Newsletter Archives

• Use free Teams to make calls like Zoom

  Posted on October 10, 2022 at 02:44 CDT by Peter Deegan • Comment in the Forums

  MICROSOFT 365

  

  By Peter Deegan

  Anyone can use Teams Free to set up a group call with video, screen sharing, and other goodies — bypassing all the other Teams stuff about channels, posts, and mentions — which can confuse less-confident computer users.

  Microsoft Teams has a lot going for it, perhaps too much at times. In this article, I’ll explain how to use it for one-to-one and small-group calls. I’ll also review which features are available and what’s not possible with Teams Free.

  Microsoft loves to confuse Teams customers by mixing up the free and paid options. Many of the promoted “Teams features” are really for paid plans only — but you’d know that only by looking in the very fine print.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.41.0, 2022-10-10).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365, Teams, Zoom

• How to get out of Windows’ Automatic Repair loop

  Posted on October 10, 2022 at 02:43 CDT by Randy McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  SUPPORT

  

  By Randy McElveen

  There are hundreds of reasons why your PC might get stuck trying to repair itself, putting your PC into an Automatic Repair loop.

  Many of these can be complicated software issues or hardware failures. But don’t bring your computer to me just yet. There are many very small issues that can cause a no-boot situation. In this article, I’m going to describe a few simple things you can try before calling a pro.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.41.0, 2022-10-10).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Support AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Automatic Repair, Support, Windows

• When newer isn’t more secure, or better

  Posted on October 10, 2022 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  ON SECURITY

  

  By Susan Bradley

  It’s a dirty little secret in software — when new code is added to existing code, it doesn’t always result in a more secure system.

  Let me give you a specific example. Recently, Microsoft announced that there had been targeted attacks against ten organizations using fully patched Exchange servers. To gain access, the attackers needed rights on the server.

  That meant they had already employed a successful phishing attack.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.41.0, 2022-10-10).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, On Security AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Exchange, Patch Lady Posts, System upgrades

• MS-DEFCON 2: Windows 10 22H2 expected this month

  Posted on October 6, 2022 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.40.1 • 2022-10-06

  

  By Susan Bradley

  We originally had the impression that Windows 10 and 11 updates would appear simultaneously, but — for this time at least — it looks like Windows 10 22H2 will be here in October, a month after Windows 11 2022 (22H2).

  As with Windows 11 2022, I am not expecting a major release. As per my usual recommendation, don’t accept the Windows 10 22H2 update right away. Instead, defer it until I’ve had a chance to test and review. That advice also comes with an elevation of the MS-DEFCON level to 2.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (19.40.1, 2022-10-06).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON AskWoody Alert, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Patch Lady Posts, Windows 10, Windows 11

• Securing Windows 11 with 22H2

  Posted on October 3, 2022 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.40 • 2022-10-03

  ON SECURITY

  

  By Susan Bradley

  The recent Windows 11 update brings more security features, but with a big caveat — only users with specific license levels benefit.

  In addition, hardware requirements are tighter; I’ll discuss those shortly.

  I’ve received some key questions about Windows 11 from our readers, and I’m going to take the opportunity to answer some of those in this column.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.40.0, 2022-10-03).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, On Security AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Lady Posts, security, Windows 11

• Real-life SSD reliability must be managed

  Posted on October 3, 2022 at 02:44 CDT by Ben Myers • Comment in the Forums

  HARDWARE

  

  By Ben Myers

  Solid-state drives did not have a very good week here recently, but it was not their fault.

  Here are the facts about a trifecta of mainstream laptops I handled recently, and why these laptops came up short. If you pay attention to the details here, you can improve the life and reliability of your solid-state drives (SSDs).

  I will also weave in my opinions and points of view on various related subjects.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.40.0, 2022-10-03).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Hardware AskWoody Plus Newsletter, hardware, Older PCs, SSDs, System Recovery

• How to digitize your 35mm slides (or, how I did it)

  Posted on October 3, 2022 at 02:43 CDT by Gary Oddi • Comment in the Forums

  PERSONAL MEDIA

  

  By Gary Oddi

  My first retirement project, nearly 20 years ago, was to digitize my 35mm slides — all 11,000 of them.

