Command Not Found. A PowerShell module that detects an error thrown by a command and suggests a relevant WinGet package to install, if available.

PowerToys Command Not Found can help you use PowerShell in Windows 10 and 11. It will alert you about a missing component and suggest installing it using winget. For example, executing the "code" command will result in PowerShell offering you the option to install Visual Studio Code if the latter is not available.

Unlike other utilities, Command Not Found will be turned off by default. Enabling it will also require installing PowerShell 7.4.

Additional changes in the upcoming PowerToys update should include the ability to change language, support for more mathematical symbols for Quick Accent (a tool that lets you quickly input accented symbols), better UI for colour Picker, and a few small changes, such as a spinning cog when clicking the general option button.

Microsoft is also working on improving the Keyboard Manager, a module for customizing shortcuts and remapping keys. A future update will let you bring URLs and apps to various shortcuts to speed up opening websites or applications.

You can download PowerToys for free from the Microsoft Store or GitHub. Alternatively, launch Windows Terminal and type winget install powertoys. Developers and enthusiasts can track the project's development and contribute to it on GitHub.

Update 4/1: We removed the incorrect mention of the ability to detect typos in commands.

Source

Microsoft and computer makers plan to start shipping Windows 11 notebooks and other devices with a dedicated “Copilot” key to quickly invoke the company’s “Copilot for Windows” artificial intelligence technology.

It’s the “first significant change to the Windows PC keyboard in nearly three decades,” joining the ubiquitous Windows key as “a core part of the PC keyboard,” according to a post by Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer, announcing the plan.

The move illustrates one of the advantages that Microsoft’s widely used operating system gives the company as it competes with the likes of Google, Amazon, Anthropic, and others to establish a beachhead for its AI technologies.

Asked by GeekWire if users will be able to map the Copilot key to alternative AI technologies from other tech providers, a Microsoft representative said there was nothing to share on that specific question as of now.

According to a footnote in the Microsoft post, “When Copilot for Windows is not available or enabled on the device, pressing the Copilot key will launch Windows Search,” referring to the Windows feature for searching a computer or the web. The web search function of Windows Search defaults to Microsoft’s Bing search engine.

Copilot for Windows is an AI chatbot that can be used to control system settings in Windows. Copilot in Windows also offers the ability to use Microsoft’s Bing Chat, powered in part by Microsoft partner and ChatGPT maker OpenAI, providing wide-ranging answers and AI-generated content in response to user prompts.

“Over the coming days leading up to and at CES, you will start to see the Copilot key unveiled on new Windows 11 PCs from our ecosystem partners, with availability beginning later this month through Spring, including on upcoming Surface devices,” Mehdi wrote in the Microsoft post, published early Thursday morning.

As of publication time, participating PC makers have not yet been named, and it’s not yet clear how Microsoft is incentivizing them to add the new Copilot key.

Initial images released by Microsoft show the new Copilot key next to the Alt key on the right side of the space bar, a spot previously reserved for a print-screen or screenshot key, or sometimes a second Ctrl, Fn, or Windows key.

Source

In the beginning, there was the source code. 

And, Linus Torvalds shaped it and called it Linux, and it was good. Now the operating system was formless and hard to use, so Owen Le Blanc of the Manchester Computing Centre (MCC) said, "Let there be a Linux distribution," and there was light. And from then until now, most Linux distributions have been based directly on the source code and packaging systems such as DEB and RPM. But, there is another approach called immutable Linux, and it's been gaining popularity over the last few years.

Immutable Linux distributions come with a read-only core system. This means the base operating system, once installed, cannot be modified during regular use. 

Patches, including system updates, are done, during a reboot. This is called an atomic upgrade, which means that the update of everything is handled as a single transaction. If something goes wrong, you can easily revert to its previous state.

This architecture approach significantly enhances system security and stability, as it prevents unauthorized changes and reduces the risk of system corruption. Instead of updating things piecemeal the way most major Linux distributions do, everything is updated at once. 

Why? Because since the core system is read-only, it's far less vulnerable to malware and tampering. If you can't add anything to the operating system, you can't corrupt it. In addition, immutable distributions use containerization for applications. This further isolates programs from the core system and each other. So, even if you do have a bad application, it has far less access to the underlying system than, say, a Windows application does to Windows. 

Another immutable Linux win is that it offers unparalleled reliability and stability. By preserving a consistent state, their software dependencies remain intact. This reduces the compatibility issues that come from updates or changes in traditional systems. The result? More reliable performance with minimal downtime.

To install applications, you use containerized applications and universal package formats such as AppImage, Flatpak, or Snap. While many old-school Linux users hate this approach, this containerized method for application installation has several advantages. 

First, they're distribution agnostic. That means if you have a Flatpak of Discord, you can install and run it on any Linux distribution that supports Flatpak. 

These containerized package systems also avoid the dependency issues that come with traditional package managers. The old-school package managers often must update not just the applications, but all their software dependencies as well. Sometimes that isn't possible. Meanwhile, the container packages contain all the software you need to install and run its program.

They also give you the power to install plenty of proprietary software programs. For example, they make it simple to install Zoom or Spotify, whereas it can be troublesome installing either on Linux systems using traditional package managers such as the Advanced Packaging Tool (APT) or DNF.

Finally, because these applications run in containers, they're more secure than their package-based brethren. 

None of this, by the way, is all that new. While some reports have been proclaiming that immutable Linux distros represent a radical change, that's not the case. Indeed, you've already been exposed to the immutable Linux approach, but almost certainly didn't know it. You see, underneath its Chrome web browser, ChromeOS is an immutable Linux system.  

ChromeOS isn't the only immutable Linux in a box. For instance, if you play games with a Steam Deck under the hood, you're running the immutable SteamOS version 3.2, which is based on Arch Linux.

Immutable Linux, though, isn't just for hardware. There are many immutable Linux distributions. Some are from major Linux distributors that you already know, such as Fedora Silverblue, openSUSE MicroOS, and Canonical's forthcoming Ubuntu 24.04 will also have an immutable version.

Others include Vanilla OS, Endless OS, and the developer-friendly Project Bluefin.

Now, immutable Linux distros aren't for everyone. They're less flexible than the usual Linux distros. In addition, some applications and services don't work well with containerized environments.

So, why should you consider any of these? Easy. They're all very stable and secure. If you're never been a desktop Linux user before, they're also easier to install and run than their conventional older brothers.

