Microsoft Reveals ''Where's the Any Key?'' Website

If you're reading Tom's Hardware you've probably had to do over-the-phone tech support for a family member or friend at least once before. If you're smart, you did it once and have been using caller ID to avoid helping people ever since. However, if you're just too kind to let your mum, dad, aunt, uncle or grandma suffer through their computer problems alone, you likely have a lot of great stories about the various different 'problems' they've encountered.

Microsoft knows how you feel; the company has launched a "Where's the 'Any' key?" website, which gives people like us the chance to vent and share our stories. Each week a winner is chosen (via voting from visitors to the site) and he or she receives a $100 gift card for the Microsoft store. Runners up receive a $30 gift card and Microsoft says the 'star prize' is a Sony Vaio X laptop. Each week the winning story is turned into a comic and displayed on the front page. If your story wins, you'll also receive a framed copy of the comic.

Have you got any good tech support stories? Submit them to Microsoft or add them in the comments below!

Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.

55 Comments Comment from the forums

nforce4max

Chicken feed, you MicroSoft can do better.
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moomooman

Back when I was doing internet support:

"Ok how long is the cable between the modem and the phone socket?"

"I dont know, a few years".
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digiex

Cute
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verenos

I live in the US but is is good to see a contest for once that is not only availible in the US.
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sliem

Microsoft teaming up with Sony???
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JMcEntegart

moomoomanBack when I was doing internet support:"Ok how long is the cable between the modem and the phone socket?""I dont know, a few years".
My sister once called me to ask where the on button was because she couldn't find it.
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verenos

After this one i actually just took the rest of the day off! -

Five years ago I was working for an electronics store as in store tech support. I received a call on a Monday morning from a frantic woman who just purchased a notebook from us about a month before. She was in a state of panic and after about 10 min of calming her down I was able to find out what she was so worried about. She asked me over the phone if the computer virus that her computer has will infect her other family members! After another 10 to 15 min I was able to understand what all the panic was about, when a screen came up the she was infected and not taking action could cause other infections she had locked herself in the room and would not allow her family in. This happened on a Sunday night at about 10 pm so she slept in the room and waited for out store to open because she assumed we were the only people that she could ask about the computer. After another half hour of assuring her that it would not hurt her family she let them in and returned the computer.
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kageryu

I miss the good old Simpsons episodes. ;_;
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sliem

When you guys comment your story tale here, I hope you also submit it on the website, you may win.
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sliem

@combat88: userfriendly.org is nothing like it. Also "Microjew" is uncalled for. Also, your caps is stuck.
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