Newsletter Archives

• Windows 11 has a silent feature that you can’t undo

  Posted on October 24, 2022 at 02:44 CDT by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  The latest version of Microsoft’s much-maligned Windows 11 silently runs in the background a new security app that could possibly protect you from downloading a virus, ransomware, or other hobgoblins.

  What’s the catch? You can run this new capability only on a fresh copy of Win11 Update 22H2 (otherwise known as Win11 Version 2022, released on September 9, 2022). If the feature’s strict, protective regime interferes with your normal PC use and you turn the app off in disgust, you can’t undo your decision and switch the app back on without performing a “factory reset” or a clean install of Win11 22H2.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.43.0, 2022-10-24).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Public Defender AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Public Defender, security, Windows 11

• Microsoft’s fall Surface event

  Posted on October 17, 2022 at 02:43 CDT by Will Fastie • Comment in the Forums

  MICROSOFT NEWS

  

  By Will Fastie

  For once, Microsoft pulls off a professional event.

  For those of you who follow my coverage of significant Microsoft announcements, you know I’ve had a somewhat negative opinion of the presentations. On October 12, the company conducted its fall event to announce new Surface models. The presentation may not have exceeded my expectations, but it at least met them.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.42.0, 2022-10-17).

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

• The state of Windows 11: A bit slow on the uptake

  Posted on October 10, 2022 at 02:45 CDT by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.41 • 2022-10-10

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  One year after the release of Windows 11, the new operating system is being installed by computer users at a much slower adoption rate than was achieved by Windows 10 and other major versions of Microsoft’s core OS.

  Counting all versions of Windows running on desktop computers worldwide, Windows 11, with a penetration of 13.6%, has only in the past two months overtaken the users of Windows 7 (10.6%), according to a September 2022 report by Statcounter. Just to state the obvious, the ancient Win7 OS was released by Microsoft way back in 2009.

  Meanwhile, good ol’ Windows 10 is still going strong, running on 71.9% of all Windows desktops globally, Statcounter says.

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

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Public Defender AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Public Defender, Windows 11

• 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

• 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

• Windows 11’s unique bug

  Posted on August 15, 2022 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Whenever Microsoft releases a new version of Windows, it invariably introduces new bugs as a side effect.

  KB5016629 includes a fix for a server message-block (file-sharing) bug that is unique to Windows 11. In a peer-to-peer network, an attacker could trick you by using web-based sharing links such as Azure or other data centers. Windows 10 and earlier are not affected.

  This month’s Windows 11 updates also include fixes for issues where File Explorer fails to work when you use the Star menu’s context menu and an external monitor, or when you use the Play and Pause keyboard buttons.

  Not to be outdone, the Windows 10 security update this month, KB5016616, includes fixes for an issue that affects printing. Let’s hope it fixes those problems we’ve been seeing with USB-based printers.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.33.0, 2022-08-15).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Watch Adobe, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Patch Lady Posts, Print Spooler vulnerabilities, Windows, Windows 11

• What to do first with Windows 11

  Posted on August 1, 2022 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.31 • 2022-08-01

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Susan Bradley

  You just decided that the deal at the local computer store was too great to pass up, and you took home a new Windows 11 computer.

  Nevertheless, you’ve heard us complain about menus, taskbars, and other annoyances. Not quite sure what you’ve gotten yourself into? Never fear, it’s still a Windows computer that you can make behave as you like.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.31.0, 2022-08-01).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows 11 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Lady Posts, Windows, Windows 10, Windows 11

• Do we really want (or need) Windows 12?

  Posted on July 25, 2022 at 02:43 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  The famous old idiom “moving the deckchairs around on the Titanic” is sometimes applied to technology.

  Even though the saying usually implies the futility of a particular action, it often conjures up to me a technology company doing something — anything — to encourage us to purchase more of their product — or at least the latest, so-called greatest version. In my experience, it’s not what we really want but what the vendor thinks we need.

  Case in point? Rumors are flying that Windows 12 is just around the corner.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.30.0, 2022-07-25).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, On Security AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Lady Posts, Windows, Windows 10, Windows 11

• 5 free utilities to help you get more out of Windows 11

  Posted on April 4, 2022 at 02:45 CDT by Lance Whitney • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.14 • 2022-04-04

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Lance Whitney

  You can squeeze more features and flexibility out of Windows 11 with the right utility programs.

  You’ve just upgraded to Windows 11. And maybe you like certain aspects of it but wish the new OS offered more capabilities. In many ways, Windows 11 is a minor upgrade to Windows 10, with visual changes and some new or redesigned features. But otherwise, it’s still the same old Windows with the same limitations and constraints.

  One way to make Windows 11 more robust and flexible is through a good utility program. An array of utilities is available that will enhance or improve the OS in both significant and subtle ways. Among the vast number of utilities out there, I’ve come up with five free ones: Microsoft PowerToys, ThisIsWin11, Files, BeWidgets, and Winaero Tweaker. Let’s check them out.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.14.0, 2022-04-04).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows 11 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Essential utilities, utilities, Windows 11

• Is Windows 11 ready? Are we ready?

  Posted on March 21, 2022 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.12 • 2022-03-21

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Susan Bradley

  We are a few weeks away from an event that most of us in technology consider a bellwether for any software — its six-month birthday.

  On April 5, Microsoft’s Windows 11 will reach that milestone. Six months in software typically means that the bugs have been worked out, the polish is going on, and the new software is finally starting to look like a cute, cuddly puppy. But just like a puppy, it’s still annoying us, chewing up shoes and Kleenex, and doing all those other things that remind us that it’s not yet housebroken.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.12.0, 2022-03-21).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows 11 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Lady Posts, Windows 11

• The madness of releases

  Posted on March 14, 2022 at 02:41 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  This month’s security updates for Windows 11 include some major changes. Alas, they don’t include one major wish item that everyone wants back: thumbnail views on folder contents.

  Microsoft does appear to have heard that feedback; starting with Windows 11 Build 22557, Microsoft is testing folder thumbnails again. But even in the March release of Build 22000.556, it is already moving items around.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 19.11.0 (2022-03-14).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Watch AskWoody Plus Newsletter, browsers, Patch Lady Posts, Patch Watch, Windows 11
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