  I started with flatbed scanners, but they were too time-consuming and too frustrating to set up. Were the slides right side up? Did I have the emulsion side correctly positioned?

  Most of my slides were in Kodak carousels, and many more were in archival trays or plastic slide sheets. It was a pain in the neck to take them out individually, scan them, and put them back — and it took too much time. So, nothing happened. I’ll bet that’s a familiar story.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.40.0, 2022-10-03).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Personal Media 35mm Slides, Arduino, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Digitization, Media Conversion

• Slimjet – A Web browser with no assembly required

  Posted on October 3, 2022 at 02:42 CDT by Deanna McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  FREEWARE SPOTLIGHT

  

  By Deanna McElveen

  There are a lot of Web browsers out there if you want to stray from Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox.

  All have extensions you can install to add your favorite cool features, but that’s like having to assemble your toys on Christmas morning. How about something that comes out of the box ready to go?

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.40.0, 2022-10-03).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Freeware Spotlight AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Deanna's Freeware Spotlight, Web Browsers

• MS-DEFCON 4: A well-behaved September

  Posted on September 27, 2022 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.39.1 • 2022-09-27

  

  By Susan Bradley

  September updates have few side effects.

  It’s always nice when the monthly update process is calm, with no storms. But due to a few snags, the best I can do is lower the MS-DEFCON level to 4.

  These side effects are limited to issues seen in businesses; we ordinary, consumer mortals are not much affected.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (19.39.1, 2022-09-27).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON AskWoody Alert, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Patch Lady Posts

• Windows 11 2H22 released, mostly

  Posted on September 26, 2022 at 02:45 CDT by Will Fastie • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.39 • 2022-09-26

  MICROSOFT NEWS

  

  By Will Fastie

  Well, it wasn’t really 2H22. It was 2022.

  The entire news cycle about Windows 11, starting with its announcement over 18 months ago, has been different. Maybe weird is a better descriptor.

  The announcement wasn’t an event; nothing was live. There wasn’t even a video from Panos Panay, who was simply noted as the author of a blog post. The surprise twist in all this, especially from the perspective of someone in the press, was that the announcement was not accompanied by a press release in Microsoft’s usual location. Instead, it was given its own microsite. The release was not mentioned on Microsoft’s home page and was noted only on the Windows page with an eyebrow link at the very top.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.39.0, 2022-09-26).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft News AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft News, Windows 11

• Should you get a free credit report for any data breach?

  Posted on September 26, 2022 at 02:44 CDT by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  Samsung Electronics — the giant multinational that sells 28% of all the smartphones in the world, as well as many other consumer devices — has sent notices to some of its users that their personal information in Samsung’s database has been hacked.

  In a statement, the company says the hackers didn’t obtain users’ credit-card or debit-card numbers. But the intrusion did reveal some customers’ names, addresses, birthdates, and the Samsung products they’d registered. As a result, the corporation’s notices recommend that affected users obtain a copy of their credit report from major reporting agencies.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.39.0, 2022-09-26).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Public Defender AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Credit Reports, data breach, privacy, Public Defender, Samsung, security

• Space flight is impossible

  Posted on September 26, 2022 at 02:43 CDT by Max Stul Oppenheimer • Comment in the Forums

  LEGAL BRIEF

  

  By Max Stul Oppenheimer, Esq.

  I read it in the New York Times.

  Two cases currently making their way through the federal court system may determine what you will or will not be able to post and see on the Internet.

  The states of Missouri and Louisiana have sued President Biden, his former press secretary Psaki, Surgeon General Murthy, HHS Secretary Becerra, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (and Chief Medical Advisor to the President) Fauci, Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Easterly, and Director Jankowicz of the so-called “Disinformation Governance Board” of the Department of Homeland Security.

  The suit is, as would be expected, highly political. Putting aside the specific allegations of the case, it does raise important issues for the control of social media.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.39.0, 2022-09-26).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Legal Brief AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Communications Decency Act, Freedom of speech, Legal Brief, Section 230, Social Media, Truth
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