To use it in Edge, users of the web browser need to right-click on an active tab in the web browser and select "send tab to your devices" from the context menu. Edge opens a list of all user devices, those associated with the user through sign-ins into the Microsoft account, and one may be selected to send the page of the tab to that device.

It is a feature that works best if syncing is not enabled, or if the open tabs syncing option is disabled. The sent tab is opened automatically on the new device when Edge is opened.

Tip: find out how to view and clear Microsoft Edge's download history.

Sent pages in History

source Leopeva64-2 / Reddit

There is no indication on source Edge installation that a page was sent to another device; this may change in the near future as Microsoft is working on a new browsing history page in Microsoft Edge that adds the list of sent pages to it.

Access appears limited currently, even in Microsoft Edge Canary and other development versions of the browser. Edge users may check the history page by selecting Menu > History > Menu (three-dots) > Open history page, through the shortcut Ctrl-H, or by loading edge://history in the browser's address bar directly.

The new Sent pages option is listed in the sidebar on the History page. A click on it lists all pages that were sent in chronological order. Page titles and the date a page was sent are listed on the page.

Tabs that were sent from other devices are found under Tabs from other devices on the history page. There, users find all tabs sent from other devices, and not only those sent to a specific device with Microsoft Edge.

Tabs sent from other devices will also appear in the History flyout menu, but the functionality has not been added yet to Microsoft Edge. A future update will introduce it in the browser.

Closing Words

Microsoft Edge's Sent Tab functionality has specific use cases currently, as it is limited to sending tabs from one Edge instance the user is signed-in to another. It is unclear if Microsoft has plans to expand this to other programs or apps, or if the feature will remain restricted to Edge.

Sending tabs is a quick way of pushing a page to another Edge instance, especially since the tab is opened on the next start of the browser automatically.

It feels like a niche feature, however, and the integration of the new Sent Pages subpage in the History won't likely change that.

More users are probably using the Share functionality integrated in Microsoft Edge to push webpages to other apps or for sharing.

Now You: do you send tabs to other browsers / devices regularly?

Source

It appears that Microsoft has changed its mind regarding implementing mouse gestures in its browser. A recent update to the Edge policies documentation reveals the company's plan to add mouse gestures in Edge 112 and onward. The feature has yet to arrive for testing in the preview channels, but the policy description already provides a brief explanation of what is to come.

Mouse gestures are a popular feature among browser power users. For example, Opera and Vivaldi let you perform various actions by holding the right-click button and swiping in different directions. You can swipe down to close a tab, swipe up to refresh, etc. The feature has a tremendous productivity value and can make interacting with the browser and web pages significantly faster.

Microsoft has been reluctant to add mouse gestures to Edge. A couple of years ago, the company revealed that it has no plans to develop the feature (one of the most requested among Edge users) in its browser, but now we have proof of a total U-turn from Edge developers. Interestingly, the last "Top feedback summary" post for November 2022 still says Microsoft does not plan to implement mouse gestures.

Here is how Microsoft describes the feature in the documentation:

This feature provides an easy way for users to complete tasks like scroll forward or backward, open new tab, refresh page, etc. They can finish a task by pressing and holding the mouse right button to draw certain patterns on a webpage, instead of clicking the buttons or using keyboard shortcuts.

It is great to see Microsoft adding a much-requested productivity feature (it will pair well with the recently announced Split Screen). The browser certainly has some problems with recommended content and questionable UI changes, but it still aims to deliver a great productivity-focused experience.

Microsoft is working on adding mouse gestures to Edge

Soon after this, Microsoft decided to make this far more conspicuous by adding it to the desktop itself. It began with the Dev Channel where a new "System requirements not met" watermark will show on the screen alongside the Windows version and build number.

A new report by Deskmodder claims that this watermark has now begun rolling out to build 22621 users as well, which means it is hitting Windows 11 version 22H2, and perhaps more Beta Channel Insiders as well. Around a month after Windows 11 22H2 or the Windows 11 2022 Update went public, Microsoft had quietly updated the supported processors list for Windows 11 22H2. The requirements didn't really change compared to the original Windows 21H2 release as a few newly released chips from AMD and Intel were added.

In case you come across the "System requirements not met" watermark on your desktop, you can use this guide to disable it. Microsoft has also published a support document about how to disable the message inside Settings.