I've been running Linux since version 0.11 appeared in 1991 when I had to download it via ftp from MIT. In those days, you had to compile it from C, and nothing was easy.  Fast forward to today, and I can run Linux in my sleep. So, I don't need an "easy" Linux. But, many people still do. For them, I suggest you give one of the immutable Linux distros a try. 

In particular, for Linux newcomers, I recommend the Fedora-based Silverblue, the Ubuntu-based Vanilla OS, or the Debian-oriented Endless OS. They're all easy to use, stable and secure. I think you'll like at least one of them. 

Source

One of the interesting known issues highlighted by the company in the release notes is related to gaming as Microsoft has acknowledged that it has not been able to fix those issues even as we enter the new year. In fact, the tech giant has confirmed that even more games are going to be impacted.

The release notes for the Canary build 26020 reads:

[REMINDER] Some popular games may not work correctly on the most recent Insider Preview builds in the Canary Channel. Starting with Build 26016, more games have been impacted by several bugs – if you’re having any issues please submit feedback in Feedback Hub.

In case you are wondering, Microsoft first started publishing this in the known issues section earlier last year in September starting with the Canary build 25947. And up until the latest build, the release note about the issue read:

Some popular games may not work correctly on the most recent Insider Preview builds in the Canary Channel. Please be sure to submit feedback in Feedback Hub on any issues you see with playing games on these builds.

It is not clear which popular titles Microsoft is referring to here, and which new games have been added to the list. Perhaps the bug is randomly occurring across a multitude of popular titles and games which is why none of them have in particular been named.

It is also possible that the issue is fairly sporadic which is why the company has continued asking for feedback to better understand the underlying fault.

Source

Eleven years ago, Windows 8 introduced a reworked lock screen with a bunch of extra features, such as app notifications, calendar information, weather, etc. For the most part, this corner of the operating system has been sitting without much love or attention from developers for more than a decade. Now, however, it is time for a fresh coat of paint.

The first Windows 11 Dev build in 2024 brings a redesigned weather widget for the lock screen. It features rounded corners, a translucent background, and reworked weather data. In addition, you can finally click or tap the weather widget to see more information, something you cannot do with the current implementation in the Stable Channel.

However, the new weather widget has one slightly annoying quirk: tapping it opens Microsoft Edge and the MSN website instead of the dedicated inbox Weather app. Checking whether it will rain today may now result in loading 20 tabs you left in the previous browser session. Also, the widget does not care what is your default browser and always launches Microsoft Edge.

Windows developers say the new lock screen experience will be default in Windows 11, but you can turn it off by heading to Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen and selecting None from the Lock Screen Status drop-down.

Microsoft is rolling out the new widget gradually to Windows Insiders with the EN-US locale. As it always goes with changes and new features in preview builds, expect things to change in future updates. And if you have a thought or two about the widget or how to improve it, be sure to send your feedback to Microsoft by pressing Win + F.

If you do not want to wait for the rollout, here is how to force-enable the new widget using the ViVeTool app:

1. Download ViveTool from GitHub and unpack the files in a convenient and easy-to-find folder.
2. Press Win + X and select Terminal (Admin).
3. Switch Windows Terminal to the Command Prompt profile with the Ctrl + Shift + 2 shortcut or by clicking the arrow-down button at the top of the window.

    

   
4. Navigate to the folder containing the ViveTool files with the CD command. For example, CD C:\Vive.
5. Type vivetool /enable /id:47526873 and press Enter.
6. Restart your computer and turn on the weather in the lock screen settings.

Credit for the ID goes to @PhantomOfEarth on X!

Source

It also deprecates features like WordPad and Steps Recorder. The full changelog is given below:

What’s new in Build 26020

Extended languages, multi-display support, and custom commands for voice access

 

Extended language support: We have extended voice access to support other languages such as French (France), French (Canada), German, Spanish (Spain) and Spanish (Mexico).

 

When voice access is turned on for the first time, you will be prompted to download a speech model to enable on-device recognition of voice data. In case voice access does not find a speech model matching your display language, you can still choose to proceed ahead to use voice access in English (United States).

 

 

New languages under settings on the voice access bar.

 

You can always switch to a different language by navigating to Settings > Language on the voice access bar.

 

Multi-display support: You can now use all voice access features on multiple displays, including number and grid overlays which were previously unavailable on any display other than the primary one.

 

The grid overlay feature has been further developed to allow you to not only interact with the screen you are currently using, but also quickly switch to another display. You can also use the drag and drop feature to move files, apps, and documents from one display to another.

 

 

You can use either the alphabet or NATO phonetic in your command to shift focus to another display.

 

After invoking the grid overlay, use to quickly shift to focus to another display. You can use either the alphabet or NATO phonetic in your command; for example, “B” or “Bravo” would both be valid as shown in the above screenshot.

 

 

Use mouse grid command to move your mouse to a specific point on a specific display.

 

You can also use the accelerated command “mouse grid ..” to quickly move your mouse to a specific point on a specific display. In this case we used “mousegrid A 114” as shown in the above screenshot.

 

Voice shortcuts: We are introducing voice shortcuts or custom commands to enable you to create your very own command. This is currently available if you use voice access in English.

 

Creating commands that map to single action, such as opening a URL, or a series of actions performed in sequence, is easy. To get started, say “what can I say” and click on the “Voice shortcuts” tab on the left panel, or use the command “show voice shortcuts” to directly launch the voice shortcuts page. Then, click on the Create Command button to begin the process.

 

 

New voice shortcuts tab for creating custom commands in voice access.

 

Create a command by using either voice or any other input modality. Give it a name, select one or multiple actions, fill in the necessary information and then click “Create”. Your command is now ready to be used.

 

 

Creating a new custom command to use in voice access.

 

 

Select one or multiple actions for a custom command in voice access.

 

You can view all the voice shortcuts you have created either from the command help page or by using the command “show voice shortcuts”.

 

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice Access.

 

Natural Voices Previews in Narrator

 

We are introducing previews for natural voices of 10 new locales launched in September 2023. As a reminder, those natural voices include Chinese, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Mexico), Japanese, English (UK), French, Portuguese, English (India),German and Korean.

 

These previews will allow the users to listen to the natural voices before downloading the voice model. Natural Narrator voices use modern, on-device text to speech and once downloaded are supported without an internet connection. Please note to listen to the previews, an internet connection is required.

