply on the fact that we believe they know more than we do. When you find yourself doing this, ask yourself: Do they know as much about this problem as I do? Are their values the same as mine? Have they had any personal experiences with a problem like mine? In other words, keep their opinions in perspective.
• Underestimating the value of information received from others. Whether we realize it or not, we also have a tendency to discount information we receive from individuals such as children, low status groups, women (yes, believe it!), the elderly, homemakers, blue-collar workers, artists, etc. This is unfortunate since many times these groups can paint a good picture of the other side of your problem. In other words, these groups may use entirely different values and perceptions in their answers to your questions. The result is a larger perspective of what the issues really are. Just make a note that if you find yourself discounting the information you receive from anyone, make sure you ask yourself why.
• Only hearing what you want to hear or seeing what you want to see. Try this exercise. Ask a friend to look around them and make note of everything that is green. Now, have them close their eyes. Once their eyes are closed, ask them to tell you what around them is red. Almost everyone you ask will not be able to tell you what was red because they were focusing on what was green. Our perceptions work the same way. If we have expectations or biases that we are not aware of, we tend to see what we want to see. Likewise, if someone tries to tell us something we do not want to hear, we simply do not hear them. This is a common mistake that many people make. The key is to be aware of your own prejudices and expectations while at the same time staying open to everything that comes your way.
• Not listening to your feelings or gut reactions. Have you ever made a decision only to have it be followed by a major stomach ache or headache? This is your body talking to you. Our brains are constantly taking in more information than we can consciously process. All of this extra information gets buried in our subconscious. Although we may not be able to retrieve this information, our body stores it for us until it is needed. In moments when we need to make a decision, our bodies provide clues to the answer through feelings or gut reactions. Unfortunately, our society teaches us to ignore these feelings, but by tuning into your intuition, you will find that you will make much better decisions in the long run.

http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/manage/makedecisions/SERV_GOODDEC.html

Making Time

You planned on getting to work early to finish the project that's due today, but now the car won't start. You know you wrote the mechanic's name down somewhere, but now you can't remember where you put it. You frantically search through your notes, but you can't find it anywhere. There's no way you're going to have time to finish your project. You start to panic.

The clock just keeps ticking.

Most of us have felt swamped at one time or another. With hectic work schedules, family responsibilities, and social engagements, there just doesn't seem to be enough time for everything we need and want to do. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Although life will always provide us with its little twists and turns, once we learn to manage our time wisely, much of the day-to-day chaos in our lives can be reduced or even eliminated.

The first step in learning how to manage your time is to develop a general work schedule. Your work schedule should include time for yourself as well as time for the maintenance of your business.

After you've defined the major elements of your workload, the next step is to prioritize them by identifying critical deadlines, routine maintenance items, and fun/relaxation time. Answering questions like "How much time do I have to make this decision, finish this task, or contact this person?" will help you to start identifying what needs to be done immediately versus what can wait. Setting priorities depends on deadlines, how many people you must call to get the information you need, and whether you can delegate or get assistance from others. If you are involved in group projects, reserve additional time for communication and problem-solving.

Once you have identified your priorities, look at all of your options for achieving them. Evaluate and move forward with the ones you feel are the most useful for you. The only time to consider changing approaches mid-task is when you know the change will save time. If you are in doubt, it is usually best to consider in the direction you started.

By setting up your work schedule and identifying your priorities, you have already started down the road to more effective time management. Other time management suggestions you may find useful for managing both your business life as well as your personal life include the following:

• Contract out tasks. Contract out tasks you do not have the expertise to complete. Your client will appreciate your honesty and effort to get the best result.
• Start with the most worrisome task. Start the morning, afternoon, or evening with the most worrisome task before you. This will reduce your anxiety level for the next task.
• Complete deadline work early. Not only will this reduce stress and lighten your work schedule, but it will also give you more self-confidence about managing your schedule.
• Know your capacity for stress. When you are hitting overload, take the break you need (even if it is a short one) when you need it.
• Stay organized. Take time at the end of each day to briefly organize your desk and make reminder lists of tasks for the next day or week.
• Take advantage of down time. Allow yourself some down time between busy periods to review your schedule and reevaluate your priorities.
• Get physical. Physical exertion such as walking, bicycling, swimming, or organized sports activities helps to discharge stress. Stretching, yoga, jumping rope, sit-ups, playing with children, or doing yard work are other types of therapeutic breaks you should consider during times of stress.
• Have fun. Be sure to have some fun while working or playing; a good sense of humor can keep most problems in perspective.
• Divide up your time. Decide how much time to spend on business development, personal needs, volunteerism, and family. Start by allowing 25 percent of your time for yourself. Each time you make a commitment, set a timeline for your involvement. Remember that maintenance takes at least 25 percent of the time you spend on any project whether it's business, marriage, or serving on the board of a non-profit organization.
• Build flexibility into your schedule. Your availability to family and friends depends on the flexibility you build into your schedule. Female business owners frequently have the primary responsibility for making sure family members are cared for when they are dependent or ill, so it's necessary to leave some time in your schedule for emergencies or to have good backup resources. Get to know your neighbors so you know who to call on for help in times of crisis.

In the bigger picture, consider the relationship between your business life and your personal life. Be as realistic as possible when answering the following questions, keeping in mind what is most important to you:

• What are your long term goals? Your partner's goals?
• Where are the conflicts, and where are the similarities?
• What is it that you really want to do? List all possible ways to accomplish this.
• How long will it take you to reach your goal?
• How do your timeline and goals affect your family (parents, siblings, partner, children)?
• How do your personal goals conflict with or match your business goals?
• How much time can you donate to community programs?
• Have you talked about your personal goals with your business partner?
• Have you talked about your business goals with your personal partner?

Don't underestimate the toll that emotional stress takes on your physical health and your ability to concentrate on your work or enjoy time with your family. Make sure you have time for the important people and events in your life.

(Ohio Women's Business Network, Columbus, OH, 4/97)

http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/manage/makedecisions/SERV_MAKETIME.html

The Interview Process: How To Select The "Right" Person

How do you select the right person for your business? There is no perfect answer, but the interview process can be a tremendous help if you use it effectively. In other words, you must have completed all of the other steps in the hiring process in order to get the most out of the interview process.

Interviewing candidates for a position within your company is one of the final steps in the hiring process. Before you get to this step, you want to make sure that you've completed all of the preceding steps since each of these steps will have a direct impact on how effective the interview process will be. Below is a list of the steps involved in the hiring process. Note that after you have completed the interviewing process, there are still two additional key steps that you need to complete. In order to achieve the best hiring results possible, just remember that all of the steps are important.

In order, the key steps to finding the right person to fill a position in your company include:

• Determining your need to hire a new employee. Are you properly utilizing the skills and talents of your current employees? Do you know what needs to be done? Can your business growth support a new employee?
• Conducting a thorough job analysis. What are the job's essential functions and key performance criteria?
• Writing a job description and job specification for the position based on the job analysis.
• Determining the salary for the position, based on internal and external equity. Is the salary comparable and proportional with the salaries and responsibilities of other positions inside your company as well as similar positions out in the marketplace?
• Deciding where and how to find qualified applicants. What are the recruitment techniques to be used? What is the time frame for conducting your search? Remember, advertising is not the only, or necessarily the best, way to recruit.
• Collecting and reviewing a fair amount of applications and resumes and then selecting the most qualified candidates for further consideration.
• Interviewing the most qualified candidates for the position, based on the job's description and specification.
• Checking references.
• Hiring the best person for the job.

