Words and Software
Technical writing for Windows 10 (old: Intelligent Systems Service, Data Protection Manager, and Operations Manager)
Data disasters: stories
I always seem to find the most interesting stuff when I'm looking for something else. In this case,...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 04/20/2006
Looks like a file synchronization solution (Windows XP)
Tristank mentioned a Powertoy that sounded interesting, SyncToy for Windows XP. (An aside...I think...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 04/06/2006
How many results to display
Elinor Mills reports on CNET news.com that Microsoft is testing a change on the Windows Live search...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 04/03/2006
Microsoft Research and the first smiley
If I waited until Saturday (April 1) to post this, you might wonder if it was a joke. It's not. The...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 03/30/2006
Service Quality Monitoring, E.T., and Cary Grant
Listening to a presentation on Service Quality Monitoring (SQM), also known as Opt-In Customer...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 03/29/2006
IT pros - how do you use worksheets
If you've ever used any product documentation that included worksheets, checklists, or other job...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 03/28/2006
Our team motto
Every team should have a motto, and we've chosen ours. Deb, our content lead, got us each a bumper...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 03/23/2006
From list to diagram: modeling workflow
This week's lesson in the managing content projects class was on modeling workflows. Quite timely...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 03/21/2006
Metrics for content development
First off, notice how I used "content development" rather than "writing content"? The reason is that...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 03/19/2006
DPM and Single Instance Store (SIS)
The Single Instance Store (SIS) feature is useful for optimizing storage space, particularly for a...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 03/16/2006
Hotfixes on the DPM Server
Question: How do I identify which DPM hotfixes or service packs are installed on my DPM server?...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 03/13/2006
Data Protection Manager and time zones
The question: Is the time of a shadow copy the time on the file server or the DPM server? The...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 03/08/2006
Customizing a scheduled disk cleanup task
I've been waiting a week for Ed Bott to follow up on scheduling disk cleanup with the instructions...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 03/07/2006
TechFest 2006: What I Saw
Going to Microsoft's TechFest is a sure way to revive my thrill at working here. Picture it: the...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 03/02/2006
Feature comparison chart for R2
Kevin Remde (Full of I.T.) brings to our attention a great quick-reference chart of Windows Server...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 03/02/2006
Slide 1 of X: a solution for PowerPoint numbering
I just spent a frustrating half-hour on a search that isn't really part of my job but I couldn't...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 02/28/2006
The Read Me file
I considered titling this just Read Me so it would be both relevant and a clever imperative...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 02/23/2006
news! DPM and Microsoft Update
DPM added to Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) synchronization options in Microsoft Update
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 02/21/2006
Opportunity: beta exams for developers
I'm not a developer but I got this invitation to several beta exams for the Microsoft Certified...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 02/21/2006
an Ode to disaster recovery
I cannot read most of Pamal's blog but I can read his delightful Ode to Disaster Recovery. How can...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 02/15/2006
Inside the usability lab
We're running the v2 "new protection group" wizard through usability testing this week, and I...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 02/14/2006
Great online thesaurus: Aiksaurus
This is my favorite online thesaurus to date, and I only just discovered it tonight while searching...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 02/14/2006
Finding information on the Internet, circa 1993
I went through my bookcases this weekend, getting rid of books I didn't want anymore, and came...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 02/12/2006
Paean to Paint
With Valentine's Day drawing near, Jensen Harris posed an interesting question on his blog last...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 02/10/2006
User interface (UI): content scrub
UI scrubs are now my favorite part of the product cycle. I joined the DPM team too late to...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 02/09/2006
Cheap and easy hot/cold pack
I've noticed that the one item I can almost guarantee will be in any given freezer in any...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 02/02/2006
System Center Essentials
Today I got to see a demo of System Center Essentials. There isn't much information on Microsoft.com...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 02/01/2006
Glossary terms: the search for the definition
I haven't mentioned working on the DPM version 2 glossary in awhile, but there's been steady...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 01/31/2006
Disk-to-disk-to-tape with DPM and Quantum
The DPM5500 -- cool name, eh? It's an appliance that integrates DPM with tape-based backup and...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 01/28/2006
How not to change a computer fan
Tristan tells the story of how he tried to replace the fan in his computer. My favorite part: "He...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 01/25/2006
Opinion on Data Protection Manager (DPM)
Check out the Since You Asked column in Computerworld to read Steve Duplessie's view on DPM. He...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 01/24/2006
Casual communication styles
Pixelpoke shares a whimsical Page Not Found link. While it's definitely grin-worthy, and therefore a...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 01/23/2006
Code names for Microsoft products
I could not find the webpage I wanted this morning. I tried several search engines, but I don't...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 01/20/2006
Home network planning tool
While searching for ideas on reorganizing my home network, I found a delightful tool for home...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 01/16/2006
To seed or not to seed
In the newsgroup for DPM, someone asked about seeding the DPM server:"Does anyone have any good...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 01/16/2006
Great opportunity for scripters!
Have you written any scripts for system administration? Now there's a place for them on...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 01/12/2006
DPM storage pool disks
The famous "chicken or egg" dilemma is similar to a common problem faced by tech writers -- what...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 01/11/2006
Why I must install Visual Studio 2005
I'm not a developer. I took a simplified Visual Studio basics course years ago, but I've never had...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 12/14/2005
How not to: examples of poor UI design
I apologize in advance -- the Interface Hall of Shame is curiously addictive. Do not go to this site...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 12/12/2005
We interrupt this thought to bring you...
...another announcement. I was thinking about globalization and localization on the drive in this...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 12/06/2005
Protecting an Exchange server by using DPM
Announcement! Knowledge Base article 909644, "How to use Microsoft System Center Data Protection...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 12/05/2005
Supported - what does that mean?
I had a friend who would install anything on his computer. "What they say is supported doesn't...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 12/02/2005
Are you going to run DPM with Windows Server 2003 R2?
Windows Server 2003 R2 is looming on the horizon, and it's time to plan our documentation for...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 11/29/2005
Need SP2 for XP or SP3 for Office? Order the CD
I've avoided updating a few family computers, the ones that use dial-up. It just takes too long. And...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 11/28/2005
DPM Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) updated
The DPM FAQ has been updated. The changes in this refresh are as follows: Deleted "Can I protect a...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 11/22/2005
Lost product key: prevention
A surprising number of readers hit my post on John's lost product key problem. So when I came across...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 11/21/2005
Informal usability testing
This error message discussion took place back in 98 - I came across it yesterday when I was looking...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 11/18/2005
No more EULA?
You'll be seeing new terminology from Microsoft: Microsoft Software License Terms, and license terms...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 11/15/2005
Software installation the right way
Zman gives some good tips for polite software installation. I sympathize with his gripes because I'm...
Author: Jeanie Decker (MSFT) Date: 11/14/2005