 

To use one of the natural voices, add it to your PC by following these steps:

 

1. Open Narrator Settings by pressing the WIN + CTRL + N hotkey.
2. Under Narrator’s voice, select the Add button next to Add natural voices.
3. Select the voice you want to install. You can install all voices, but you must install them separately.
4. The preview will play automatically once you navigate through the list.
5. If you like the preview , click on “Download and Install”. The new voice will be downloaded and ready for use in a few minutes, depending on your internet download speed.
6. When the new voice has downloaded, in Narrator settings select your preferred voice from the drop-down menu in Narrator’s voice > Choose a voice.

 

When you click on a natural voice for Narrator in Settings, a preview will play automatically.

 

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

 

Changes and Improvements

 

[General]

 

• Starting with this build, the WordPad and People apps will no longer be installed after doing a clean install of the OS. In a future flight, WordPad will be removed on upgrade. WordPad will not be reinstallable. WordPad is a deprecated Windows feature. For more information on the future of the People app, click here.
• Steps Recorder will not receive further updates and is planned for removal in a future Windows release. Starting in this build, Steps Recorder (PSR.exe) will display a new banner notification to guide users towards alternative options. We encourage our users to explore other options in Windows 11 such as Snipping tool, Xbox Game bar or Microsoft Clipchamp. For more, see this article.

 

[Taskbar & System Tray]

 

• For PCs that are plugged in and do not have batteries (such as desktop PCs), when you turn on energy saver, we are trying out a new energy saver icon that is shown in the system tray to indicate energy saver is on. For PCs with batteries, there is no change to the experience, and you will continue to see the leaf icon overlayed on top of the battery icon in the system tray. As a reminder, battery saver is now energy saver with extended capability as of Build 26002.

 

Energy saver icon shown on the system tray for PCs that do not have batteries.

 

[Printing]

 

• We have added the ability to pause and resume print jobs in print queue for printers under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. This allows you to pause printing when maintenance is required for your printer such as replacing a printer cartridge. Jobs submitted are held by the spooler until the print queue is ‘un-paused’ by clicking resume in Settings. The ability to rename your printer directly here in these settings is coming in a later flight.

 

Pause and resuming print jobs in print queue for printers in Settings.

 

[Windows Share]

 

• The Windows share window will now only show apps under “Share using” that are tied to the account you are signed into Windows with – either Microsoft account (MSA) or Microsoft Entra ID (previously Azure Active Directory). If you are signed in with an MSA, you will see Microsoft Teams (free) instead of Microsoft Teams (work or school) and not both for example.
• The Windows share window now supports sharing with WhatsApp under the “Share using” section. If you don’t have WhatsApp installed, you can choose to install it from Windows share window directly. Over time, we plan to try this experience out with other apps as well.

 

Share to or install WhatsApp directly from Windows share window.

 

[Nearby Sharing]

 

• We are introducing the ability to quickly give your device a more friendly name to identify sharing to and from with nearby share under Settings > System > Nearby sharing.

 

Give your device a more friendly name to identify sharing to and from with nearby share.

 

Fixes for known issues

 

• Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash when navigating to Power & Battery in the previous build.
• Fixed an underlying issue causing the details pane in File Explorer to unexpectedly take keyboard focus sometimes.
• Copilot will no longer rearrange or push your desktop icons when launched.
• Fixed an issue where uncombined taskbar icons were cutting off the title instead of adjusting with the title length.
• Fixed an issue causing Steps Recorder to not launch in the last couple builds.
• We fixed the issue causing a loading delay when the Microsoft Start feed is reenabled in Widgets.
• We fixed the issue causing the Widgets Board to not automatically close and reopen when enabling or disabling feeds.

 

Known issues

 

[General]

 

• [REMINDER] Some popular games may not work correctly on the most recent Insider Preview builds in the Canary Channel. Starting with Build 26016, more games have been impacted by several bugs – if you’re having any issues please submit feedback in Feedback Hub.
• We’re investigating an issue where the print queue is showing a messaging saying it can’t find the app when opened. As a workaround, you can launch the print queue from the Run dialog (WIN + R) and entering: explorer.exe shell:appsFolder\Microsoft.Windows.PrintQueueActionCenter_cw5n1h2txyewy!App.
• We’re investigating an issue causing a small number of Insiders to not be able to open Settings after Build 26010 and higher. If you are impacted, please see this forum post for a workaround.

 

[Widgets]

 

• Announcements from the Microsoft Start feed are still shown on the taskbar after the feed is hidden.
• Keyboard navigation from settings subpages back to the top-level Settings page is broken.
• Incorrect spacing and fonts used in some settings pages.

You can find the official blog post on this page on Microsoft's website.

Source

Here is the changelog:

What’s new in Build 23612

Richer weather experience on the lock screen

We are introducing a richer weather experience to your lock screen. This includes dynamic, interactive weather updates. So, as you hover over the weather experience on your lock screen, you will see more information. When you tap or click on the weather card and sign in, Microsoft Edge opens with the full forecast in MSN Weather. If you already use Weather under Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Lock screen status, there is nothing for you to do. Also, this new experience will be on by default. Should you not want to see this experience, you can change your lock screen status to “None.” This rich weather experience is available when you lock your screen no matter which personalization option you select (Windows spotlight, Picture, or Slideshow).

 

 

Richer weather experience on the lock screen.

 

[We are beginning to roll this out starting with EN-US only, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders in the Dev Channel just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing it out to everyone.]

 

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Lock screen.

Extended languages, multi-display support, and custom commands for voice access

Extended language support: We have extended voice access to support other languages such as French (France), French (Canada), German, Spanish (Spain) and Spanish (Mexico).

 

When voice access is turned on for the first time, you will be prompted to download a speech model to enable on-device recognition of voice data. In case voice access does not find a speech model matching your display language, you can still choose to proceed ahead to use voice access in English (United States).

 

 

New languages under settings on the voice access bar

 

You can always switch to a different language by navigating to Settings > Language on the voice access bar.

 

Multi-display support: You can now use all voice access features on multiple displays, including number and grid overlays which were previously unavailable on any display other than the primary one.

 

The grid overlay feature has been further developed to allow you to not only interact with the screen you are currently using, but also quickly switch to another display. You can also use the drag and drop feature to move files, apps, and documents from one display to another.

 

 

You can use either the alphabet or NATO phonetic in your command to shift focus to another display

 

.After invoking the grid overlay, use to quickly shift to focus to another display. You can use either the alphabet or NATO phonetic in your command; for example, “B” or “Bravo” would both be valid as shown in the above screenshot.