Windows 11 "System requirements not met" watermark apparently begins haunting 22H2 users now

On the latest Dev build, 25295, Microsoft, it seems, is looking to rename this "Recommended" portion on Windows 11 Start menu as "For you". The change was discovered by Twitter user PhantomOcean3. Aside from that, the overall functionality of the feature appears to remain the same. It is however disabled and not a part of the announced changes. It requires velocity feature ID "42533185" for enablement (not recommended as it is an experimental feature and can lead to major issues).

via PhantomOcean3 (Twitter)

There is however a method which lets users disable the recommendations, and PhantomOcean3 notes that it also works the same on the new "For you" as well. So if the feature does roll out in a future build, users who don't like it, should be able to turn it off.

On Valentine's week, Microsoft mulling over renaming Windows 11 Recommendations as "For you"

On February 14th, 2023, Internet Explorer 11 will be permanently disabled on Windows 10 devices. The browser never made its way into Windows 11 officially, and all previous client versions of Windows are no longer supported by Microsoft.

This leaves Windows 10. One particularly interesting aspect of the disabling is that the change is not applied via a Windows Update, but as a Microsoft Edge update. The update will be delivered to home and commercial devices, and there won't be an option to reverse the change once the update has been installed on the Windows 10 device.

When the update is applied on Windows 10 machines, attempts to launch Internet Explorer will launch the Microsoft Edge web browser instead. Internet Explorer icons on the taskbar and start menu are not removed immediately. Activation of these opens Edge, however, and not the previously linked web browser.

Internet Explorer 11 browsing data will be migrated to Microsoft Edge during the process, so that IE 11 users "can seamlessly continue browsing" according to Microsoft.

Microsoft plans to remove the visual references to Internet Explorer 11 in the June 2023 update, scheduled for a release on June 13, 2023.

Microsoft retired Internet Explorer 11 on most Windows 10 versions in mid-2022, but did not remove Internet Explorer files or functionality at the time. Home users and organizations could still load and use the classic Windows browser after its retirement date.

Internet Explorer Mode

Microsoft integrated Internet Explorer mode, IE mode, into the Edge web browser. It is designed to load webpages that use Internet Explorer-specific technologies.

IE mode is a built-in feature that loads a known list of websites that rely on Internet Explorer technology automatically when launched.  Administrators may enable IE Mode using policies so that websites may be launched manually using the feature in Microsoft Edge.

Administrators may consult Microsoft's Get started with IE mode configuration, for instructions on enabling the legacy feature on Windows 10 devices.

Still not the end of Internet Explorer 11

While Internet Explorer 11 will be permanently disabled on all Windows 10 client versions, it remains available on certain Windows 10 editions, Windows Server and also older versions of Windows that are no longer supported.

Windows 10 client LTSC, Long Term Servicing Channel, editions, Windows Server LTSC and SAC, as well as several other editions, won't have Internet Explorer 11 disabled. These may continue to receive support for Internet Explorer 11, including monthly security updates for the web browser.

Closing Words

Tomorrow's Patch Day is a special one. Not only will it disable Internet Explorer 11 on most Windows 10 devices permanently, it is also the first Patch Tuesday without support for Windows 7 and Windows 8 systems. These won't receive security or other updates anymore.

Organizations who rely on IE technology may use Internet Explorer Mode in Microsoft Edge to load webpages and applications.

Now You: when was the last time you used Internet Explorer?

Reminder: Internet Explorer 11 will be permanently disabled on February 14

Mozilla removes Bypass Paywalls Clean extension from its add-ons repository

It is unclear why the add-on has been removed, the developer claims that Mozilla took it off the repository without any notification. They also speculated that it maybe because the extension had too many users. You may refer to their Twitter, Gitlab page to read the above statement.

I already explained the add-on's functionality in the first line of this article.  Now, it is possible that one of the sites hit the Bypass Paywalls Clean add-on with a DMCA notice, which in turn could have resulted in Mozilla delisting the extension from its store. I'm not entirely sure about this, because if that was the case, wouldn't Mozilla have notified the developer? Or maybe it breached some clause in the terms and conditions of the repository. We can't tell that for sure, all that we know is that you can no longer download the plugin from the add-ons store.

The developer says that they have updated the add-on to version 3.5.0. You may not see the update even if you already have the extension, because it has been delisted. You can, however, opt-to install the unsigned version by sideloading the XPI from the project's GitLab releases page. If you choose to go with that version, you should export your custom filters before switching.

Not many people may like using unsigned add-ons for security reasons. The good news it that the author of the add-on also maintains a filter list that you can use with ad blockers, so you will get the same functionality without the extension, at least as far as the popular sites are concerned. Here's how to use it.

How to bypass paywalled articles using uBlock Origin

1. Click on the uBlock Origin icon in your browser.

2. Switch to the Filter lists tab.

3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click the checkbox next to "Import".