Hopefully, after reviewing all of the resumes, you will be able to pick and choose a select number of qualified applicants to be interviewed. (If not, you may want to expand your time frame and rewrite any ad copy and/or look at another recruitment technique.)

Now that you know where the interview process fits into the hiring process, let's take a look at the dos and don'ts of conducting a successful interview.

Conducting the Successful Interview - What to Do

1. Prepare in Advance for the Interview

• Know what you want in a candidate before you begin the interview. Review the job specifications and requirements that have been prepared.
• Know the job and its responsibilities. Review the job description.
• Prepare a list of standard questions concerning the candidate's skills, abilities, and past work performance that you want him/her to answer.
• Prepare a list of prioritized and measurable criteria, either in the form of a worksheet or other method, for analyzing and comparing the candidates.
• Review the candidate's resume prior to the interview.
• Set specific appointment times and reasonable time limits.
• Be prepared to justify the use of any required employment test. Typically, the most legally defensible tests are those that involve a piece of the job.

2. Collect Pertinent Information During the Interview

• Since past behavior predicts future behavior, look for the candidate's behavior patterns as you collect information. For example, has the candidate enjoyed big picture work or detailed analysis more? Is he/she more of a generalist or more of a specialist? Oftentimes, by listening to how the candidate responds to your questions about previous jobs, you will be able to get a very good idea of what their behavior will be like in the future.
• Try not to offer too much detailed information up front so that the candidate will be able to formulate answers that exactly fits your company's needs. Don't put the right words in his/her mouth! Remember, the candidate (hopefully) wants the job and will be looking to say the right thing to impress you.
• Ask questions that focus on the candidate's past performances. For example, if the job, such as an office manager, demands an individual who is well-organized and handles paperwork easily, you may want to ask, "How do you keep track of your own schedules and desk work in your current position?"
• Ask specific, structured questions in regards to specific problems that the jobholder may face. Focus on past behavior and the results of the candidate's actions in a particular situation. For example: "As the customer service representative, you may encounter a few unhappy campers who will yell and scream at you over the telephone or in person. Have you had any experience dealing with difficult customers? Who was the most difficult customer you had to deal with? What was the situation? How did you resolve the problem?"
• Notice how well the candidate listens and responds to the questions asked.
• Note the candidate's choice of words and non-verbal behavior. Are they answering your questions clearly?
• Listen to the questions the candidate asks. Clarify the reasons why the questions are being asked. Notice which questions he/she asks first as they may be his/her primary concerns.
• Take detailed handwritten notes concerning job related topics that will help you distinguish the candidates from one another (especially if you will be conducting several interviews). Help yourself remember each candidate and each interview clearly.
• Record information pertaining to the set criteria that will help in the evaluation of candidates.
• Organize and analyze the information immediately after the interview when memory is fresh. Don't try to remember everything, it's impossible. One idea is to rate each candidate on each of the criteria immediately following the interview.

3. Look and Act Professionally During the Interview

• Dress appropriately.
• Avoid appearing bored and fatigued.
• Set a businesslike atmosphere.
• Structure the interview and inform the candidate of the structure. Let the candidate know you will be focusing on past results and that you will be taking a lot of notes.
• Provide information on the company and the job to each candidate.

4. Treat All Candidates Fairly

• Use your list of standard questions during each interview so that you treat the applicants equally and so you can compare apples to apples.
• Refer to the criteria for analyzing candidates. Ask questions in regards to the job criteria.
• Keep all questions job-related.
• Do not ask discriminating questions.
• Show a genuine interest in every candidate you interview.
• If possible, have at least one other person meet and/or interview candidates who are finalists. They should also rate the candidates on each of the criteria; ultimately, all interviewers should compare their ratings and discuss any discrepancies. Having more than one interviewer helps control personal biases.

5. Be Courteous and Respectful

• Conduct the interview in a private place away from distractions.
• Begin the interview on schedule.
• If possible, conduct the interview without interruptions.
• Allow sufficient time for the interview.
• Appreciate the candidate's accomplishments.
• Do not patronize the candidate.
• Do not argue with the candidate.
• Thank the candidate for his/her time and interest.

6. Facilitate Open Communication

• Immediately attempt to establish a rapport with the candidate by breaking the ice; for example, ask about their experiences in a particular industry or geographical location (refer to his/her resume).
• Promote a relaxed environment with free-flowing conversation.
• Do not dominate the discussion by talking too much. Many experts use a 80/20 rule - you talk 20% of the time and the candidate talks 80% of the time.
• Politely probe the candidate for information by asking open-ended questions that will provide insight into the candidate's values and traits.
• Ask structured questions that will require some thought on the part of the candidate.
• Listen carefully to the candidate's answers. If they do not provide you with specific results, probe until they do.
• Explain the selection process to the candidate. Offer realistic time frames and stick to your word!

The Successful Interview - What Not to Do

The following list is comprised of subject matter that is widely regarded as off-limits for discussion in an interview by employment experts. Most of these subjects relate directly to federal and state employment laws. Legislation covering equal employment opportunity is extensive and complex. Check not only federal laws, but also your own state's laws and guidelines. Remember, state laws vary! Consult an attorney for legal advice before you begin the search process for a new employee.

In an interview, or on an employment application, do not ask questions:

• Concerning the age of the candidate. Be careful using the words over qualified with older candidates.
• About their arrest record (this is different from convictions - in most states, it is permissible to ask if the candidate has ever been convicted of a crime).
• About race or ethnicity.
• Concerning the candidate's citizenship of the U.S. prior to hiring (It is permissible to ask "Will you be able to provide proof of eligibility to work in the U.S. if hired?")
• Concerning the candidate's ancestry, birthplace, or native language (it is permissible to ask about their ability to speak English or a foreign language if required for the job).
• About religion or religious customs or holidays.
• Concerning the candidate's height and weight if it does not affect their ability to perform the job.
• Concerning the names and addresses of relatives (only those relatives employed by the organization are permitted).
• About whether or not the candidate owns or rents his/her home and who lives with them. (Asking for their address for future contact is acceptable.)
• Concerning the candidate's credit history or financial situation. In some cases, credit history may be considered job-related, but proceed with extreme caution.
• Concerning education or training that is not required to perform the job.
• Concerning their sex or gender. Avoid any language or behavior that may be found inappropriate by the candidate. It's his/her standard of conduct that must be met.
• Concerning pregnancy or medical history. Attendance records at a previous employer may be discussed in most situations as long as you don't refer to illness or disability.
• Concerning the candidate's family or marital status or childcare arrangements (it is permissible to if the candidate will be able to work the required hours for the job).
• Concerning the candidate's membership in a non-professional organization or club that is not related to the job.
• Concerning physical or mental disabilities (asking whether the candidate can perform the essential job duties is permitted). The ADA allows you to ask the applicant to describe or demonstrate how they would perform an essential function(s) when certain specific conditions are met . Check the law or consult with an attorney before moving forward.