 

 

Use mouse grid command to move your mouse to a specific point on a specific display.

 

You can also use the accelerated command “mouse grid ..” to quickly move your mouse to a specific point on a specific display. In this case we used “mousegrid A 114” as shown in the above screenshot.

 

Voice shortcuts: We are introducing voice shortcuts or custom commands to enable you to create your very own command. This is currently available if you use voice access in English.

 

Creating commands that map to single action, such as opening a URL, or a series of actions performed in sequence, is easy. To get started, say “what can I say” and click on the “Voice shortcuts” tab on the left panel, or use the command “show voice shortcuts” to directly launch the voice shortcuts page. Then, click on the Create Command button to begin the process.

 

 

New voice shortcuts tab for creating custom commands in voice access

 

Create a command by using either voice or any other input modality. Give it a name, select one or multiple actions, fill in the necessary information and then click “Create”. Your command is now ready to be used.

 

 

Creating a new custom command to use in voice access.

 

 

Select one or multiple actions for a custom command in voice access.

 

You can view all the voice shortcuts you have created either from the command help page or by using the command “show voice shortcuts”.

 

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice Access.

Fixes

[Start menu]

 

• Fixed an issue which was causing the text input indicator to appear floating when you opened Start menu.

 

[File Explorer]

 

• Made a change to help fix an issue which could cause the spacing between your desktop icons to become extremely wide.
• Fixed an issue which could cause explorer.exe to crash when opening the context menu in file explorer if multiple files were selected.

 

[Widgets]

 

• We fixed the issue causing a loading delay when the Microsoft Start feed is reenabled.
• We fixed the issue causing the Widgets Board to not automatically close and reopen when enabling or disabling feeds.

 

NOTE: Some fixes noted here in Insider Preview builds from the Dev Channel may make their way into the servicing updates for the released version of Windows 11.

Known issues

[Copilot in Windows*]

 

• When first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

 

[Widgets]

 

• Announcements from the Microsoft Start feed are still shown on the taskbar after the feed is hidden.
• Keyboard navigation from settings subpages back to the top-level Settings page is broken.
• Incorrect spacing and fonts used in some settings pages.

You can check out the full blog post right here:

Source

Clem Lefebvre who heads the project said that it had received 50 bug reports during the beta and that 35 have since been closed. It plans to resolved the other 15 this week before making preparations for the stable version and an upgrade path.

Lefebvre also said that a 21.3 EDGE ISO is also going to be released with Linux kernel 6.2 rather than 5.15 so that newer hardware can be used. Problematic hardware included AMD graphics cards, wireless chipsets, and SSD controllers used in Acer laptops.

For anyone out there running LMDE 6, you will receive new updates just before Linux Mint 21.3 is released containing all the new Linux Mint features - the Debian base will still remain the same though.

This release cycle has been a bit atypical because the beta period only lasts about two weeks, even if Christmas and New Year are coming up. The team did not share why there has been such a delay this time, but it could be due to them receiving a greater quantity of bugs, it’s also possible they want to release the upgrade path at the same time.

Linux MInt 21.3 is codenamed Virginia, continuing the female naming system. It includes Hypnotix TV streaming improvements, improved ISO images that have full support for SecureBoot, Cinnamon 6.0 with plenty of improvements, and improvements to Warpinator.

Some of the Cinnamon improvements are:

• 75% scaling is back
• Window opacity keybinding is back
• Stylus buttons can be disabled
• The monitor used for notifications is now configurable
• Menu apps can be edited with right click -> properties
• Gestures: new desktop zoom action
• Gestures: You can now specify when an action is triggered.
• Sound applet: new shift-middle click action
• Grouped window list: new option to not show anything when hovering an app button

If you downloaded the beta and want to use the stable version, just keep applying the latest updates and once the stable is out, you’ll be on the stable too. If you were thinking of trying the beta, at this point it’s just best to wait for the final release as it should be ready soon.

Source: Linux Mint

Source

Microsoft has posted what has now become a monthly tradition, revealing all of the new features it has added to the various versions of its Teams apps and services for the last month. In this case, the blog post looked back at December 2023's new additions and improvements.

The blog post itself goes over many of the new features and changes we have already reported on in the past few weeks. That includes a new OneDrive app for storing files in Teams, along with new features to its Shifts app, and the fact that the Teams app is now generally available for virtual desktops. December also saw a new way to create custom backgrounds via AI for channel announcements.

However, there were other new additions and improvements added for Teams users in the past month. One of them is a new search experience for chats and channels that includes a new “find in channel” search button. Users can now click on that button to search for things in a specific chat or channel, and have the results of that search show up on the right-side panel. Search filters like “files”, “group chats” or “teams and channels” have also been added to Teams so user can narrow down search results.

Other new features added to Teams in December included a new chat button in the activity feed that will let users start a chat with a caller that they might have missed initially. Users of the Copilot AI chatbot in Teams can now see previous chats they may have had.

The blog post also covers a number of devices that are now certified for Microsoft Teams. They include a new Logitech Sight video conferencing camera, along with the HP 960 4K streaming camera and more.

Microsoft recently revealed that over 320 million active monthly users access the Teams apps and services.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Source

As of right now, Windows 11 users can access Copilot by pressing its icon on the taskbar, which may soon move to the bottom-right corner, replacing the "Show desktop" button. However, future Windows 11 builds could add new Copilot entries for specific tasks or file-related activities.

Of course, at this point, that is nothing but speculation based on the code line and feature ID found by X user @PhantomOfEarth deep inside build 26016:

CopilotFEContextMenu: 45647150

You can try enabling that ID using the ViVeTool app, but you will not get any substantial results. Therefore, all we have to do is sit tight and wait for Microsoft to release new preview builds and share more details about how it plans to improve Copilot integration in Windows 11. The latter, sadly, still leaves a lot to be desired. The current Copilot implementation can do very little to help you use your computer, a far cry from what you may want a true AI-powered assistant to do.

Code lines like the one discovered today align with the recent report about Microsoft adding more AI features to its next-generation Windows release, scheduled to arrive somewhere in the second half of 2024. One of the rumored features is a return of Timeline with the ability to get back into any app or screen containing a certain request. Also, Microsoft plans to implement natural language search, among other things.

It is reasonable to expect Microsoft to add Copilot-related entries to more areas across the shell to make interaction with the assistant and its features easier and more accessible. Let's hope those entries will be much more polished than the current Copilot state in Windows 11 (and yes, in Windows 10, too, even though its end of support is getting nigh).

