Microsoft transitions Mono project stewardship to WineHQ organization
The Mono Project, a key component of the .NET ecosystem since its start in 2001, is undergoing a transition. Originally created to allow developers to easily build cross-platform applications, Mono has been instrumental in extending .NET to various operating systems, including Android, iOS, and Linux.
After Microsoft acquired Xamarin in 2016, it became the steward of the Mono Project, continuing its development. The last major release of the original Mono Project occurred in July 2019, with only minor patch releases since, the most recent in February 2024.
Microsoft is bringing ads to the Windows 10 Start menu, just like in Windows 11
If you have been sticking with Windows 10 in order to avoid some of the more irritating aspects of Windows 11, there's some bad news. Just as Microsoft has managed to find seemingly endless ways to lever advertising into Windows 11, even as the operating system is in its death throes the company is doing the same with Windows 10.
Windows 11's Start menu has been home to an increasing number of ads, sometimes in the form of blatant promotions of other Microsoft products and services, sometimes packaged as friendly app "recommendations". In the latest beta build of Windows 10, it is clear that Microsoft is planning to backport this particular annoyance to the older OS.
Best Windows apps this week
Six-hundred-nine in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.
While Windows 10 is slowly reaching its end of servicing, it continues to be the most used version of Windows. Brian listed ten Windows 10 features that Windows 11 lacks.
Save $24! Get 'Excel Data Analysis For Dummies, 5th Edition' for FREE
With Microsoft Excel, you can, well, excel at data analysis. And Excel Data Analysis For Dummies can help, with clear and easy explanations of the mountain of features for creating, visualizing, and analyzing data. PivotTables, charts, what-if analysis, statistical functions -- it's all in here, with examples and ideas for Excel users of all skill levels.
This latest edition covers the most recent updates to Excel and Microsoft 365. You'll beef up your data skills and learn powerful techniques for turning numbers into knowledge.
10 shocking reasons Windows 10 outshines Windows 11
When Microsoft first unveiled Windows 11, it was marketed as the next big thing -- a fresh design, new features, and promises of improved performance that had many users buzzing with excitement. The tech world was pretty excited, with many headlines proclaiming it as a game-changer for the Windows ecosystem.
But as the dust has settled, a surprising twist has emerged: Windows 10, the "old" version, is still holding its ground and, in some cases, even outshining its flashy successor. From user feedback to real-world performance, Windows 10 is proving that newer isn't always better. Here are ten reasons why Windows 10 might actually be the smarter choice over Windows 11.
How to run Microsoft Copilot on older versions of Windows -- including XP, Windows 7, and Vista
While some Windows 11 users might prefer not to have Copilot included in Microsoft's latest operating system, there are also those using older, unsupported versions of Windows who would like to try the tech giant's AI assistant, if only to see what all the fuss is about.
Although Microsoft doesn’t provide Copilot for the likes of Windows XP, Windows 7, Vista, or Windows 8.1, you can still install and run it yourself.
Microsoft is giving Windows 11 users greater control to balance performance and power usage
With the recent release of the latest Canary build of Windows 11, Microsoft has introduced vastly improved options for in the Power & battery section of Settings. Primarily aimed at laptop users, the previously limited options here allowed for a very limited choice between Best Performance, Balanced and Best Power Efficiency which was applied when running on battery or when plugged in.
Now the compay is giving users the option to have different power modes in place for when charging and when unplugged. In this same build, the arbitrary FAT32 size limit has been raised from 32GB to 2TB.
With Workspaces, the best new PowerToys module yet, Microsoft is giving you a way to launch and arrange multiple apps in one click!
Our love of PowerToys here at BetaNews is no secret. Like other users, we eagerly await each new update to see whether there is new module or a handy new feature for an existing utility.
But equally exciting are glimpses into the future, when we learn what the PowerToys developers are working on right now. The latest news from Microsoft reveals that PowerToys Workspaces is in the pipeline, a module that makes it possible to launch multiple apps from a single shortcut. More than that, these apps can be opened in saved arrangements for the best work experiences. Think virtual desktops on steroids.
Microsoft is testing a change to the Windows 11 Start menu that you might actually like
With the Start menu being at the heart of Windows, it is vital that it functions in a way that makes sense to people. Sadly, this has not always been the case.
Over years of development, Microsoft has taken a series of questionable design decision with this iconic part of the operating system, but a change that could prove popular is about to land in Windows 11.
Forget Windows 11, the stunning Windows 10 2024 Edition is the operating system you want
Microsoft is set to pull the plug on Windows 10 in the near future, leaving people with the choice of upgrading to the AI-heavy Windows 11, or continuing to use an unsupported operating system -- and all of the dangers that entails.
Microsoft will offer paid support for anyone who wishes to keep using Windows 10, and 0patch will keep Windows 10 secure for at least five more years after Microsoft abandons it, but what we really need is a more modern version of that OS.
Microsoft reveals Office security flaw that has not yet been patched
Various versions of Microsoft Office have a serious security vulnerability which could expose sensitive data to an attacker. Worryingly, while disclosing the flaw, Microsoft has also conceded that there is no patch available.
The issue is being tracked as CVE-2024-38200 and it affects a variety of edition of the office suite -- namely the 32- and 64-bit versions of Microsoft Office 2016, Microsoft Office 2019, Microsoft Office LTSC 2021, and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise. While there is no fix available right now, one is expected in the coming days.
Microsoft exposes vulnerabilities in OpenVPN -- millions of devices at risk
Microsoft researchers have revealed a series of medium-severity vulnerabilities within OpenVPN, an essential open-source VPN solution embedded in myriad routers, PCs, and smart devices worldwide. The vulnerabilities, if exploited, could allow attackers to execute remote code and escalate privileges, gaining unauthorized access to potentially millions of devices.
The research team demonstrated how these vulnerabilities could be chained together to form a potent attack sequence, culminating in attackers taking complete control over affected devices. This complex attack vector requires user authentication and a sophisticated understanding of OpenVPN’s architecture, highlighting the need for robust security measures.
Microsoft warns that Iran is using cyber operations to influence the US 2024 election, just like China and Russia
Every country in the world has a vested interest in the outcome of the US election in November. The choice of either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris will have huge impact around the globe, and there are some countries that are actively engaged in trying to sway voters and influence 2024 US election.
That the likes of Russia and China are engaged in targeting the result of the poll is unsurprising, but Microsoft has issued a warning that Iran is also planning to influence this year's US presidential election. A report from the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center highlights evidence of Iranian cyber-influence operations which have already been running for months.
Azure outages should spark new urgency for a multi-cloud approach
July 19th 2024 will go down as a tough day for many IT teams, and the day started even worse for businesses using Microsoft Azure and its supported services. In addition to the widely publicized global outage caused by a CrowdStrike update, Microsoft Azure's Central US Region was down for five hours due to an unrelated failure, impacting millions of business users worldwide.
As if that wasn't enough, less than two weeks later, Microsoft Azure experienced another global outage lasting more than six hours. According to the company's service status page, it was Microsoft's 8th service status-related incident.
Security firm warns that 'design weaknesses' in Windows Smart App Control mean it can be easily bypassed
Smart App Control is just one of various security features Microsoft has built into Windows 11. But while many users place faith in the tool to block malicious apps, Elastic Security Labs warns that it is fundamentally flawed.
The company says that Windows Smart App Control and its predecessor SmartScreen "have several design weaknesses that allow attackers to gain initial access with no security warnings or popups". In an investigatory report, Elastic Security Labs details numerous types of attack that can be used to bypass Windows Smart Control as well as revealing a bug in the handling of .lnk files which can be used to get around security.
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