Remember - when in doubt, ask yourself if the question is job-related; if not, don't ask!

For more information

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission homepage: http://www.eeoc.gov/.

http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/manage/manageemployees/SERV_INTPROCESS.html

Writing Effective Job Descriptions

Writing Effective Job Descriptions

A job description describes the major areas of an employee's job or position. A good job description begins with a careful analysis of the important facts about a job, such as the individual tasks involved, the methods used to complete the tasks, the purpose and responsibilities of the job, the relationship of the job to other jobs, and the qualifications needed for the job.

It's important to make a job description practical by keeping it dynamic, functional, and current. Don't get stuck with an inflexible job description! A poor job description will keep you and your employees from trying anything new and learning how to perform their job more productively. A well-written, practical job description will help you avoid hearing a refusal to carry out a relevant assignment because "it isn't in my job description."

Realistically speaking, many jobs are subject to change due either to personal growth, organizational development, and/or the evolution of new technologies. Flexible job descriptions will encourage your employees to grow within their positions and learn how to make larger contributions to your company. For example: Is your office manager stuck "routinely ordering office supplies for the company and keeping the storage closet well stocked " or is she/he "developing and implementing a system of ordering office supplies that promotes cost savings and efficiency within the organization?"

When writing a job description, keep in mind that the job description will serve as a major basis for outlining job training or conducting future job evaluations.

A job description should include a:

• Job Title
• Job Objective or Overall Purpose Statement - This statement is generally a summary designed to orient the reader to the general nature, level, purpose, and objective of the job. The summary should describe the broad function and scope of the position and be no longer than three to four sentences.
• List of Duties or Tasks Performed - The list contains an item by item list of principal duties, continuing responsibilities, and accountability of the occupant of the position. The list should contain each and every essential job duty or responsibility that is critical to the successful performance of the job. The list should begin with the most important functional and relational responsibilities and continue down in order of significance. Each duty or responsibility that comprises at least five percent of the incumbent's time should be included in the list.
• Description of the Relationships and Roles the occupant of the position holds within the company, including any supervisory positions, subordinating roles, and/or other working relationships.

When using job descriptions for recruiting situations, you may also want to attach the following:

• Job Specifications, Standards and Requirements - The minimum amount of qualifications needed to perform the essential functions of the job, such as education, experience, knowledge, and skills. Any critical skills and expertise needed for the job should be included. For example, for a receptionist, critical skills may be having 1) a professional and courteous telephone manner, 2) legible handwriting if messages are to be taken, 3) the ability to handle a multiple-lined phone system for a number of staff members, and 4) the patience and endurance to sit behind a desk all day.
• Job Location - Where the work will be performed.
• Equipment to be used in the performance of the job. For example, do your company's computers run on a Apple MacIntosh or PC Windows environment?
• Collective Bargaining Agreements - Agreements and terms that relate to job functions, if applicable, such as when your company's employees are members of a union.
• Non-Essential Functions - Functions which are not essential to the position or any marginal tasks performed by the incumbent of the position.
• Salary Range - Range of pay for the position.

Keep each statement in the job description crisp and clear:

• Structure your sentences in classic verb/object and explanatory phrases. Since the occupant of the job is your sentences' implied subject, it may be eliminated. For example, a sentence pertaining to the description of a receptionist position might read: "Greets office visitors and personnel in a friendly and sincere manner."
• Always use the present tense of verbs.
• If necessary, use explanatory phrases telling why, how, where, or how often to add meaning and clarity. For example: "Collects all employee time sheets on a bi-weekly basis for payroll purposes."
• Omit any unnecessary articles such as "a," "an," "the," or other words for an easy to understand point description. Using the above example, the statement could have read, "Greets all visitors and the office personnel to the building in a friendly and a sincere manner."
• Use unbiased terminology. For example: use the he/she approach or construct sentences in such a way that gender pronouns are not required.
• Avoid using words which are subject to differing interpretations. Try not to use words such as "frequently," "some," "complex," "occasional," and "several."

http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/manage/manageemployees/SERV_JOBDESC.html

The Extras Can Get You Promoted

If you want to be promoted or have more control over your job responsibilities, there are additional things you can do to get positive attention. These extra efforts also can help you get promotions and performance increases, but of course your work will have to be good as well. Here are 10 tips to give you a leg up on the corporate ladder.

Dress and Groom for a Promotion

If you want to get ahead in an organization, dress and groom as if you work at the level you hope to reach next. This is not always possible, but at the very least be clean and well-groomed. Wear clothes that fit well and look good on you. Copy the clothing styles of others in the organization who are successful. Even when your coworkers see you away from the office, present the image you want for yourself at work.

Be Early and Stay Late

Get to work early each day. Use this time to list what you plan to get done that day. At the end of the day, leave at least a few minutes after quitting time. Let the boss know that you are willing to stay late to meet an important deadline. If you do stay late, let the boss know!

Some employers may not want you to work beyond your regular hours. They fear problems with governmental agencies that may force them to pay overtime wages. If this is the case, do what your employer wants you to do, but make it clear that you are willing to help in any way needed.

Be Enthusiastic

Go out of your way to find ways to enjoy your job. Tell others what you like about it, particularly those you work with. Emphasize those parts of your job that you like to do and do well. Share this enthusiasm, even in conversations with your friends. Go out of your way to tell your supervisor what you like about your job. This will help you focus on the parts of your job you do best and want to develop. It also will help others notice that you do those things well.

Ask for More Responsibility

Be willing to take on more responsibility. Let the boss know you want to move up. As soon as you begin a new job, look for ways to learn new things. Volunteer to help out in ways you feel will make you more valuable to the organization. And ask for advice about what you can do to be more valuable to the organization.

Ask for Training

Get as much training as possible! Take any training that is available from your employer. Even if it is not in your area of responsibility, it may help you gain new skills in other areas. Define what training you need to do your job better. If it is not available through your employer, explain to your supervisor how the training will help the organization. Ask for help in finding the best training source.

Learn on Your Own Time

Decide what you need to learn to get ahead or to get the job you want. Take evening classes. Instead of watching TV at home, read books and magazines on related subjects. Stay up with what is going on in your field.

Computer skills and the use of new technologies are very important. If your job does not require you to develop these skills, it is most important that you go out and learn them outside of your job. Then look for ways to use these new technologies and skills in your present job.

Take on Difficult Projects

You won't get much positive attention unless you do more than is expected of you. Look for projects you think you can do well, and would benefit the organization in some clear way. Don't promise too much, and keep a low profile while you do the work. If no one expects too much, it is easier to be seen as successful, even if your results are not as good as you had hoped.

Get Measurable Results

Look for some way to measure the results of your work. Keep records of what you do. Compare your results to past performance or the average performance of others in similar situations. If your results look good, send a report to your supervisor. For example, if the number of orders went up 40 percent over the same month last year with no increase in staff, that's a big accomplishment.

Look for Ways to Present What You Do in Numbers

Monitor your influence on:

• Dollars saved
• Percent of increased sales
• Number of persons served
• Number of units processed
• Size of budget

Don't Just Quit

Sometimes a job just doesn't work out. Maybe you feel that you won't get ahead there. It is often better to begin looking for another job than to allow yourself to get negative. But ask for a job change within the organization before you give up. Or be more assertive in asking your boss for more responsibility or different assignments.