Source

The user on X (formerly Twitter) is "ntoslinux". He asked Parakhin if it might be possible to keep the date and time on the screen after users dismiss the Windows login screen. He stated, "This annoys me a lot when I try to wake up my laptop just to check the time(but don't want to login)."

Parakhin responded to the message, stating he was in the same boat with "ntoslinux". He replied, "I have the same problem with it. We need to fix it, I agree."

A few days ago, Parakhin responded to a request from a user to make a change to the Start menu in Windows so they could scroll through all of the apps without having to to the "all apps" click. Parakhin responded by saying the current Start menu scrolling apps method "annoys the hell out of me, too" and said he would push the Windows team to make this change.

Unconfirmed reports indicate we could get a small "Moment 5" feature update for Windows 11 in early 2024, followed by a much bigger Windows OS update for sometime later in the new year. However, it would appear that Parakhin will be trying to make small but still noticeable changes in Windows alongside the big OS updates in 2024.

Source

Aside from that, we also took a small stroll down memory lane all the back to the 1980s as the earliest known version of 86-DOS - the OS that's the forefather to MS-DOS - was unearthed with a photo of the original disk as well.

Most PC users today though are far more familiar with the graphical user interface (GUI) of Windows, as compared to DOS, and despite all the modernization efforts that have been made to the UI, many, including members of the Neowin forum, seem to have a soft spot for the older Windows versions, like Windows 95, XP, and such.

YouTuber AR 4789, who creates and shares interesting Windows concepts, published their latest video that may quench the thirst of those who have always wanted a more modern version of Windows XP with the feel and touch of Windows 11. The UI looks polished and modern similar to 11 with the colours and style as well as the famous Bliss wallpaper reminds of its roots in XP.

The Start menu is on the left instead of the center. which most would likely prefer on XP, and as a nice touch, there is also Rover the cute assistant dog in there as well. A Winver screenshot was also made that shows the version of Windows XP 2024 as 24H2, which is in line with the yearly feature updates on 11.

Up next, we have the File Explorer which also shows a similar treatment with a combination of the best qualities of Windows 11 blended in with Windows XP.

Finally, we also have the Settings menu and again, the YouTuber has done a great job with the design as the thing looks pretty compelling.

You can watch the concept video in full below:

It's perhaps not too far-fetched to assume that had Microsoft never retired XP and its UX /UI choices, the concept shown here may well have been very close to a real thing.

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Developers still using older versions like Visual Studio 2013 and 2015 are encouraged to upgrade as those editions will also see reduced support over the next few years. According to Microsoft, Visual Studio 2015 moves to extended support only (security fixes only) on October 14, 2025, while Visual Studio 2017 reaches that stage on April 13, 2027.

Even Visual Studio 2019 will transition from mainstream to extended support on April 9, 2024. To remain supported, Microsoft emphasizes that users must be on the latest version 16.11 release of Visual Studio 2019. The preview channel of Visual Studio 2019 is also no longer receiving updates.

On April 9, 2024, support will end for all Visual Studio 2013 editions, associated products, runtimes, and components, and they will no longer receive security or any other updates. These include:

 

• Visual Studio 2013 Ultimate, Premium, Professional, Community, Express for Web, Express for Windows, Express for Windows Desktop, Team Explorer, and Test Professional editions.
• Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2013
• Visual Studio 2013 Shell (Integrated and Isolated).
• Visual Studio 2013 version of components including Deployment Agents, Agent IntelliTrace Collector, Microsoft Azure Tools, Multibyte MFC Library, Remote Tools, Release Management, SDK, SQL Server Data Tools, Team Explorer, and Web Tools Extensions.

Microsoft recommends all developers upgrade to the latest version, Visual Studio 2022. It provides a 64-bit architecture (first in the IDE), built-in Git version control, AI code completions with GitHub Copilot, and tools for .NET 8 and .NET MAUI app development.

Microsoft also said that Visual Studio 2022 offers different update channels to meet different needs - from getting early previews to using long-term maintenance releases.

You may find more details on Microsoft's official download page.

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The company has developed a Microsoft Word add-on that uses generative AI to automate and speed up the process of drafting and negotiating contracts. It can also be used for pulling out key information from contract repositories using a search feature.

Robin AI was one of Anthropic’s Claude launch partners. It operates using a hybrid model that brings together the Claude LLM and proprietary contract data to process contracts. It’s also fine-tuned by Robin AI’s in-house team of legal professionals to ensure the information is correct.

Providing a comment with the news, CEO Richard Robinson said:

“We've seen incredible customer traction with what we believe is the smartest AI contract copilot on the market. But this is just the beginning.

We are building the AI platform for the legal sector - a service that deeply understands every aspect of the legal function, from drafting contracts, researching case law to explaining legal concepts - our AI will help people tackle every legal task.

This will help level the playing field between big and small law firms and help more people access legal services. This investment will help us to realize this vision.”

The Microsoft Word add-on has seen customers increase 4x over the last year and its revenues have increased by 5x. It also revealed that there was strong demand from the private equity sector which relies on speedy deal closures. Some companies that you’ve likely heard of that now use this add-on include Pepsico and PwC among others.

If you are interested in trying out the software, Robin AI says you can find it for free by heading to its website.

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Before Windows though, and its familiar and beloved graphical user interface (GUI), there was DOS (Disk Operating System). In case you may not be aware, MS-DOS - which was earlier known as PC DOS, as the OS was developed for IBM PC - was not an in-house creation of Microsoft and it was based on 86-DOS.

86-DOS was also referred to as QDOS (short for Quick and Dirty Operating System). The "86" if you haven't guessed takes inspiration from the Intel 8086 processor nomenclature as the 86-DOS operating system was developed by Seattle Computer Products (SCP) for its Intel 8086-based S-100 computer kits. While Seattle Computer Products went for the 8086, IBM, instead, chose the 8088 variant.

A couple of days ago, X (Twitter) user and Windows enthusiast NTDEV spotted that the earliest known versions of 86-DOS were uploaded to the Internet Archive, by another user f15sim. The version in question is 0.11, and a photo of its accompanying disk was uploaded for preservation as well.

NTDEV took a look at the 86-DOS 1.1 on Open SIMH (History Simulator) and noted the presence of nine files in this ancient piece of software, with one of those, interestingly, being a chess simulator.

