Mind boggling: SpaceX Falcon Heavy

Unbeleeeeeeeevable.

Look here starting about 35 minutes

And a live view of Starman:

To hear about the center booster (which, I fear, may not have landed on its drone ship), follow The Guardian’s coverage.

February 2018 Office Non-Security patches have been released

In the middle of all the January patching chaos we have MORE patches. But you don’t want to install these February Office patches yet, unless you want more upheaval in your life. WAIT a while!!

Office 2010

Update for Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 (KB4011187)
Update for Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer 2010 (KB4011191)

 Office 2013

Update for Microsoft Excel 2013 (KB4011700)
Update for Microsoft Office 2013 (KB4011646)
Update for Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 (KB4011676)
Update for Microsoft Project 2013 (KB4011679)
Update for Skype for Business 2015 (KB4011678)

Office 2016

Update for Microsoft Excel 2016 (KB4011684)
Update for Microsoft Office 2016 (KB4011664)
Update for Microsoft Office 2016 (KB4011668)
Update for Microsoft Office 2016 (KB4011685)
Update for Microsoft Office 2016 Language Interface Pack (KB4011566)
Update for Microsoft OneNote 2016 (KB4011571)
Update for Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 (KB4011663)
Update for Microsoft Project 2016 (KB4011672)
Update for Microsoft Word 2016 (KB4011681)
Update for Skype for Business 2016 (KB4011662)

There were no non-security updates for Office 2007 which is out of support.
Security patches for all supported versions of Office are released on Patch Tues. (2nd Tues. of the month).

Universal Windows Programs (“Metro apps”) aren’t dead yet, but there’s a better alternative on the horizon

Microsoft just announced that it’s going to start building Progressive Web App support into Edge and Win10.

Progressive Web Apps aren’t so much Google’s much-better alternative to Win10-only Universal Windows Programs (formerly known as “Metro apps” or “Universal apps” or “Windows Store Apps” or any of a half-dozen other monikers) as they are a genuine attempt to make browser-based applications look and feel more like regular ol’ apps.

Chances are very good you’ve never seen a PWA in action. But they’re definitely coming. At some point.

The theoretical benefits of PWAs over UWPs are enormous. Just for starters, UWPs can only run in the stripped-down Win10 environment. PWAs, on the other hand, should be able to run on just about anything that supports a browser — particularly Chrome, or ChromeOS. Yeah, that includes Chromebooks, at least at some point.

The browser requirement has vanished in the past couple of years, banking on a concept called service worker. Horrible name, but web folks are good at horrible names. Paul Thurrott described service workers months ago:

Google’s initial take on PWAs wasn’t that compelling: The full resources of Chrome needed to load each time a PWA ran, and there was no minimal user interface or runtime. But when Google introduced the notion of service worker, the technological core of what we now know as PWAs, it was a big differentiator. With service workers, PWAs could work like native apps, offering features like offline support, background processing, and more.

It now looks to me as if there’s going to be a headlong dash into developing PWAs — and that UWP’s days are numbered. Time will tell.

UPDATE: Mary Jo Foley has a calendar for future developments in Microsoft’s side of the PWA wars, in her ZDNet blog.

I just turned off threading in the replies

The server’s way overloaded. In a (possibly vain) attempt to reduce overhead, I eliminated threaded replies in the comments, and switched to paged replies. You can now see 10 replies per page – and you can change pages in the upper right corner.

I apologize for the abrupt change. Just hope that, after a little bit of settling-down, we’ll be able to get the site responding again.

For those of you keeping score, last month we were running 9,000 to 15,000 “visits” per day (using AWstats). This month, we started around 15,000 visits per day and we’re headed upward quickly. If we can keep the site going, I’m sure we’ll hit a new record before the afternoon’s in full swing.

Sure wish the advertising revenues were keeping pace. Sigh.

Report of a bug in January’s Outlook 2010 patch

From @mazzinia

A quick overview of January patching recommendations for Windows

This web site is getting hammered. Sorry about that, but there’s a reason why the main discussion thread for installing January 2018 takes a long time to load – lots of comments, lots of people. We’re redlining the server again, folks, and it’s the beefiest one currently available from our host.

For those of you looking for the bottom line on patching Win7 and 8.1, I’d like to repeat the posts from @PKCano and @MrBrian.

Starting with @MrBrian:

For any manually-installed Windows update from January 2018 and later: If you use antivirus, you must ensure that the antivirus-related registry item was set by your antivirus before proceeding with manual installation. If you don’t use antivirus, set the antivirus-related registry item, so that Windows Update won’t blacklist relevant updates.

Windows 7 Monthly Rollup (“Group A”) – recommended:

If Windows Update offers KB4056894 then install it. If Windows Update doesn’t offer KB4056894, then if Windows Update offers KB4057400 then install it. If neither update is offered, then wait for the February 2018 Windows updates.

Windows 7 Security-only patch (“Group B”) – for those who only want the security update, and none of the additional patches:

Manually install KB4073578. Manually install KB4056568.