If you do decide to leave, begin looking for a job but don't share this with coworkers. Make every effort to do your job and be positive. When you find another job, give thirty days notice if at all possible. Remember that your next employer will want to contact your previous ones, so do be as friendly and as productive as possible in your final days.

http://career-tips.monster.com/job-promotion/The-Extras-Can-Get-You-Promoted/IBS.aspx

10 Reasons You Won't Get Promoted This Year

If the economic climate did anything in 2009, it served as a scapegoat for everyone's problems. While most of the people who are unemployed, never got a raise or who went bankrupt last year legitimately suffered because of the economy, there are also plenty of people using it as an excuse.

Now, at the beginning of 2010, employees face performance reviews and talks of prospective raises and promotions. When your boss tells you that it's just not going to happen this year, you may feel inclined to shrug and tell yourself it's because of the economy -- but that might not be the case.

Here are 10 reasons you might not receive a promotion any time soon -- and they're not because of the economy.

Reason No. 1: You are unprepared -- and clueless

Just because your boss or other decision-makers in the promotion process may know you, it doesn't mean that you don't still have to prove yourself to them. Highlight your skills, knowledge and strengths, and show how you can improve the company's bottom line. Convince them that you have new ideas and that those ideas will help the company achieve and surpass its goals.

Reason No. 2: You're a slacker

So what if you're always late to work and you're the first one to leave? And, like anyone has noticed that you call in sick on Mondays and Fridays. And it's not your fault you've missed a few deadlines or turned down a few projects. You had things to do like (insert most recent excuse here).

Reason No. 3: You don't go above and beyond

No one can say you're a slacker. You show up on time, you leave when you're supposed to and you meet your goals. But that's the problem -- just meeting goals or doing work that is "adequate" or "OK" will probably allow you to keep your job, but it's not enough to get you promoted. Arrive early, stay late, offer innovative ideas, beat deadlines and do excellent work. If you don't go the extra mile for your employer, don't be surprised if your employer doesn't go the extra mile for you.

Reason No. 4: You haven't shown leadership

You can't follow others and do a good job; you need to lead others and be the example. Do what you can to get noticed by the people who have the power to promote you. Take on a project that is outside of your job duties; volunteer to lead committees or organize group outings; or head up your department's holiday gift-giving program. All of these things will throw your name into the mix of people who always step up and increase your chances of a promotion.

Reason No. 5: You think you're entitled

Think you're above making coffee, stapling reports, writing bylines or making presentations? Well, you're not. Many employees think that doing such tasks is "beneath them" and that if they could start doing more meaningful work, they would care a little more about their jobs. We've got news for you: You aren't going to get that chance if you don't pay your dues first. Show your employer you're willing to do whatever is asked of you, and you'll be much more likely to be given more responsibility.

Reason No. 6: You don't dress the part

Do you come to work dressed sloppily or inappropriately? Does "casual Friday" mean shorts and flip-flops or jeans and a sweatshirt? If so, it's no wonder you aren't being seen as management material. Take a cue from those working in the position that you want to be promoted to and dress similarly. If you look the part, it will be a lot easier for decision-makers to see you in that role.

Reason No. 7: Your boss doesn't want to lose you

You know you're great at your job -- and so does your boss. If you're the best associate your boss has ever had, is it any wonder he doesn't want you to go anywhere? Make sure your boss knows that you want to move up in the company. Offer to help him find an equally great employee so that you both get what you want.

Reason No. 8: You have a bad attitude

No one likes a poor sport -- especially in management. If you don't have a positive attitude at all times, even when times are tough, it will be hard for decision-makers to support you. Also, do you have any enemies at work? Anyone who doesn't like you can make it more difficult for you to get ahead; especially if those people have the ear of the person who can promote you. Make nice with the right people and your chances of getting that promotion are greatly increased.

Reason No. 9: Your co-workers are superstars

The reality is that some industries are more competitive than others, and a promotion is going to be harder, no matter what. In such a field, you are going to have to do a phenomenal job instead of just a good one. Do more of the things we've mentioned, work to separate yourself and show that you're management material, too.

Reason No. 10: It's all about you

Your supervisors want to know what you can do for them, not the other way around. So, in a discussion about a promotion, don't overuse the terms "my career" or continually talk about taking your career to the next level. Instead, talk about how you are committed to doing everything you can to help the company grow and succeed.

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1436-Getting-Ahead-10-Reasons-Why-You-Wont-Get-Promoted-This-Year

4 Ways to Retire Well

You've heard scary retirement stories before -- tales of woe and angst from would-be retirees who fell short of the goal line. You've heard all about how not to plan for your golden years: spending more than you save, ineffectively drawing up your retirement goals.

But how can you retire well instead? Four simple steps will help get you there.

Step 1: Invest along the way.
Planning financially for retirement is a simple yet daunting task, and the plethora of investment vehicles and potential holdings only make it more so. But you don't have to be scared by all of these options. In fact, if you don't have time to follow individual companies on a regular basis, you're better off taking the easy way out and sidling up to some funds instead.

We at the Fool are big proponents of mutual funds with low expense ratios. They just make sense: The less money you pay to fund managers, the more money you can keep in your investments -- and you can reap greater rewards as a result.

Furthermore, the funds you hold can reflect your personal investing style, as well as your stage in life. If you've got plenty of time until retirement, you might consider funds that own more volatile -- yet potentially quite lucrative -- investments, such as the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE: IWM), which holds small- and mid-cap companies such as E*TRADE Financial (Nasdaq: ETFC), Human Genome Sciences (Nasdaq: HGSI), and 3Com (Nasdaq: COMS).

If you'd like to play it a little closer to the vest, a fund like the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) may be more your style. With known entities such as ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC), and Pfizer (Nasdaq: PFE), you'll typically endure less volatility while keeping a grasp on winning companies. Not a bad deal!

Step 2: Maintain a list of your retirement goals.
But your investments won't do you any good if you have no plan for how you're going to use them. What do you want to do in retirement? Do you want to move to Maui? Spend your days volunteering at an animal shelter? Buy an Airstream and travel the world? Become a late-blooming barista at the local coffee bar?

Once you have a list of your goals and dreams -- no matter how big, small, or silly they may seem -- you can plan your finances accordingly. Are you willing to forgo other luxuries when you plunk thousands of dollars down on that RV? Exactly how much would your mortgage be in Maui? Questions like these will help guide your financial plans today.

And if your dreams and goals change through the years, no matter. Keep your list of retirement aims current, and you'll always have your eye on the prize.

Step 3: Keep some cash in short-term accounts.
While you're investing and dreaming, be sure to plunk some money where you can get to it easily. Even though you've got your mind on retirement, life continues to happen, and with it come surprises. By socking some cash away in short-term vehicles such as money market accounts, certificates of deposit, and plain ol' run-of-the-mill savings accounts, you'll be ready for the unexpected even if the market is taking one of its customary naps.