• RDCPM: a copy (?) utility, probably related to CP/M
• HEX2BIN: a development utility which, according to the developer of 86DOS, Tim Patterson, "had all the basic utilities for assembly-language development except an editor"
• ASM: an 8086 assembler originally written in Z80 ASM
• TRANS: a Z80 to 8086 translator
• SYS: probably a utility to write the command interpreter to a new floppy (similar to how early MS-DOS versions used to do)
• EDLIN: the line editor included in MS-DOS, here at its humble roots.

You can learn a bit more about 86-DOS and Xenix in our Look back feature article.

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The KB5002500 update addresses an issue where OneNote 2016 was closing unexpectedly after trying to sync notebooks that have been shared from newer versions of OneNote. After applying this patch you’ll be able to sync the notebooks successfully again.

To get this update, just install any available Windows updates or if you can’t be bothered just wait for Windows to update your computer automatically and over time you will get the update. Alternatively, if you want to install this patch on an offline computer, you can download a 32-bit or 64-bit version of the update from the Microsoft Download Center.

If you’re not sure what version of OneNote you have installed, open it and select Account, if you don’t see it press File from the application’s menu and go to Account or Help from the list on the left. Under Product Information, you should see your Office product name and sometimes the version number, if you have OneNote 2016, go and check for the update.

Once you’ve installed it, Microsoft says you may need to restart your computer for the patch to be applied. If you run into any issues, you can always uninstall the patch by going to the Control Panel, searching for Installed Updates, then pressing View installed updates, and then uninstalling KB5002500. Hopefully, you don’t need to do this but you never know.

Have any Neowin readers that use OneNote 2016 encountered this issue on their computers? Let us know in the comments if you’ve been affected by this.

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Keyboard Manager in the current PowerToys release lets you remap keys and shortcuts in specific apps (or system-wide) or create shortcuts for quick text input. For example, you can create a shortcut to paste a text snippet you frequently use.

Microsoft understands that Keyboard Manager has the potential to become a much more capable tool for power users, so it is working on adding extra features (via Deskmodder). You will be able to launch apps using custom shortcuts and specify additional options, such as app arguments and launch state (minimized or maximized).

In addition, PowerToys will let you create shortcuts for websites, so you can launch Neowin or another page in the default browser using your keyboard. Finally, the update will introduce much more convenient and modern-looking user interfaces.

Here is an early look at the upcoming Keyboard Manager rework in PowerToys:

There is no information on when Microsoft plans to ship the update to the general public. The company released version 0.76.2 in December 2023, adding the ability to map shortcuts to text, a reworked and modernized PowerToys Run, new File Explorer add-ons, and plenty of other fixes. You can check out the complete changelog here.

PowerToys is an open-source app for Windows 10 and 11. You can download it for free from the Microsoft Store, the official GitHub repository, or winget. Developers and enthusiasts with the necessary skills can contribute to the project's development by suggesting new features, fixes, and other improvements. More information about PowerToys, its tools, and its capabilities is available in the official documentation.

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The idea behind Bob was simple, to make the Windows 3.1 user interface (UI) more intuitive, in order to make the user experience (UX) more user-friendly. This was in the mid-90s, right before Windows 95 landed, when home PCs were still not a commonplace sight in most houses and Microsoft believed something like this would be cool, and at the same time, useful too.

However, almost as soon as it was conceived, it was killed off, in just 10 months time, and became one of the first on the list of Windows applications killed by Microsoft. You can learn more about Bob in the Look back article if you want a refresher.

Fast forward to 2024, a new third-party app dubbed "MSBob" seeks to continue on the path where Bob left off, albeit for the modern Windows, as the developer believes that the Windows UI and UX "inconsistency persists" even today in 2023-24 despite nearly three decades of Windows development.

Here's the dev explaining in their own words why they felt Microsoft Bob needed an unofficial revival on Windows 11:

Who still remembers Microsoft Bob? Behind it was software designed to make the operating system Windows 3.1 more intuitive and user-friendly. Even then, Microsoft recognized the need for an enhanced user experience, acknowledging the less-than-friendly nature of the existing Windows version.

 

This inconsistency persists today. While the XP search's little Bob with the dog may no longer be part of the Windows scene, and Comic Sans font (believed to have been designed for Bob) endures, the inconsistent UI still permeates many areas of Windows 11. In a nutshell, Bob wasn't well-received back then, and Windows 11 remains a matter of taste. Personally, I appreciate it, and perhaps, with the revamped MSBob, I can elevate and simplify your experience a bit.

The developer notes that MSBob utilizes Chromium-based Microsoft Edge WebView2 to embed JavaScript, HTML, and CSS into the app. It's the first public release and a lot of it is still work-in-progress (WIP). The developer notes that the source code is available on GitHub where the utility can be downloaded as well, though do make sure to proceed with some caution as it is an unofficial app.

In terms of compatibility, the utility is designed to run on Windows 11 and may not work perfectly on Windows 10.

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Back in the days of Windows Phone, we'd often see all kinds of creative ways to interact with apps and services that we either didn't have or had sub-par support for. 

Learning from those days, I love to poke around on the web and see what interesting third-party projects are out there that do something exciting or improve my experience in something I use daily. Spicetify is exactly that: it makes the Spotify app for Windows just a little bit better. 

It also scratches my itch to open up a terminal to do things, so there's that. But Spicetify is simple to use, has extensive documentation, and will add a few tweaks to the Spotify Windows app that you might like — notably custom themes. 

Before we begin 

A quick note before going much further. Obviously, anything done to your Spotify app is at your own risk, though nothing in Spicetify will require you to enter login details. It simply injects its goodness into your existing application. 

You'll also want to be running the version downloaded directly from Spotify for best effect, as the version through the Microsoft Store has more limited support. So, if you want to try this stuff for yourself, it's best to make sure you get that version first. 

Installing Spicetify is a breeze

The installation process is simple, requiring just a single command pasted into a PowerShell window.  (Image credit: Windows Central)

Installing Spicetify is straightforward, with the documentation telling you everything that you need to know. Essentially, you copy a command and paste it into a PowerShell window on your PC, and it'll do the rest. The project is also hosted on GitHub if you want to go and have a nose at what makes it tick. 

There are alternative methods, including the Windows Package Manager, but I went down the copy/paste route to install the prebuilt binary since it's the recommended method. 

The magic command you need is as follows:

iwr -useb https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spicetify/spicetify-cli/master/install.ps1 | iex

I also installed the marketplace when prompted, as it's supposed to give you access inside the Spotify client to the custom themes and extensions, but it doesn't seem to work with the current version of the app. So you don't really need to worry about this part. 