Windows 8.1 Monthly Rollup (“Group A”) – recommended:

If Windows Update offers KB4056895 then install it. If Windows Update doesn’t offer KB4056895, then if Windows Update offers KB4057401 then install it. If neither update is offered, then wait for the February 2018 Windows updates.

Windows 8.1 Security-only patch (“Group B”) – for those who only want the security update, and none of the additional patches:

Manually install KB4077561. Manually install KB4056568.

@PKCano has a slightly different approach – with observations for Windows 10.

As a prelim:
1. Update your Anti-virus to the latest version of the PROGRAM. Check to be sure the ALLOW Regkey is set.
2. Verify whether your CPU is Intel or AMD.
3. Backup your computer!!!!!
4. Rule: DO NOT CHECK ANYTHING THAT IS NOT CHECKED BY DEFAULT

The following are only my choices. Make the choices as applies to your case.

Windows 7 Monthly Rollup (“Group A”):
I installed KB4056894 Monthly Rollup. If you have AMD and you feel unsure, download KB4073578 and install it manually first then the Rollup. See AKB2000003. EDIT: See @abbodi86 ‘s comment at #165285. Normally it is not recommended to install unchecked Preview patches, but in this case KB4057400 Preview probably contains the AMD fixes found in KB4073578.
I installed MSRT
I installed all the Office 2010 updates
I have .NET 4.7 on all machines. I did not install .NET 4.7.1 (unchecked).
My choice for .NET has always been the Rollups offered by WU.

Windows 8.1 Monthly Rollup (“Group A”):
I installed KB4056895 Monthly Rollup. If you have AMD and you feel unsure, download KB4073576 and install it manually first then the Rollup. I suspect the PIC/APIC problem will be fixed in the Feb Rollup. See AKB2000003. EDIT: See @abbodi86 ‘s comment at #165285. Normally it is not recommended to install unchecked Preview patches, but in this case KB4057401 Preview probably contains the fixes found in KB4073576 and KB4077561.
I installed the IE Flash update
I installed MSRT
I installed all the Office 2010 updates
I have .NET 4.7 on all machines. I did not install .NET 4.7.1 (unchecked).
My choice for .NET has always been the Rollups offered by WU.

Win10 1703
Using wushowhide I hid KB4023057, KB4073543, and KB4056254
I installed CU KB4057144 Build 15063.877
I installed all the other non-driver patches.

Win10 1709
I have KB4056892 Build 16299.192 installed.
I was not offered KB4058258 Build 16299.214 through WU and I did not try to manually install it. It seems to have an installation problem as noted here.

@PKCano’s approach to Win7 and 8.1 patching is slightly more aggressive than @MrBrian’s. Both ways are valid (and better than the directions I gave in the Computerworld article). You should choose @MrBrian’s approach if you aren’t overly concerned about a looming Meltdown/Spectre attack. But if you’re worried about an imminent attack (which is to say, one that happens before the February patches have time to stew), go with @PKCano’s approach.

MS-DEFCON 3: Lots of caveats, but it’s time to get patched

The January 2018 patches are now history. Thank heavens.

I hesitate to say it, but it’s time to take proper precautions, and get the January patches installed.

Just make sure you don’t do anything stupid, OK?

Extended definition of “stupid” in Computerworld Woody on Windows.

In honor of Robear

Many of you will recall that PA Bear, also known as Robear — Microsoft MVP and Answers forum legend Robert Dyer — passed away on November 26.

I’ve just learned that there will be a memorial service for him on Saturday, February 24, at Stokesay Castle in Reading PA.

No formal invitation is necessary, but if you’re able to attend, please let me know and I’ll pass the info along to Mike Gent and the other organizers.

PA Bear helped so many people, for so many years. His departure has come as quite a shock and he will be sorely missed.

The future of Windows is spelled with an “S”ssssssssss

Windows 10 S becomes Windows 10 Pro in S Mode becomes Windows 10 whatever in S Mode. Which you can turn in to Windows 10 Whatever by spending money (for Windows 10 Pro S to Pro conversion) or just being bright enough to run the right program.

Confused? Hah. You ain’t seen the half of it yet.

That’s the future of Windows, according to documents Paul Thurrott has seen, and shared with Brad Sams. To get the whole story, you need to subscribe to his site — which I’ve recommended many times before — then look at Microsoft Plots a Transition Year for Windows 10, and then A Welcome Emphasis on Consumers in New Windows Strategy.

I won’t spill any beans, but Mary Jo has a good free overview on ZDNet:. She says that starting April 1 — apparently with the next version of Windows 10, version 1803, which doesn’t have an official “Win10 for Creative Creators Spring Followon to the Fall Update Update” name yet:

Microsoft will be expanding its current low-end Windows 10 Home edition into three different variants: Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Home in S Mode and Windows 10 Home Advanced

It seems… that Windows 10 Home Advanced is to Windows 10 Home the same way Windows 10 Pro for Workstations is to Windows 10 Pro — something that will only work on higher-end hardware and might include a new feature or two

As best anyone can tell, Windows 10 whatever in S Mode only runs Universal Windows Platform apps. Which means Win10 f(x) S in all its magnificent variants doesn’t run Windows programs. Stop me if this sounds like the Windows RT/Metro disaster all over again.