Step 4: Sit back and enjoy the ride.
Once you lay the groundwork for your retirement goals and plans, keep an eye on them; even index funds and other, more hands-off holdings need attention from time to time. If you find you're going in an unfavorable direction, either with your investment decisions or your long-term goals, then take care to change them. It's your future, after all; no sense in sitting idly by and watching your plans go down the wrong road.

Granted, retirement planning takes time and effort. But the rewards will be worth the investment.

http://www.fool.com/retirement/general/2010/01/04/4-ways-to-retire-well.aspx

Thin Crust Pizza
Click on Image for Larger View

Thin-Crust Pizza

---

For many years I have been trying to learn the secrets of making a good thin-crust pizza. I've had this type of pie at various pizza parlors such as Shakey's Pizza Restaurant, Pizza Inn, Pizza Hut, and the Village Inn Pizza Parlor. I have been told that this type of pizza is officially known as an "Original California-Style" pizza and is also found at such restaurants as Straw Hat and Round Table. To quote the folks at Straw Hat, "California crust is special, it's a layered, flaky crust. It's airy and crispy on the bottom, yet bubbling on top. It has a cracker-like crunch, and is never soggy or limp." Click here to see what I mean. Here are some of the secrets that I have learned so far: The whole concept of the thin crust is more than just the flour or dough recipe, it is the method of sheeting the dough into the pizza pan. Most restaurants employ the use of a special machine known as a dough sheeter (or roller) which rolls out the dough quickly and evenly. They typically run the dough through the sheeter about 5 or 6 times, dusting the dough with flour each time, to get it down to the paper-thin thickness. The function of the dusting flour is to actually incorporate more flour into the dough during the sheeting process. The dough is typically short a little flour in the mixing process so that it will sheet easier, so the dough reaches its final flour content during the dusting and sheeting process. Acme Dough Roller Thin-crust pizza dough is somewhat dry and dense after sheeting. You will need to dust the dough with flour several times as you roll it out in order to incorporate more flour into the recipe. This also helps ensure that the dough will not stick to the countertop and your rolling pin. It is important that you use flour with a high gluten content (12% protein or higher) in order to make the crust crispy. The King Arthur Flour Company manufactures a high-gluten flour that contains 14% protein which is excellent for this recipe (see their "Sir Lancelot" brand). If you don't have Sir Lancelot handy then use a quality bread flour that contains at least 12% protein. Do not use all-purpose flour. Retard dough a full day (24-hours) in the refrigerator (38 °F to 40 °F). This allows the yeast to work long and hard which develops the dough's characteristic texture and, more importantly, its unique flavor. Allow dough to warm to room temperature for about an hour or two before rolling out and docking. Dough docker The dough must be docked after being sheeted and placed in pan. Docking prevents large air bubbles from forming in the crust. If you do not own a dough docker, you can use a fork to prick the dough thoroughly. Optional: Pre-cook the crust for 4 minutes before adding the sauce and toppings. This allows the crust to become more crisp before weighing it down with toppings. I have worked long and hard developing this recipe and it is by no means perfect. I have eaten more test-pizzas than I care to admit. I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor and I hope that you share your pizza making experiences with me. Good luck! Dough Recipe 1 pound (or about 3 1/2 cups) high gluten flour 3/4 cup warm water 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt In a heavy-duty stand mixer (e.g., KitchenAid) fitted with dough hook, add the water, oil, yeast, salt, and sugar. Mix thoroughly until yeast has fully dissolved. Add flour and mix on low speed until all of the flour and water have mixed and a stiff dough ball forms, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stop mixing as soon as the dough ball forms as this type of dough should not be kneaded. Place the dough ball into a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 24 hours in the refrigerator before using. Please note that I cannot over-emphasize the importance of a 24-hour rising time since it is absolutely essential for the dough to develop its signature texture and, more importantly, its unique flavor! Do not skip this step! Thin-Crust Pizza Sauce 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes in heavy puree (RedPack brand preferred) 1 tablespoon fresh green bell pepper, finely chopped 1 teaspoon fresh yellow onion, finely chopped 1 clove fresh garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste) Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes (do not allow the sauce to boil). Allow to cool to room temperature before using. Preheat your oven to 500 °F about one hour before you plan to bake the pizza. Turn the dough out onto a large surface and dust with flour. Using a heavy rolling pin (or dough sheeter), roll the dough out very thin to form a 24-inch or larger circle. If you're using a cutter pizza pan (recommended), dust the pan lightly with flour, place the dough in the pan and dock. Use the rolling pin to trim off the excess dough drooping over the sides of the pan. If you wish to cook the pizza directly on a pizza stone (not using a pan), then place the dough on a dusted pizza-peel, dock, and fold the edge over 1-inch all the way around and pinch it up to form a raised lip or rim. Photo courtesy of pizzatools.com Optionally, pre-cook the crust for 4 minutes before adding any sauce or toppings. Remove the crust from the oven and pop any large air pockets that may have formed. Add the sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and your favorite toppings. Continue baking, on the lowest oven rack, rotating the pan half way through so that it cooks evenly, until crust is sufficiently browned and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and slide pizza out of cooking pan onto a large wire cooling rack or cutting board. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a serving pan. This step allows the crust to stay crisp while it cools, otherwise the trapped steam will soften the crust. Once cool, use a pizza cutter to slice the pie into pieces and enjoy! Please share your results with me!

Vista and Buffalo Terastation (and Windows 7)

Just a note in case anyone else runs into this problem. If you want to connect to a share on a Buffalo Terastation (which seems to be using Samba) from a Windows Vista installation, you need to do the following:

• Run the Local Security Policy app - secpol.msc
• Go to Local Policies Security Options and choose the "Network Security: LAN Manager Authentican Level" item
• Set it to "Send LM & NLTM, use NTMLv2 session if negotiated"

And that should sort you out. [Update] For those of us unlucky enough to be running Vista Home (which doesn't come with secpol), you can do the following (thanks to Patrick in the comments for this)

• Run regedit (Windows-R, 'regedit') to open the registry editor
• Find key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\
• Change the value for the option "LMCompatibilityLevel" from 3 to 1.

Now you should be able to access the TeraStation (you may need to reboot)

[Update 25th August 2009]. A couple of commenters have been kind enough to say that this also works in Windows 7 RC and thus in Windows 7 RTM (pretty safe assumption). For what it's worth, I have a Windows 7 RC virtual machine running and I've been able to connect fine without needing to make any changes that I can remember.

Ipod files to computer

Site which helps transfer files from ipod back to computer.
http://download.cnet.com/Music-Rescue/3000-2169_4-10257368.html

Peter Reinhart's Napoletana Pizza Dough Recipe

4 1/2 cups (20.25 ounces) unbleached high-gluten, bread, or all-purpose flour, chilled
1 3/4 (.44 ounce) teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon (.11 ounce) instant yeast
1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil (optional)
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) water, ice cold (40°F)
Semolina flour OR cornmeal for dusting

1. Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). With a large metal spoon, stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment), If you are mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the metal spoon into cold water and use it, much like a dough hook, to work the dough vigorously into a smooth mass while rotating the bowl in a circular motion with the other hand. Reverse the circular motion a few times to develop the gluten further. Do this for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are evenly distributed. If you are using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet and doesn't come off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a tea- spoon or two of cold water. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky, and register 50 to 55F.

2. Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with baking parchment and misting the parchment with spray oil (or lightly oil the parchment). Using a metal dough scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you are comfortable shaping large pizzas), You can dip the scraper into the water between cuts to keep the dough from sticking to it, Sprinkle flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Lift each piece and gently round it into a ball. If the dough sticks to your hands, dip your hands into the flour again. Transfer the dough balls to the sheet pan, Mist the dough generously with spray oil and slip the pan into a food-grade plastic bag.

3. Put the pan into the refrigerator overnight to rest the dough, or keep for up to 3 days. (Note: If you want to save some of the dough for future baking, you can store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag. Dip each dough ball into a bowl that has a few tablespoons of oil in it, rolling the dough in the oil, and then put each ball into a separate bag. You can place the bags into the freezer for up to 3 months. Transfer them to the refrigerator the day before you plan to make pizza.)

4. On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before making the pizza. Before letting the dough rest at room temperature for 2 hours, dust the counter with flour, and then mist the counter with spray oil. Place the dough balls on top of the floured counter and sprinkle them with flour; dust your hands with flour. Gently press the dough into flat disks about 1/2 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the dough with flour, mist it again with spray oil, and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag. Now let rest for 2 hours.

5. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone either on the floor of the oven (for gas ovens), or on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven as hot as possible, up to 800F (most home ovens will go only to 500 to 550F, but some will go higher). If you do not have a baking stone, you can use the back of a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.

6. Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal. Make the pizzas one at a time. Dip your hands, including the backs of your hands and knuckles, in flour and lift I piece of dough by getting under it with a pastry scraper. Very gently lay the dough across your fists and carefully stretch it by bouncing the dough in a circular motion on your hands, carefully giving it a little stretch with each bounce. If it begins to stick to your hands, lay it down on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue shaping it. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss as shown on page 208. If you have trouble tossing the dough, or if the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 to 20 minutes so the gluten can relax, and try again. You can also resort to using a rolling pin, though this isn't as effective as the toss method.

7. When the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction (about 9 to 12 inches in diameter for a 6-ounce piece of dough), lay it on the peel or pan, making sure there is enough semolina flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide. Lightly top it with sauce and then with your other top- pings, remembering that the best pizzas are topped with a less-is-more philosophy. The American "kitchen sink" approach is counterproductive, as it makes the crust more difficult to bake. A few, usually no more than 3 or 4 toppings, including sauce and cheese is sufficient.

8. Slide the topped pizza onto the stone (or bake directly on the sheet pan) and close the door. Wait 2 minutes, then take a peek. If it needs to be rotated 180 degrees for even baking, do so. The pizza should take about 5 to 8 minutes to bake. If the top gets done before the bottom, you will need to move the stone to a lower self before the next round. if the bottom crisps before the cheese caramelizes, then you will need to raise the stone for subsequent bakes.

9. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Wait 3 to 5 minutes before slicing and serving, to allow the cheese to set slightly.

Makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts.

The Bumper List of Windows 7 Secrets

It’s great to see Windows 7 Beta finally released to the world! We're very proud of what has been accomplished over the last months; in many ways, it sets a new quality bar for a beta operating system release. Building on top of the Windows Vista foundation, Windows 7 adds a great deal of polish and refinement to both the user interface and the underlying architecture, while at the same time introducing many new features and improvements that support new hardware, give power users and casual users alike better tools to manage their digital lives, and enable new classes of application experience.

Over future blog entries, I’ll spend time drilling into some of those areas in more detail; of course, there are plenty of articles already out there that dissect Windows 7 in some depth, with the Windows SuperSite and Ars Technica providing notably comprehensive entries. I’d also like to draw particular attention to the series of Windows 7 interviews that Yochay Kiriaty has been posting on Channel 9, which give the inside scoop on the development of many of the most significant new features.

For now, though, I want to focus in on some of “secrets” of Windows 7: the many little tweaks and enhancements that we’ve made in this release that I’ve discovered and collated over the last few months of using Windows 7 across my home and work machines. These are the things that are too small to appear in any marketing document as “features”, but that you quickly miss when you switch to an older version of Windows. There are some who think that we’re arbitrarily hiding functionality to make Windows easy for casual users, but I’d argue that a great deal of effort has been put into this release to satisfy power users. In homage to those of us who enjoy discovering the nooks and crannies of a new operating system list, I’ve put together the longest blog post that I’ve ever written. If you’ve downloaded and installed Windows 7 Beta recently, I think you’ll enjoy this list of my thirty favorite secrets. Have fun!

1. Windows Management. By now, you’ve probably seen that Windows 7 does a lot to make window management easier: you can “dock” a window to the left or right half of the screen by simply dragging it to the edge; similarly, you can drag the window to the top of the screen to maximize it, and double-click the window top / bottom border to maximize it vertically with the same horizontal width. What you might not know is that all these actions are also available with keyboard shortcuts:
   • Win+Left Arrow and Win+Right Arrow dock;
   • Win+Up Arrow and Win+Down Arrow maximizes and restores / minimizes;
   • Win+Shift+Up Arrow and Win+Shift+Down Arrow maximizes and restores the vertical size.

   This side-by-side docking feature is particularly invaluable on widescreen monitors – it makes the old Windows way of shift-clicking on two items in the taskbar and then using the context menu to arrange them feel really painful.

2. Display Projection. Had enough of messing around with weird and wonderful OEM display driver utilities to get your notebook display onto an external projector? In that case, you’ll be pleased to know that projection is really quick and simple with Windows 7. Just hit Win+P, and you’ll be rewarded by the following pop-up window:
   
   Use the arrow keys (or keep hitting Win+P) to switch to “clone”, “extend” or “external only” display settings. You can also access the application as displayswitch.exe.
   
   If you want broader control over presentation settings, you can also press Win+X to open the Windows Mobility Center, which allows you to turn on a presentation “mode” that switches IM clients to do not disturb, disables screensavers, sets a neutral wallpaper etc. (Note that this feature is also available in Windows Vista.)
   
3. Cut Out The Clutter. Working on a document in a window and want to get rid of all the extraneous background noise? Simply hit Win+Home to minimize all the non-active background windows, keeping the window you’re using in its current position. When you’re ready, simply press Win+Home again to restore the background windows to their original locations.
   
4. Multi-Monitor Windows Management. The earlier tip on window management showed how you can dock windows within a monitor. One refinement of those shortcuts is that you can use Win+Shift+Left Arrow and Win+Shift+Right Arrow to move windows from one monitor to another – keeping them in the same relative location to the monitor’s top-left origin.
   
5. Command Junkies Only. One of the most popular power toys in Windows XP was “Open Command Prompt Here”, which enabled you to use the graphical shell to browse around the file system and then use the context menu to open a command prompt at the current working directory. In Windows 7 (and in Windows Vista, incidentally – although not many folk knew about it), you can simply hold the Shift key down while selecting the context menu to get exactly the same effect. If the current working directory is a network location, it will automatically map a drive letter for you.
   
6. It’s a Global Village. If you’ve tried to change your desktop wallpaper, you’ve probably noticed that there’s a set of wallpapers there that match the locale you selected when you installed Windows. (If you picked US, you’ll see beautiful views of Crater Lake in Oregon, the Arches National Park, a beach in Hawai’i, etc.) In fact, there are several sets of themed wallpapers installed based on the language you choose, but the others are in a hidden directory. If you’re feeling in an international mood, simply browse to C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT and you’ll see a series of pictures under the Wallpaper directory for each country. Just double-click on the theme file in the Theme directory to display a rotation through all the pictures for that country. (Note that some countries contain a generic set of placeholder art for now.)
   
7. The Black Box Recorder. Every developer wishes there was a way that an end-users could quickly and simply record a repro for the problem that they’re running into that is unique to their machine. Windows 7 comes to the rescue! Part of the in-built diagnostic tools that we use internally to send feedback on the product, the Problem Steps Recorder provides a simple screen capture tool that enables you to record a series of actions. Once you hit “record”, it tracks your mouse and keyboard and captures screenshots with any comments you choose to associate alongside them. Once you stop recording, it saves the whole thing to a ZIP file, containing an HTML-based “slide show” of the steps. It’s a really neat little tool and I can’t wait for it to become ubiquitous on every desktop! The program is called psr.exe; you can also search for it from Control Panel under “Record steps to reproduce a problem”.
   
   
8. The Font of All Knowledge. Long Zheng will be happy: we’ve got rid of the Add Fonts dialog that has served Windows faithfully for the last twenty years. (Of course, for most of that time, it’s been deprecated – the easy way to install a set of fonts has simply been to drag them into the Fonts folder via Control Panel.) But now font installation is really easy – we’ve added an “Install” button to the font viewer applet that takes care of the installation process:
   
   There are lots of other new features built into Windows 7 that will satisfy those of a typographic bent, incidentally – grouping multiple weights together, the ability to hide fonts based on regional settings, a new text rendering engine built into the DirectWrite API, and support in the Font common file dialog for more than the four “standard” weights. For example:
   
   
9. Gabriola. As well as the other typographic features mentioned above, Windows 7 includes Gabriola, an elaborate display type from the Tiro Typeworks foundry that takes advantage of OpenType Layout to provide a variety of stylistic sets, flourishes and ornamentation ligatures:
   
   
10. Who Stole My Browser? If you feel like Internet Explorer is taking a long time to load your page, it’s worth taking a look at the add-ons you have installed. One of the more helpful little additions in Internet Explorer 8 is instrumentation for add-on initialization, allowing you to quickly see whether you’re sitting around waiting for plug-ins to load. Just click Tools / Manage Add-ons, and then scroll right in the list view to see the load time. On my machine, I noticed that the Research add-on that Office 2007 installs was a particular culprit, and since I never use it, it was simple to disable it from the same dialog box.
    
11. Rearranging the Furniture. Unless you’ve seen it demonstrated, you may not know that the icons in the new taskbar aren’t fixed in-place. You can reorder them to suit your needs, whether they’re pinned shortcuts or running applications. What’s particularly nice is that once they’re reordered, you can start a new instance of any of the first five icons by pressing Win+1, Win+2, Win+3 etc. I love that I can quickly fire up a Notepad2 instance on my machine with a simple Win+5 keystroke, for instance.
    
    What’s less well-known is that you can similarly drag the system tray icons around to rearrange their order, or move them in and out of the hidden icon list. It’s an easy way to customize your system to show the things you want, where you want them.
    
12. Installing from a USB Memory Stick. My wife has a Samsung NC10 netbook (very nice machine, by the way), and we wanted to install Windows 7 Beta on this machine to replace the pre-installed Windows XP environment. Like most netbook-class devices, this machine has no built-in media drive, and nor did I have an external USB DVD drive available to boot off. The solution: I took a spare 4GB USB 2.0 thumbdrive, reformatted it as FAT32, and simply copied the contents of the Windows 7 Beta ISO image to the memory stick using xcopy e:\ f:\ /e /f (where e: was the DVD drive and f: was the removable drive location). Not only was it easy to boot and install from the thumbdrive, it was also blindingly fast: quicker than the corresponding DVD install on my desktop machine.
    
    It’s also worth noting in passing that Windows 7 is far better suited to a netbook than any previous operating system: it has a much lighter hard drive and memory footprint than Windows Vista, while also being able to optimize for solid state drives (for example, it switches off disk defragmentation since random read access is as fast as sequential read access, and it handles file deletions differently to minimize wear on the solid state drive).
    
13. I Want My Quick Launch Toolbar Back! You might have noticed that the old faithful Quick Launch toolbar is not only disabled by default in Windows 7, it’s actually missing from the list of toolbars. As is probably obvious, the concept of having a set of pinned shortcut icons is now integrated directly into the new taskbar. Based on early user interface testing, we think that the vast majority of users out there (i.e. not the kind of folk who read this blog, with the exception of my mother) will be quite happy with the new model, but if you’re after the retro behavior, you’ll be pleased to know that the old shortcuts are all still there. To re-enable it, do the following:
    • Right-click the taskbar, choose Toolbars / New Toolbar
    • In the folder selection dialog, enter the following string and hit OK:
      %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch
    • Turn off the “lock the taskbar” setting, and right-click on the divider. Make sure that “Show text” and “Show title” are disabled and the view is set to “small icons”.
    • Use the dividers to rearrange the toolbar ordering to choice, and then lock the taskbar again.

    If it’s not obvious by the semi-tortuous steps above, it’s worth noting that this isn’t something we’re exactly desperate for folks to re-enable, but it’s there if you really need it for some reason. Incidentally, we’d love you to really try the new model first and give us feedback on why you felt the new taskbar didn’t suit your needs.

14. It’s a Drag. Much play has been made of the Jump Lists feature in Windows 7, allowing applications like Windows Live Messenger to offer an easy task-based entry point. Jump lists replace the default right-click context menu in the new taskbar; another way to access them (particularly useful if you’re running Windows 7 on a one-button MacBook) is by left-clicking and dragging up in a kind of “swooshing” motion. This was designed for touch-enabled devices like the beautiful HP TouchSmart all-in-one PC, where the same gesture applies.
    
    Another place where you can “swoosh” (not an official Microsoft term) is the IE 8 address bar, where the downward drag gesture brings up an expanded list containing the browser history, favorites and similar entries. The slower you drag, the cooler the animation!
    
15. Standards Support. Every review of Windows 7 that I’ve seen has noted the revamped WordPad and Paint applets that add an Office-like ribbon to expose their functionality. Few, however, have noticed one small but hopefully appreciated feature: WordPad can now read and write both the Word 2007-compatible Office Open XML file format but also the OpenDocument specification that IBM and Sun have been advocating:
    
    
16. Windows Vista-Style Taskbar. I wasn’t initially a fan of the Windows 7 taskbar when it was first introduced in early Windows 7 builds, but as the design was refined in the run up to the beta, I was converted and now actively prefer the new look, particularly when I’ve got lots of windows open simultaneously. For those who really would prefer a look more reminiscent of Windows Vista, the good news is that it’s easy to customize the look of the taskbar to more closely mirror the old version:
    
    To achieve this look, right-click on the taskbar and choose the properties dialog. Select the “small icons” checkbox and under the “taskbar buttons” setting, choose “combine when taskbar is full”. It’s not pixel-perfect in accuracy, but it’s close from a functionality point of view.
    