The next thing to do is simply to enter the command spicetify into the terminal and run it. This initializes everything and creates the all-important config file. Besides actually needing this, the config file can be used to make changes with Spicetify without having to run commands in the terminal all the time. 

Using Spicetify to theme the Spotify app

Too far? You can even make it look like an app that would run in a terminal. (Image credit: Windows Central)

One of the main reasons you might think about using Spicetify at all is to add a custom theme to your Spotify app. The stock colours look OK, but who doesn't like to add their own flair? 

If adding a theme is where you'll end your use of this tool, then using the terminal isn't a bad way to go about it (I'll talk more about the config file later.) 

Spicetify has a list of a bunch of themes that have already been built for Spotify, with a great selection available in its own official repository. To add this to your PC, you will need to have Git installed. If you don't and need a pointer, I've written a guide on how to get started with Git on Windows.

Run the following command in PowerShell to get the themes downloaded to your PC:

git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/spicetify/spicetify-themes.git

You then need to put them into the necessary themes folder, which you can do like this:

cd spicetify-themes
cp * "$(spicetify -c | Split-Path)\Themes\" -Recurse

Once this is all set up, you can apply a theme using the terminal with this command. In this example, I'm using the "Matte" theme, but you would substitute that for the theme of your choice.

spicetify config current_theme matte
spicetify apply

The first time you do this, Spicetify will prompt you that you haven't created a backup. You should have one, so just follow the prompt. 

Any time you want to change it up, remember to use the spicetify apply command after changing the theme; otherwise, it won't apply the new one. The apply command will also automatically reload the Spotify app even if it's open, so you can check out your new theme. 

The Spicetify config file, extensions, and custom apps

Beyond themes, you can add in extensions, like this pop-up lyrics window. (Image credit: Windows Central)

Beyond the extensive visual changes you can make, Spicetify also allows you to inject extensions and custom apps into Spotify. 

The image above shows one of the extensions, a pop-up lyrics widget that will sit atop any app you're currently using. It behaves like a pop-out video player might, so wherever you are you can see the lyrics of the track you're listening to. 

But rather than using the command line to apply these, I've found it's simplest to just add them into the config file. You can do as many as you want in a single hit, then just go back to the terminal and use the spicetify apply command to install and refresh everything.

The config file is simple to navigate and allows you to make many changes in one go.  (Image credit: Windows Central)

To edit the config file, you simply need a text editor and to know where the file is. Type spicetify -c into PowerShell, and it'll present you the location on your PC. I'm using VS Code in this example, but other text editors will also suffice if you don't have that. 

To add extensions, you need to know the file name, which can be found by looking at the Spicetify extensions catalog. Then add them like the following under the [AdditionalOptions] section of the config file after extensions =. In this example, I'm adding the trash bin and the pop-up lyrics:

trashbin.js|popupLyrics.js

The same applies to custom apps, though there are less of these. I've added one that curates new releases from artists I'm following by date, and you apply these in the same section of the config file under custom_apps following the same template as with the extensions above. 

The config file can also be used to make changes to the theme rather than applying a new one through the command line. It's especially useful to change the theme in this way if the one you're using has multiple colour schemes since you can make changes to both in one go. 

For example, in the image above, you'll see I've applied the theme "Text" and the colour scheme "Dracula" to my config file. Once you're happy with all your changes, save the file, go back to the terminal, and give it a quick spicetify apply to get them all ready, and you're all set. 

Again, the Spicetify documentation contains all the details you need on what you can apply and what each addition does. 

Make Spotify your own

The New Releases custom app makes organising the latest from your favorite artists so much easier. (Image credit: Windows Central)

I'm really happy I stumbled on Spicetify in one of my regular GitHub surfing sessions. With even just a few tweaks, I'm much happier with the Windows app now, and running a Dracula-themed interface that looks like it belongs in a terminal, I am happy, content, and enjoy using it so much more. 

The talk of the command line can be off-putting, but there's nothing to be afraid of. It's really easy to use, the documentation is excellent, and if you make a copy of the config file, you can easily paste your favorite settings across machines, too. 

If you're a Spotify user on Windows, give it a try. I'm pretty confident it'll make enjoying the app so much better for you!

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One specific issue is something that may get some personal attention from Mikhail Parakhin, the recently named leader of Microsoft's Windows and Web Experiences team. He frequently answers questions and deals with requests from people on X (formerly Twitter).

Late on December 31, one person on X, Mark Szili, made this request of Parakhin: "please just fix the start menu so I can scroll all the apps without an extra "all apps" click"

Parakhin responded on his X account with this reply:

That is so true! Annoys the hell out of me, too. Pushing the team - we need to make Start menu great again.

That response is interesting in two different ways. One is that the extra "all apps" click to scroll all the apps in the Start menu does indeed annoy the current head of Windows and he wants the dev team to fix it. The other is that Parakhin's reply to "make Start menu great again" seems to indicate he wants to improve the overall Start menu experience in Windows, which could please a lot of PC users.

Parakhin used X on December 31 to poll developers on "Which UX framework in Windows should we invest more in?". He also asked developers in another X poll, "In Windows, in C++, which multithreading/concurrency framework are you using?."

Unconfirmed reports indicate we could get a small "Moment 5" feature update for Windows 11 in early 2024, followed by a much bigger Windows OS update for sometime later in the new year.

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In December 2023, Windows 11 lost a small fraction of its user base. According to Statcounter, it went down from 26.63% to 26.54%

With Windows 10 scheduled to reach its end of life in less than two years from now, customers are slowly migrating from the aging operating system. However, hundreds of millions of customers are still perfectly fine using Windows 10. It holds approximately 67.46% of all Windows users, a 0.56 points decrease compared with November 2023.

Windows 11 and its higher-than-expected hardware requirements created a notable market segmentation. And with the next-generation Windows coming later this year, Microsoft has a tough decision to make: call it Windows 12 and help its partners' market departments sell more devices or prevent further segmentation by sticking to the current brand. According to the recent report, the company has yet to make up its mind.

As for older, now-dead Windows versions, they still have a fair share of users. Windows 7 is at 3.34%, Windows 8.1 is at 1.66%, and 0.64% still enjoy Windows XP, the operating system Microsoft quit supporting a decade ago. Windows 10 will join their ranks in October 2025, but Microsoft will let users get two extra years of paid extended security updates. Interestingly, regular consumers can also join the Extended Security Program. We do not know how much Microsoft plans to charge for that, but the end of Windows 10 support and its paid updates might become a big problem regardless of price.

