AS MICROSOFT builds up to its launch of Windows 7, the company is trying to recruit help from innocent consumers across the world to hold their own launch parties.

The recruitment drive is taking place at HouseParty.com, the online party coordinating service. If you live in the US, UK, Italy, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, Spain, Mexico, Hong-Kong, India, Canada or Australia, you can point your web browser to Houseparty.com and sign up as a host.

So what's in it for you, apart from having the undead gratitude of the Vole? Well, apart from the hosting bit, most of the work will be up to Microsoft. It will supply the "party favours" and you supply your mates for an initiation, that is, have them come over and sit around a PC ooh-ing and ah-ing at the Windows 7 eye-candy, and uploading photos, videos and chatting with other party goers... all in the name of Windows ME II SP7.

Microsoft apparently will supply the necessary party favours - they're calling it the "Windows 7 Party Pack" - and HouseParty.com will help you organize things.

The Vole's Windows 7 party favours, we guess, will relate to the four party themes - PhotoPalooza, Media Mania, Setting Up With Ease (a real crowd-drawer that, surely) and Family Friendly Fun.

To apply just login, choose a theme, choose a date from October 22 through 29, tell them a little bit about yourself and send it off.

True, it's a blatant scheme to get people over and brainwash them about the 'latest and greatest' Microsoft OS, but you do get a unique "Windows 7 Signature Edition" for your trouble.

An overwhelmed treat for the Indians as Microsoft Just had started giving its importance. What are you waiting for ???? Go ahead and start partying. All you get is a Windows 7 Copy free of Cost + a chance to get yourself and your party on the Microsoft Advertisement .