4. This will allow you to use custom filter lists. Paste the following URL in the text box.

https://gitlab.com/magnolia1234/bypass-paywalls-clean-filters/-/raw/main/bpc-paywall-filter.txt

5. Click on the Apply changes button at the top of the page. You should see a new filter labelled "Bypass Paywalls Clean filter".

That's it, the filter is ready to use. Try it by going to a website that has a paywall, and you should be able to access the articles for free.

This method works with Firefox, Waterfox, Chrome, Vivaldi, Edge, and Brave, basically any browser that supports uBlock Origin, Adblock Plus, etc., that supports custom filter lists.

Note: The website for the filter list mentions that it can be used with other ad blocker apps for mobile like AdGuard for iOS, Samsung Internet browser, etc. I haven't tried these so YMMV, I use the filter on Firefox for Android.

If you don't want to use the ad blocker filter, you can choose to subscribe to the Bypass Paywalls Clean user script via the Violentmonkey (for Firefox or Chrome), or similar extensions. The user script is available in 9 languages, and can be found on GitLab.

I use the add-on frequently to research stuff, learn new things. This is how the internet should be, free for everyone, without censorship and restrictions.

Note: There is an add-on called Bypass Paywalls, which is actually the original one. However, it uses Google analytics (in the Chrome version), you can verify that by checking its source code (Background.js mentions it). Bypass Paywalls Clean is a fork of it without the telemetry, hence the name "Clean".

Mozilla removes Bypass Paywalls Clean extension from its add-ons repository; here are some alternative ways to use it

The new History section is currently available to a limited set of Edge insiders in the Canary Channel. Those with the lucky ticket can access the feature by clicking the Sent pages tab on the edge://history page. Alternatively, you can open your browser's history by pressing Ctrl + H.

Although the latest update to how Edge logs your web surfing is by no means groundbreaking, it will surely come in handy for those frequently juggling tabs between different devices. Unfortunately, there is no "Received pages" section, which is a logical extension of the idea. Perhaps, future updates will bring the needed enhancements.

Speaking of earth-shattering news, Microsoft recently unveiled a design overhaul for its browser. Edge will soon receive a massive rounded corners™ treatment alongside the new search engine powered by ChatGPT. Although the reception of the latter has been overwhelmingly positive (so much it caused Google's employees to dunk on its recent Bard announcement), not everyone is a fan of the updated Edge UI. Fortunately, you can disable it with a bunch of built-in flags.

Source: u/Leopeva64-2 on Reddit

Microsoft Edge will keep track of tabs you sent to other devices

New features land in a number of ways in Windows 11. There is the annual feature update, updates using servicing technology, and also updates via the Microsoft Store. Microsoft calls this constant delivery of updates continuous innovation.

Back in 2019, Microsoft shipped the Windows 10 version 1909 feature update via an enablement package. What that meant was that the update was already on the Windows 10 device, but not yet activated. The enablement package, once installed on the device, would unlock the features of the feature update on the Windows 10 device.

One of the main advantages of the approach was that the update processed quickly in a matter of minutes. Compared to previous feature updates, which could take half an hour or longer to fully proceed, it was a speedier approach.

Microsoft used the same system to deliver all other Windows 10 feature updates that came after Windows 10 version 1909.

Windows 11 and continuous innovation

Microsoft plans to extend the core functionality in Windows 11 further "by releasing new features and enhancements into Windows 11 more frequently".

The features come via serving technology, e.g., a monthly cumulative update or Microsoft Store update, in addition to the yearly major feature updates.

In other words: monthly updates for Windows 11 may also introduce new features in the operating system. Features are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout, which means that the new features are enabled gradually.

Windows 11 Policy: Enable features introduced via servicing that are off by default

Microsoft created a new policy that controls these feature drops. On managed devices, all features introduced via servicing are not enabled by default. Organizations may use the new policy to enable these features on managed devices.

Administrators find the policy under  Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage end user experience > Enable features introduced via servicing that are off by default in the Group Policy editor, or under Policy > Config > Update > AllowTemporaryEnterpriseFeatureControl (Configuration Service Provider (CSP)).

When the policy is set to enabled, all "off"-features that were delivered to the device using servicing are enabled on the next reboot of the system. All future features delivered via servicing updates will be enabled by default immediately.

Keeping the default setting or setting it to off prevents the early installation of these features. They will be turned on after a device is updated to the next annual feature update.

When an administrator switches the policy back to disabled after it was enabled, all features delivered via servicing will be turned off again on the next reboot.

The policy is available in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25295 at the time of writing.

Closing Words

The policy does not seem to apply to non-managed Windows 11 devices. These get features enabled automatically and the only recourse seems to be to block certain updates from being installed. The approach is not practical, as this would mean that security updates do not get installed on the Windows 11 device either.

Now You: which do you favor? Constant feature drops or one major feature drop a year? (via Deskmodder)

New Windows 11 policy to enable features immediately

A recent addition to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap includes Feature ID 117426. This item indicates that Microsoft is working on a more unified OneDrive for web experience. What this means is that rather than just showing you the content you have manually stored on your OneDrive, the web experience will also show files and folders that you have shared across Microsoft 365 apps. This material may include files shared over email, Teams chat, and meetings.

There will also be an activity column to show you the updates across all your shared files. Furthermore, in order to simplify the UX a bit, the company will also be offering new filtering pills so you can zero in on the files that you need. This updated experience is expected to hit general availability next month.

OneDrive isn't the only Microsoft utility getting updates. In fact, the firm has also updated the Microsoft 365 Roadmap to reveal some upcoming features for Whiteboard. They are listed below:

• Start new whiteboards with templates (August 2023): This feature will bring templates front and center when creating a new whiteboard. When starting a whiteboard, users will be able to choose from a selection of templates or explore all templates to pre-populate a new whiteboard. Users can also start from suggested templates from a blank whiteboard.

• Connectors [Line Anchoring] (August 2023): This feature will provide the ability to create more effective flowcharts and diagrams. It will allow you to anchor lines between different shapes, and easily create new shapes and lines off of existing ones.

• Voting (July 2023): This feature will bring a more formalized voting function to Whiteboard. This can be used in order to gather feedback from participants to come to conclusions during various activities. This will have the ability to be anonymous or not.

• Existing Azure Board Migration (July 2023): This feature will migrate boards that exist in your tenant's Azure storage to OneDrive for Business storage. More information will follow as we near release.

• Import ADO/Jira work items (July 2023): Import ADO/Jira work items onto whiteboards to collectively brainstorm and ideate with your colleagues. (Note: The initial release will only provide support for work/school accounts & will allow importing existing work items but neither updating them nor creating new ones).

• Create Loop tables and task lists (July 2023): Insert new Loop tables and task lists directly into whiteboards and copy/paste them across other Microsoft 365 hosts to coauthor content with others in real-time.

   

Are you looking forward to the new OneDrive for the web experience? Do any upcoming Whiteboard capabilities pique your interest? Let us know in the comments section below!

Microsoft is working on a unified OneDrive for web experience, updates for Whiteboard

Updates to the Chromium Gerrit site (via 9to5Google) apparently suggested that Google is adding a feature called "Conversational Search" to its ChromeOS launcher experiments. Specifically, the listing on the site seemingly stated that the experiment was "To evaluate the viability of a conversational search provider as part of launcher search."

9to5Google adds that if that Conversational Search feature is enabled, it replaces the normal search in the ChromeOS launcher with the Bard chatbot AI. It will then appear as its own page on the launcher. Since its article was posted, references to the "Conversational Search" appear to have been removed from the Chromium Gerrit site.

Of course, Google adds experimental code to ChromeOS all the time, and not all of those experiments make it to the final version of the operating system. Still, the fact that code for adding Bard in ChromeOS was put in at some point may show that Google could add the chatbot AI into more than just Google Search. We will have to wait a bit longer to see Google's full plans for Bard.

Source: Chromium Gerrit via 9to5Google

It's possible Google may be working to add Bard AI chatbot support to ChromeOS

However, there's a potential flaw in KeePass that's recently been uncovered, which could allow an attacker to get their hands on all your locally stored passwords using a basic tool like Notepad. Although the creator of KeePass hasn't commented directly on this issue, it's still a concern for those who place a high value on the security of their password information.

How KeePass works

KeePass is highly customizable, surpassing all other password managers. The customization is done through a system of triggers, conditions, and actions. Triggers can be simple events like launching the program, opening a database, or shutting down the program, or more advanced events like time-based triggers or custom button triggers. Triggers can also be set to activate only when specific conditions are met, such as the presence of a particular file or the availability of a remote host.

The majority of actions in KeePass relate to internal operations like importing/exporting the password database or syncing it with a backup file. But triggers can also execute command lines or launch URLs, which is highly desirable for hackers. The KeePass website provides examples of useful triggers, such as backing up the database, exporting it to a secondary format, and syncing it with cloud storage.

How to abuse the trigger system

In January 2023, security expert Alex Hernandez revealed a potential attack on KeePass, where the trigger system could be abused to extract a plain text version of all passwords stored in the database. The National Institute of Standards and Technology took the report seriously and added it to their vulnerability database under the identifier CVE-2023-24055. However, KeePass disputes these findings.

