Microsoft Max, which I checked out a couple months ago and never ran again, now has ink annotation functionality (thanks Warner)

Using EULAyzer I discovered a confusing part of their License Agreement prohibiting the following usage:

* disclose the results of any benchmark tests of the software to any third party without Microsoft’s prior written approval;

Why can’t people disclose the results of benchmarks to third parties? So if the program sucks up memory and runs slow as hell (I’m not saying it does or doesn’t), you can’t write this on your blog? Gee, how long will this take to be violated? Did the legal department forget to yank this clause or what?

Another thing I noticed is the list of pictures I created before was no longer available, so I wonder if that information is stored locally? I didn’t install it on the Tablet PC before. Also, how do you change the ink color? Not very intuitive on that one.

Finally, and maybe this is the worst side effect for me of installing Max: it requires upgrading to .NET 2.0 which ruined my ability to use the ink blogging tool at TabletPCBlogs.com for my daily crinks. (Later, I would discover that I could keep .NET 2.0 with a small IE config hack). When I tried to uninstall .NET 2.0 it said I couldn’t and pointed me to some Microsoft support bulletin. Thanks Microsoft. Not. Grrr.

System Restore to the rescue!

My second look of the actual Max program was more brief than the first, but the overall experience was disappointing thanks to the .NET 2.0 conflicts. I’d rather use what I’m already using to annotate photos: the Snipping Tool. Max is no Flickr killer, even with ink annotation. Grade: D

• Tabletpcblogs.com adds ink blogging!
• Tablet PC OS install petition
• Tablet PC ink blogging application features needed
• 7 things to do in ink online
• Tablet PC River of News blog stream
• Practice drawing to avoid crink