That’s the future of Windows. But, as Brad Sams discusses on Thurrott.com (not paywalled), that ain’t all. We’re also going to get Win10 Entry, Win10 Value, Win10 Core, Win10 Core+ and Win10 Advanced.

It looks to me like the distinctions there are pricing points for companies that make PCs. I doubt that they represent different feature sets. But, hey, I could be wrong.

Microsoft is indicating that there will be a $49 charge for Pro S users to switch to the full version of Windows 10 Pro. So, for those users hoping that the upgrade would be free forever, it looks like that will not be the case according to the documents I was able to view.

For device configuration in 2018, the company is pushing its partners to set Edge as the default browser, installing the LinkedIn UWP app, pre-install Office, and limiting app pinning to 1 legacy win 32 app on the desktop, 1 legacy app on the taskbar and for the Start menu, 25% Win32/75% Microsoft Store.

Let’s hear it, once again, for Windows PCs that don’t run Windows programs.

By the way… Paul lists some, literally, “incredible” conversion rate numbers, including

60 percent of [those who have a new PC with Windows 10 S] stay on Windows 10 S. Only 40 percent upgrade to Pro.

Although the conversion from Win10 S (er, Windows 10 Pro running in S Mode) to Win10 Pro is free, right now. No doubt Microsoft will swear by those figures, but my guess is that they’re highly skewed by the (few!) Win 10S machines bought by schools or organizations and locked down, so students can’t switch them to Pro.

The future of Office: Click-to-Run, on Win10 only

Looks like Office is in for some major changes.

The next version of Office, called Office 2019, is due out the gate in the second half of 2018.

The official Changes to Office and Windows servicing and support document, posted yesterday, still has my head swimming.

If I understand things correctly:

• Office 2019 will be “Office 365-style” click-to-run only, unless you put it on a server. Starting with this new version, you have to rent Office, you can’t buy it.
• Office 2019 will only run on currently-supported versions of Windows 10. But it will not run on Server 2016. That means you’ll have to keep your version of Win10 updated if you want to continue to rent Office 2019.
• Office 2019 will not run on the current Long-Term Servicing version of Win10. But it will run on the new Win10 LTSC that will be released, sometime, later this year. Similarly, it won’t run on the current Server LTSC, but will run on the new Server LTSC, due out sometime this year.

Martin Brinkmann has a good explainer on ghacks.

Mary Jo Foley tackles the topic from a functional perspective on ZDNet.

(Personally, I’m moving almost everything over to Google Docs and Sheets. I have a couple of complex macros — including the KBNew lister — that will continue to need Excel, but Excel 2013 works fine, and I own it. Win10 All-In-One For Dummies submissions have to go in Word. So far, anyway — the editorial staff may figure out Google Docs one of these days. But I’ve moved everything else to Google Docs and Sheets. Suggest you do, too.)

Update: No, Virginia, there are no Meltdown/Spectre exploits in the wild

A reassuring tweet from Kevin Beaumont.

As I understood it, malware has been found*, presumably in the wild, that includes the Meltdown PoC. But that still doesn't mean that they actually exploited the vulnerability in the wild.
* this is the real source: https://t.co/sjns6JUmnV

— Martijn Grooten (@martijn_grooten@mastodon.social) (@martijn_grooten) February 1, 2018

The AV-Test red line graph shows that, yes, there are more and more samples being submitted to AV-Test — but, according to people who know these things, none of them are in the wild. They’re “Proof of Concept” test samples.

UPDATE: And AV-Test responds:

That's correct, we've tried to avoid using the term "malware", because the majority of the samples appear to be PoC, even if most anti-malware products added detection of these samples during the last few days. @martijn_grooten @EscInSecurity https://t.co/eNPf34Numb

— AV-TEST GmbH (@avtestorg) February 2, 2018

Microsoft extends end of support for the Enterprise and Education versions of Win10 1607, 1703, 1709

If you’re using the Enterprise or Education version of Windows 10 (hint: If you aren’t sure, you aren’t), Microsoft just gave you a stay of execution by six months.

It’s the same thing Microsoft did to Win10 1511 back in mid-November.

You know the rule-of-thumb that Microsoft will release a new version of Win10 every six months, and that each new version will be serviced (in particular, will receive  security patches) for 18 months? Yeah, now that’s only true for those of you who pay for Windows — Win10 Home and Win10 Pro.

Effective today, Microsoft is extending the support horizon for all Win10 Enterprise and Education versions by an additional six months.

Mary Jo Foley has full details on ZDNet.

Here’s the new support matrix: