Not only is the new user interface in Office 2007 one of the biggest usability steps backwards I've ever seen in a Microsoft program, the implementation of the new look seems to have a few interesting "features" like this one:

That's right. This is my Excel window the way it shows up about 70% of the times I launch it. The "feature" auto-enabled itself a few weeks ago and hasn't gone away since. The only solution? Restart Excel a few times and trust the law of probability--praised be my beloved keyboard shortcuts.

Creating a community website is not only quite satisfying because you get to see how customers actually use your products, sometimes it's also quite funny. A few weeks ago Logitech launched the QuickCam Team website which targets developers and users of webcams on alternative platforms and just by looking at it it should be pretty obvious that we don't do product support. (And if it's not obvious enough there's a big fat note on the contact page.) Nevertheless, some people try their luck by reporting random, completely unrelated issues that are poorly phrased and impossible to understand. Here's a funny example:

Subject: Logitech QuickCam 4000

Can you please give me detailed instructions on how to make it impossible for anyone to change my password or otherwise get around it? This is urgent. Thank you.

Somewhat confused by the subject I assumed that the person was referring to her newly created account for the QuickCam Team forums:

I neither understand the subject of your e-mail nor the idea behind your request. What are you trying to achieve? What do you mean by "get around it"?

And once again, the response was no less confusing than the original e-mail:

I created a password for access to the camera images. Now the password box will not recognize my password.
This problem is preventing me from shutting down the computer. I cannot close the image studio, nor shut down the computer.
How can I permanently erase the password?

Part of me wants to help a confused user but a much bigger part of me wants to actually see the live stream from her webcam showing her sitting in front of her computer that apparently doesn't shut down because she forgot the password to a long obsolete piece of software. Not because I like seeing desperate users or because I hate technically challenged people, but because people need to learn to read. If your butcher has a sign outside that says "I don't bake bread" you don't go inside and ask for croissants. Using a computer is not like watching TV. It needs many skills, and reading is the most important one.

Read carefully and think about it for a while:

There are so many aspects of this dialog box that I don't understand, it's not even funny. How about freeing up some space by uninstalling the very cause of this dialog box?