17. Peeking at the Desktop. While we’re on the taskbar, it’s worth noting a few subtleties. You’ve probably seen the small rectangle in the bottom right hand corner: this is the feature we call “Aero Peek”, which enables you to see any gadgets or icons you’ve got on your desktop. I wanted to note that there’s a keyboard shortcut that does the same thing – just press Win+Space.
    
18. Running with Elevated Rights. Want to quickly launch a taskbar-docked application as an administrator? It’s easy – hold down Ctrl+Shift while you click on the icon, and you’ll immediately launch it with full administrative rights (assuming your account has the necessary permissions, of course!)
    
19. One More of the Same, Please. I’ve seen a few folk caught out by this one. If you’ve already got an application open on your desktop (for example, a command prompt window), and you want to open a second instance of the same application, you don’t have to go back to the start menu. You can simply hold down the Shift key while clicking on the taskbar icon, and it will open a new instance of the application rather than switching to the existing application. For a keyboard-free shortcut, you can middle-click with the third mouse button to do the same thing. (This trick assumes that your application supports multiple running instances, naturally.)
    
20. Specialized Windows Switching. Another feature that power users will love is the ability to do a kind of “Alt+Tab” switching across windows that belong to just one application. For example, if you’ve got five Outlook message windows open along with ten other windows, you can quickly tab through just the Outlook windows by holding down the Ctrl key while you repeatedly click on the single Outlook icon. This will toggle through each of the five Outlook windows in order, and is way faster than opening Alt+Tab and trying to figure out which of the tiny thumbnail images relates to the specific message you’re trying to find.
    
21. Walking Through the Taskbar. Another “secret” Windows shortcut: press Win+T to move the focus to the taskbar. Once you’re there, you can use the arrow keys to select a particular window or group and then hit Enter to launch or activate it. As ever, you can cancel out of this mode by hitting the Esc key. I don’t know for sure, but I presume this shortcut was introduced for those with accessibility needs. However, it’s equally valuable to power users – another good reason for all developers to care about ensuring their code is accessible.
    
22. The Widescreen Tip. Almost every display sold these days is widescreen, whether you’re buying a notebook computer or a monitor. While it might be great for watching DVDs, when you’re trying to get work done it can sometimes feel like you’re a little squeezed for vertical space.
    
    As a result, the first thing I do when I set up any new computer is to dock the taskbar to the left hand side of the screen. I can understand why we don’t set this by default – can you imagine the complaints from enterprise IT departments who have to retrain all their staff – but there’s no reason why you as a power user should have to suffer from default settings introduced when the average screen resolution was 800x600.
    
    In the past, Windows did an indifferent job of supporting “side dockers” like myself. Sure, you could move the taskbar, but it felt like an afterthought – the gradients would be wrong, the Start menu had a few idiosyncrasies, and you’d feel like something of a second-class citizen. The Windows 7 taskbar feels almost as if it was designed with vertical mode as the default – the icons work well on the side of the screen, shortcuts like the Win+T trick mentioned previously automatically switch from left/right arrows to up/down arrows, and so on. The net effect is that you wind up with a much better proportioned working space.
    
    Try it – in particular, if you’ve got a netbook computer that has a 1024x600 display, you’ll immediately appreciate the extra space for browsing the Internet. For the first day you’ll feel a little out of sync, but then I guarantee you’ll become an enthusiastic convert!
    
23. Pin Your Favorite Folders. If you’re always working in the same four or five folders, you can quickly pin them with the Explorer icon on the taskbar. Hold the right-click button down and drag the folder to the taskbar, and it will be automatically pinned in the Explorer Jump List.
    
24. Starting Explorer from “My Computer”. If you spend more time manipulating files outside of the documents folders than inside, you might want to change the default starting directory for Windows Explorer so that it opens at the Computer node:
    
    To do this, navigate to Windows Explorer in the Start Menu (it’s in the Accessories folder). Then edit the properties and change the target to read:
    %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /root,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
    
    If you want the change to affect the icon on the taskbar, you’ll need to unpin and repin it to the taskbar so that the new shortcut takes affect. It’s worth noting that Win+E will continue to display the documents library as the default view: I’ve not found a way to change this from the shell at this time.
    
25. ClearType Text Tuning and Display Color Calibration. If you want to tune up your display for image or text display, we have the tools included out of the box. It’s amazing what a difference this makes: by slightly darkening the color of the text and adjusting the gamma back a little, my laptop display looks much crisper than it did before. You’d adjust the brightness and contrast settings on that fancy 42” HDTV you’ve just bought: why wouldn’t you do the same for the computer displays that you stare at every day?
    
    Check out cttune.exe and dccw.exe respectively, or run the applets from Control Panel.
    
26. ISO Burning. Easy to miss if you’re not looking for it: you can double-click on any DVD or CD .ISO image and you’ll see a helpful little applet that will enable you to burn the image to a blank disc. No more grappling for shareware utilities of questionable parentage!
    
    
27. Windows Movie Maker. Windows 7 doesn’t include a movie editing tool – it’s been moved to the Windows Live Essentials package, along with Photo Gallery, Mail and Messenger. Unfortunately, Windows Live Movie Maker is currently still in an early beta that is missing most of the old feature set (we’re reworking the application), and so you might be feeling a little bereft of options. It goes without saying that we intend to have a better solution by the time we ship Windows 7, but in the meantime the best solution for us early adopters is to use Windows Movie Maker 2.6 (which is essentially the same as the most recent update to the Windows XP version). It’s missing the full set of effects and transitions from the Windows Vista version, and doesn’t support HD editing, but it’s pretty functional for the typical usage scenario of home movie editing.
    
    Download Windows Movie Maker 2.6 from here:
    http://microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=d6ba5972-328e-4df7-8f9d-068fc0f80cfc
    
28. Hiding the Windows Live Messenger Icon. Hopefully your first act after Windows 7 setup completed was to download and install the Windows Live Essentials suite of applications (if not, then you’re missing out on a significant part of the Windows experience). If you’re a heavy user of IM, you may love the way that Windows Live Messenger is front and central on the taskbar, where you can easily change status and quickly send an IM to someone:
    
    On the other hand, you may prefer to keep Windows Live Messenger in the system tray where it’s been for previous releases. If so, you can fool the application into the old style of behavior. To do this, close Windows Live Messenger, edit the shortcut properties and set the application to run in Windows Vista compatibility mode. Bingo!
    
29. Enjoy The Fish. I’m surprised that not many people seem to have caught the subtle joke with the Siamese fighting fish that is part of the default background, so I’ll do my part at keeping the secret hidden. Check out wikipedia for a clue.
    
30. When All Else Fails… There are always those times when you’re in a really bad spot – you can’t boot up properly, and what you really want is something you can quickly use to get at a command prompt so you can properly troubleshoot. Windows 7 now includes the ability to create a system repair disc, which is essentially a CD-bootable version of Windows that just includes the command prompt and a suite of system tools. Just type “system repair disc” in the Start Menu search box, and you’ll be led to the utility.

http://blogs.msdn.com/tims/archive/2009/01/12/the-bumper-list-of-windows-7-secrets.aspx