You can find more information about the latest data from Statcounter on its official website. Click here to learn how the service gathers the data for its report.

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After losing second place to Safari in May 2023, Microsoft Edge is back from third to second most popular desktop browser. It increased its market share in December 2023, going up from 11.23% to 11.9%. That is an all-time high for Edge, which is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Apple's Safari, on the other hand, is the only non-cross-platform desktop browser in the report. Last month, it went from 13.3% to 8.96% (there is no information on what is behind such a drastic change), coming dangerously close to Firefox with its 7.62% (+0.93 points).

Google Chrome is still the go-to browser for most users on desktop computers. It owns the market with its massive 65.23% market share, which increased by 3.17 points in December 2023.

Finally, Opera closes the top 5 desktop browser list with a 3.8% market share (-0.74 points).

1. Google Chrome: 65.23% (+0.93 points)
2. Microsoft Edge: 11.9% (+0.67 points)
3. Apple Safari: 8.96% (-4.07 points)
4. Mozilla Firefox: 7.62% (+0.93 points)
5. Opera: 3.8% (-0.74 points)

And here is what things look like on the mobile side of the market:

1. Google Chrome: 64.93% (+0.39 points)
2. Apple Safari: 24.71% (-0.45 points)
3. Samsung Internet: 4.48% (-0.1 points)
4. Opera: 2.28% (+0.18 points)
5. UC Browser: 1.48% (+0.03 points)

Microsoft Edge also has a fair share of users on iPhone and Android, but it is nowhere near its competitors. Statcounter says Edge's mobile market share is about 0.24%.

You can learn more about the latest Statcounter browser report on the official website. Remember that third-party stats reports cannot be 100% accurate. More info on how Statcounter gathers its data is available here.

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2023 has been a heck of a year for Microsoft and, more specifically, Windows. Windows 11 has been available for a little over two years now. And contrary to Microsoft's expectations, the operating system's adoption rate is stunted at best.

Admittedly, Microsoft has doubled down on its efforts to improve Windows 11's usability by often shipping new updates and neat features. In the same breath, Microsoft has deprecated 16 different Windows 11 features in 2023, including Cortana, WordPad, and more. And as it seems, more features are likely to hit the axe soon. Just a few days ago, the company decided to pull the plug on its Windows VR platform, Windows Mixed Reality. 

Windows 11's slow adoption rate

Many reasons can be attributed to the OS's slow adoption rate, but perhaps at the top of the list (at least for most people) might be Microsoft's strict minimum system requirements for the OS coupled with the dramatic shift in the PC market.

However, Microsoft shares a different account on paper, citing that Windows 11 is already running on 400 million devices, with projections of the figure shooting to half a billion by early 2024.

According to a survey conducted by StatCounter earlier this year, statistics show that the majority of Windows users many users still use and prefer Windows 10 over its successor. The survey indicated that Windows 10 takes up 71.9% of the market share, while Windows 11 staggered behind with a 22.95% stake.

As you might be aware, Microsoft is set to cut support for Windows 10 in October 2025. In a perfect world, users should have already started to make the transition to Windows 11, but this isn't the case entirely. 

In the interim, users can continue running Windows 10 on PCs as it will continue receiving security and feature updates, though Microsoft recommends transitioning to Windows 11.

Windows 12: Is the world ready for fully-fledged AI-powered OS?

It's almost certain that Windows 12 is in production. Microsoft is placing all its bets on AI for Windows 12 once it's available (potentially next year during the Fall) owing to Microsoft's keen interest and heavy investment in generative technology. We already know quite a bit about the OS, and here's everything we know so far. 

Microsoft cutting support Windows 10 could harm its sustainability goals

According to a new survey by Canalys, approximately 240 million Windows PCs could potentially wind up redundant after Microsoft officially pulls support for Windows 10, as spotted by Neowin. 

It's still unclear how much users will have to pay to continue using Windows 10 well beyond its cut-off point (ideally, it shouldn't be much). Microsoft could potentially taint its image if a whopping 240 PCs end up being dumped, as this goes against its sustainability goals.

A workaround for Windows 10 users beyond 2025

A Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) recently filed a petition asking Microsoft to reconsider pulling support for Windows 10 in 2025. The group pointed out that will deter the company from its sustainable goals, further citing that the move would lead to "the single biggest jump in junked computers ever." 

The interest group attributed this to the fact that about 40% of users are still running Windows 10 on their PCs and are yet to transition to Windows 11 because of its strict minimum requirements.

Shortly after the petition was filed, Microsoft announced an "extended security update" (ESU) program for Windows 10. The ESU program is essentially in place to allow users to pay for monthly security updates beyond Windows 10's end-of-support date.

This adds three years of continued support from Microsoft for Windows 10 after it officially cut support for the OS on October 14, 2025. Unlike in the past, where the program was exclusively available for commercial customers, this new arrangement will be available for everyone willing to pay for the extension, including consumer customers.

Come to think of it; this lines up perfectly with Microsoft's move to ship its AI-baked assistant Copilot to Windows 10 users. It seems Windows 10 will continue to lurk in the rearview mirror well beyond 2025 in this new age of AI.

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You're welcome.

After a reported small "Moment 5" update for Windows 11 in the early part of 2024, Microsoft is rumored to launch a major update for Windows, which may or may not be called Windows 12, later in the year, with AI-based features and more.

One thing we do know is that Mikhail Parakhin will be a major factor in upcoming Windows updates. In September, he was named as the head of a new Windows and Web Experiences team after the previous Windows head, Panos Panay, left the company to join Amazon. Parakhin also continues to help lead the development of Copilot (formerly Bing Chat).

For the last day of 2023, Parakhin posted on X (formerly Twitter) to get some feedback from Windows developers. Specifically, he asked, "Which UX framework in Windows should we invest more in?"

The choices in the X poll were WPF, WinUI 3, WinForms, and Raw Win32. At the time of this writing, the poll shows WinUI 3 with a commanding vote lead of 69.2 percent, but the voting is still in the early stages.

Parakhin also posted another poll question on X, asking developers "In Windows, in C++, which multithreading/concurrency framework are you using?." The four choices were C++ 20 Native Threads, PPL/Concurrency RT in VS, TBB, and Open MP. In the early voting, C++ 20 native threads is well ahead with 64.4 percent of the votes as of this writing.

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You're welcome.