Newsletter Archives
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January’s patching cyclone
PATCH WATCH
By Susan Bradley
We’re a bit soggy and wet at the AskWoody Tech LLC Global Headquarters here in central California.
We’ve had nearly a week of rain, and more is coming. I shouldn’t complain — severe drought has brought our state’s water supply down to historically low levels, so the water is needed and much appreciated. But when Microsoft rains down upon us at the same time, the total deluge is a bit much.
For January, Microsoft fixed 98 security vulnerabilities, said goodbye (for the final time) to the much-beloved Windows 7, also said goodbye to the less used (but popular among its buffs) Windows 8.1, and actually released updates to Microsoft’s on-premises mail server, Exchange.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.03.0, 2023-01-16).
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Welcome to our twentieth year
ISSUE 20.02 • 2023-01-09 FROM THE PUBLISHER
By Susan Bradley
Time flies.
It seems like only yesterday. Out of the blue, I got an email from Brian Livingston, asking to meet with him while I was in Seattle attending a Microsoft event. Over dinner, he explained that he wanted me to write a column in the Windows Secrets Newsletter that would track issues with Microsoft patches and analyze their impact on PCs and their users.
It was the dawn of “The Patch Lady.”
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.02.0, 2023-01-09).
This story also appears in our public Newsletter. -
Make Windows 11 as cool as your phone with Android apps
PUBLIC DEFENDER
By Brian Livingston
After many, many requests, Microsoft finally added the capability to run Android apps when it released Windows 11.
Every iPhone and Android phone user knows how convenient it is to carry in your pocket or purse any number of apps that bring you weather, traffic, emails, texts, games — even rocket science, if that’s your thing.
However, unlike the ease of use of a smartphone — where you can install virtually any app with just a few clicks — Windows 11 presents you with a series of “gotchas” that can discourage even the biggest Microsoft fanatic from adding an Android app.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.02.0, 2023-01-09).
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Note to Congress: Please try to keep up
LEGAL BRIEF
By Max Stul Oppenheimer, Esq.
That’s a big ask.
In a previous column, I explained why law always lags technology.
To summarize, case law is by definition reactive. Courts don’t go out and look for cases; they wait for someone to be upset enough to bring one to them. Legislatures can be proactive, but they can’t act until they realize there’s a problem to be acted upon. So it is not surprising that new issues will arise, and we will need to be patient while solutions are agreed upon.
But …
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.02.0, 2023-01-09).
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Dymo declines
HARDWARE
By Will Fastie
One of my favorite brands is headed for extinction.
I don’t think I’ve ever been as dismayed with a Christmas gift as I was a year ago. I just didn’t know it at the time. My wife gave me the gift because I asked for it, but even my reason for wanting it was askew.
The gift? A Dymo LabelWriter 550 Turbo. Faster than a speeding bullet. Able to leap buildings in a single bound. And, designed to disappoint.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.02.0, 2023-01-09).
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MS-DEFCON 2: Getting ready for 2023
ISSUE 20.01.1 • 2023-01-05 By Susan Bradley
Once again, we are preparing for another year of patching.
And to start out the year auspiciously, I must raise the MS-DEFCON level to 2. That’s because I’m recommending that updates to Windows be deferred until later in the month. Although Microsoft takes a long Christmas vacation, and the resulting January is usually limited to just security updates, it’s best to be very cautious until the issues that cropped up in December are resolved.
Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.01.1, 2023-01-05).
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Let your PC start the new year right!
ISSUE 20.01 • 2023-01-02 HARDWARE
By Ben Myers
Taking a little time now to check and proactively service your Windows PC thoroughly can pay off big time in the coming year.
Whether you’re planning to move to Windows 11 or stick with Windows 10, this easy-to-follow annual checkup is the preventive medicine that can help ensure that your PC begins 2023 in the best shape possible.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.01.0, 2023-01-02).
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MS-DEFCON 3: Windows 10 22H2 may leave you blue
ISSUE 19.52.1 • 2022-12-27 By Susan Bradley
I have a favorite Christmas song titled “We need a little Christmas,” from the Broadway musical “Mame.”
The uplifting tone of the song expresses the pleasure and happiness we experience during the holiday. We don’t usually associate “blue” feelings with the season (except Elvis).
Windows 10 could use a little of that holiday spirit. Unfortunately, two different patches for 22H2 appear to be throwing off blue screens of death for some — but not all — users. As much as I’d like to lower the MS-DEFCON level to the more serene level 4, so you can enjoy the holiday while applying updates, out of caution I am dropping it only one notch.
Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (19.52.1, 2022-12-27).
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The best tech secrets of 2022: AirTags, TikTok, Twitter, oh my
ISSUE 19.52 • 2022-12-26 Look for our BONUS issue on January 2, 2023! PUBLIC DEFENDER
By Brian Livingston
Amid my efforts to help you protect yourself against some rather aggressive technologies, I’m glad to report that there’s been at least some progress this year on the worst aspects of our “labor-saving” devices.
Please note: I’m not claiming that my columns by themselves caused any of the changes I describe below. I just report the problems. We can all celebrate when bad tech is improved, whoever may have developed a particular solution.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.52.0, 2022-12-26).
This story also appears in our public Newsletter. -
Microsoft 365: Year in review
MICROSOFT 365
By Peter Deegan
Let’s take a minute to check the rearview mirror and review what’s happened this year with Microsoft Office. We’ll also peer over the horizon to speculate about 2023.
There were obvious (and not-so-obvious) changes to Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365. I’ll look at just some of the changes. They might not be the most hyped changes coming from the never-ending road that is Microsoft marketing, and some of them might be overlooked but yet interesting.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.52.0, 2022-12-26).
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Firewall App Blocker — Make the Windows firewall usable
FREEWARE SPOTLIGHT
By Deanna McElveen
Microsoft did a pretty decent job when it added an improved software firewall to Windows XP SP2, and it has gotten even better over the years.
That said, the ease of adding a program to be allowed or blocked by Windows Firewall has not improved much at all.
But that’s okay. Along with its other great programs, Sordum.org has created Firewall App Blocker.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.52.0, 2022-12-26).
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Finding good security information
ON SECURITY
By Susan Bradley
I do this so you don’t have to.
And I’ve been doing it for a long time, learning and cultivating sources of knowledge to allow me to make informed decisions about the stability and security of my computing environments, both at home and for my business. The latter has been extremely important to me; as a CPA, I am entrusted with the private financial information from the firm’s clients, which must be dealt with carefully.
Thus, I have been on a decades-long journey through the landscape of NNTP newsgroups, Listservs, email groups, chat rooms — you name it. Today the available resources are much broader, including all the social networks including YouTube; specialty websites dealing with security, privacy, and operating environments; governmental websites regarding regulation, especially with regard to privacy; and the many personal acquaintances I’ve developed over the years.
Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.52.0, 2022-12-26).