One of the ways we get to know each other in the Windows community is by responding to challenges.  Our most recent challenge is sure to show off some of the individuality among community members as we’re asking everyone to show off their Windows 7 desktop.  I can’t wait to see what sorts of gadgets people use and how they are using the new taskbar. 

If you’re already a member of the community, just visit the Clubhouse site for more details on this new challenge.  If you haven’t joined our community yet, we’d be happy to welcome you!  Just check out http://clubhouse.microsoft.com/join for more details.

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

Here are some of the newest faces in the Windows community.  Click on their profile pictures to jump into the Clubhouse and see their full profile and some of their great contributions!

Here in the US, we informally start our summer season with the three-day Memorial Day holiday that just concluded.  Normally in the Seattle area where I live, it’s still a cloudy and rainy time, but this past weekend was anything but that!  The sunny and warm weather has me looking forward to the summer ahead.

So keeping in the spirit of the summer season, I’ve added a new summer-themed challenge to the Clubhouse site.  I hope you’ll take a few moments to post, tag, and share your summer plans with the rest of the Windows community.

If you’re not yet a member of our community, just check out http://clubhouse.microsoft.com/join for more information.

Have a great summer!

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

There are a couple new challenges up on the Clubhouse.  One was suggested by our very own Technogran, and it’s all about the one application you couldn’t imagine not having on your PC.  Another one is all about the new web activities recently added to Windows Live profiles. 

When you have some time, please check them out and share your thoughts by tagging your blog posts to come into the Clubhouse.  The rest of our community can learn from you!  If you’re not already a member of the Clubhouse, joining is quick and easy at http://clubhouse.microsoft.com/join.  We hope to see you there soon.

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

Have you checked out the new Windows 7 page?  You’ll see one of our very own Clubhouse members featured right there:

How about the Windows Media Center page?  You’ll see a Clubhouse member there too:

We’re continuing to feature the best contributions from our Windows community(as decided upon by the Windows community – that’s why ratings are so important) in all sorts of new places.  We’ll be rotating through top-rated posts on these sites and others over the months ahead. 

Everyone really likes the how-to tips and stories coming from community members just like you.  Thanks very much for sharing your expertise with the world and being a part of our community.

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

With the calendar flipped to May, I wanted to let you know what’s planned for the month ahead.

As you know, this is the month that the Windows 7 RC is coming out for anyone who isn’t in TechNet or MSDN and didn’t get it last week.  So we’ll keep talking about Windows 7 in the community, focusing in on how it works on laptops, any new features for gamers, and maybe do a video scavenger hunt for the best Windows 7 videos out there on YouTube and Soapbox.

The Windows Live updates that included all the new web activities like Facebook, Digg, etc. will also be a big topic of conversation this month.  It will be great to hear which web activities you’ve added and in general how you’re using those new web activities.

It’s also coming up on “Dads & Grads” season, so we’ll be helping each other out by sharing what you all think are some interesting gift ideas for those “I’M A PC” dads and grads.

What else would you like to see us do together in May?  After all, it’s your community, so please just leave a comment below with ideas of what you want to see and do.  Then I’ll work to make it happen!

In the mean time, see you around the Clubhouse!

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

Some of these guys have been around for a while, but I realized I never really formally introduced them.  Please meet some of our “A-List” community members (their names all happen to start with A):

Check them out in the “Just Joined” section of the Clubhouse Space (over in the right column) and click through to see their profiles and posts.  Or click their profile images above.

Thanks for being part of our community, Andre, Ali, and Auri!

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

We’ve got all the small glitches fixed in the Clubhouse now, so all view counts should be updating correctly, all links should be working properly, and no posts should be duplicating.  Please let me know if you see any further problems.

Thanks your hanging in there as we fixed these things.

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

We’ve determined that the recent change to the way Windows Live Spaces is generating RSS feeds is causing posts from some Clubhouse member blogs to duplicate inside the Clubhouse site.  We’re working on a fix for this and are going to temporarily stop aggregating posts in the Clubhouse to any prevent further duplication.

Thanks for your patience as we work through these issues!

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

The update we rolled out last week to the Clubhouse Site seems to have caused a few unwanted side effects.  Some post view counts aren’t updating correctly, we’re seeing some posts duplicating, and we’re also seeing a few links not working properly.  We’re working hard to get these fixed and will let you know as soon as things are back to normal.  Thank you for your patience in the mean time.

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

The Clubhouse site is updated for Windows 7 and we’re ready for a new Windows 7 challenge.  Please check out our What’s New in Windows 7? challenge and let the community know what you think of this latest version of Windows. 

If you’re not already a member of our community, check out http://clubhouse.microsoft.com/join for more details.  You’re more than welcome to join us and share your blog posts about Windows topics, ranging from Windows Live to Windows Vista and now to Windows 7!

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

(April 27, 11:05 AM: Updated to the right Clubhouse Join page link.)

The April 23rd Clubhouse update is done and all systems are “go” in the Clubhouse site.  Check out the new Windows 7 tagging guidelines and look for a new Windows 7 Challenge post coming soon!  Thank you for your patience during this update.

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

We’ll be doing a minor update to the Clubhouse site today to add tagging guidelines for Windows 7 and to do a few other enhancements.  During this update, the site might be unavailable for a short period of time.  Thank you for your patience as we make these changes, and look for a brand new Windows 7 Challenge coming out tomorrow!

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

If you’re new to our Windows Community Clubhouse, you might be wondering what the club points and club badges are all about.  We’ve built the point system and badges as a way for you, as members of the community, to get the recognition you deserve when you share your posts. 

By sharing your how-to tips and stories, you not only help and inspire fellow community members but your contributions also get featured in places like Windows Live and Windows Vista websites where everyone can benefit from your posts.

But it’s not just about creating and sharing posts.  You can earn points and badge levels by reviewing and rating what other community members have shared.  Your ratings are very important as they help determine which posts get featured outside of the Clubhouse on other websites and newsletters.

Here are two links where you can learn more about badges and earning points:

• http://clubhouse.microsoft.com/about/points-badges
• http://clubhouse.microsoft.com/howto/build-points

You’ll have to be a member of the community to see those pages.  If you’re not, we’d be happy to have you join us!  Just visit http://clubhouse.microsoft.com/join and we’ll look forward to seeing you in the Clubhouse.

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

You’ll notice we’ve added a new section to the our Community Clubhouse Space over there in the right column.  It’s our new Just Joined! section where we’ll be showing off (and linking off to) the profiles of some of our newest members.  Check out our our new friends, review and rate their posts, and help welcome them to our Windows Community.

If you’ve recently joined and want to be included in this list, just start by contributing a blog post or two, reviewing and rating other member’s posts, and building up a few Club Points.

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

Have you met Lauren?  How about Giampaolo?  They are two people featured in our latest series of Laptop Hunter ads about Windows. 

I thought it would be fun to share our own stories and tips about selecting a laptop.  I hope you’ll share your very own Laptop Hunter story or how-to tips on purchasing a laptop with all of us in the Windows Community.  If you’re already a member of the Clubhouse, just click over to the Challenges page to learn more about this and other challenges.

If you’re not a member of the community yet, check out http://clubhouse.microsoft.com/join for details on how you can jump in and join us.  We’d love to have you in the Clubhouse!

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

Our community has a lot planned for the month ahead, including formally launching Windows 7 into the Clubhouse.  You can look forward to new tagging guidelines and a whole new set of Windows 7 challenges coming up later this month.  We’re looking forward to hearing what you have to say and showcasing some of your great Windows 7 how-to tips and stories on an updated version of the Windows 7 site coming soon.

We’ll have more fun things in the community, like more video scavenger hunts, on-line events, and spending more time talking together about what you want to see in your community.  In fact, you can start now if you want by leaving a comment and letting me know any changes you’d like to see in the Windows community.  I’m all ears!

I hope you have a wonderful April and look forward to seeing you all around the Clubhouse, around Windows Live, and on all those other social media sites and services out there.

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

(Cross posting from my personal blog as well, doing my part to “get out the vote.”)

I’m very happy to say there are several Microsoft products nominated for this year’s Webware 100 Awards, including many of my favorite Windows Live products and services (details here).  Please take a look at all the categories and nominees and cast your votes.

Thanks,

Marcus, Windows Community Manager

The main Windows Live website refreshed today.  Check it out at windowslive.com/explore.  You’ll see the homepage graphic now rotates, and the third view is all about you, the members of our Windows community!

Can you find your picture in the graphic below?

Not only are your pictures featured, you’ll see posts from community members in the middle.  Plus you’ll see new places for your contributions through the site and on the Windows Vista Discover pages too.  It’s an exciting time to be a member of the Windows Community and share your tips and stories with millions of people all around the world.

Thanks again for all of you who are members of our community.  If you haven’t joined yet, just check out http://clubhouse.microsoft.com/join and we’ll be happy to welcome you aboard!

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager

With everything going on recently, it seems we could all use a few new ideas to save time and money.  I thought that would be a good new challenge all of us in the Windows Community.  What ways are you using Windows Live, Windows Vista, and/or Windows 7 to help you find more time, spend less money, or maybe even both?

If you’re a member of our community, you’ll see all the details on this challenge up on the Clubhouse Site, just click on Challenges.  If you’re not already a member of the community, we’d love to have you join us!  Just check out http://clubhouse.microsoft.com/join for more information. 

Let’s share our tips and stories and help others make the most of the minutes in the day and the cash we have.

- Marcus, Windows Community Manager