Hernandez shared the code for this attack on Github, which can be reviewed by those with technical knowledge. In short, the attack involves editing the KeePass configuration file to create an action that triggers when the database is saved. This causes KeePass to export the password database to a plain text file without requiring the master password. Another trigger then uploads this exported file to a server waiting to receive it. All that is required to carry out this attack is the ability to edit the KeePass configuration file, which can be done either by accessing an unlocked computer and using a text editor or by using a remote access Trojan to do it remotely.

Security devs should assume that a system is compromised

Despite the report from Hernandez about a potential attack on KeePass, the creator and founder of KeePass, Dominik Reichl, brushed off the supposed vulnerability. He argued that anyone with enough privilege to edit the configuration file can cause even more damage and dismissed the need for a change in KeePass. He stated that KeePass cannot guarantee security in an insecure environment. 

However, in today's security landscape, the idea is to assume that the system is already compromised and find ways to maintain security. This approach, known as Zero Trust, is central to many modern security practices, including cloud-based password managers that authenticate users without actually knowing their passwords.

Trusting KeePass means trusting third-party plug-ins

Local-only storage has been a popular feature of KeePass, but it comes with some trade-offs. While it's great that KeePass stores your passwords solely on your PC, manual syncing with another installation can be tedious. However, KeePass does have plug-ins that make syncing easier, but using them means trusting a third party to handle your data securely. This puts your passwords at risk, just like with cloud-based password managers. Although basic cloud storage services have security features, they're not as robust as dedicated password storage in the cloud.

Keep in mind, local storage doesn't mean you can't sync securely. For example, the now-defunct MyKi used to store passwords on mobile devices and sync them through relay servers without storing them on the servers. Unfortunately, MyKi shut down after being acquired by JumpCloud. To sum it up, KeePass does offer local storage, but if you want easy syncing, you're exposing yourself to more security risks.

Should you still trust KeePass?

So nothing really happened in January with KeePass. There was no attack or data breach. The researcher just pointed out an existing vulnerability that has been around for years. The cool customization options in KeePass that people love can also make it vulnerable if not used carefully.

If you still want to use KeePass, be sure to take some precautions, like keeping good antivirus software and a strong password for your Windows account. If you need to step away from your desk, lock your computer to protect your passwords. However, if you want to sync your passwords automatically, you'll have to trust the author of the sync plugin and rely on the security of your cloud storage provider. This means your passwords could be exposed if either the plugin or the cloud storage provider is not secure.

Source

Securing the Local Security Authority subsystem is one of the most important steps you can take to safeguard your system and accounts against cyber threats. By enabling Local Security Authority protection, you will have increased control over potential cleartext password vulnerabilities and password dumping attacks, providing an extra layer of security for your system.This guide will show you how to turn on Local Security Authority (LSA) Protection in Windows 11.

How to enable LSA protection on Windows 11

Windows 11 provides support for Local Security Authority protection to help prevent unauthorized access to your system by attackers. In this post, we'll cover three methods for enabling LSA Protection in Windows 11:

• Using the Windows Security app.
• Using the Windows Registry Editor.
• Using the Local Group Policy Editor.

It's important to note that you need to have administrator privileges to enable the extra protection for Local Security Authority in Windows 11.

How to enable LSA using the Windows Security app

To enable the Local Security Authority protection in Windows 11 using the Windows Security app, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Windows search bar and type 'windows security'.
2. Select the 'Windows Security' option from the search results.
3. Expand the left menu in the Windows Security app by clicking on the menu icon.
4. Click on the 'Device Security' option.
5. Under the 'Core isolation' section, click on the 'Core isolation details' link.
6. Turn on the toggle button for the 'Local Security Authority protection' option.
7. Confirm the change by clicking 'Yes' in the User Account Control prompt that appears.
8. Finally, restart your PC to apply the changes.

By enabling the Local Security Authority protection, you can protect your device and system resources from attackers who might try to gain unauthorized access to your system by stealing your credentials. The ‘Local Security Authority protection is off, Your device may be vulnerable’ alert in Windows Security is a warning message that your device is at risk, so it's important to fix it by enabling the feature.

How to enable LSA using the Registry Editor

You can also enable the Local Security Authority protection through Windows Registry. However, before you make any changes, it's important to back up your registry or create a system restore point to keep your system secure.

Here's how you can do it:

1. Press the Win + R key combination and type 'regedit' in the Run dialogue box.
2. Hit the Enter key.
3. Say yes to the User Account Control prompt.
4. In the Registry Editor, navigate to this path: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa
5. On the right panel, double-click on RunAsPPL.
6. Change the value data to 1 and hit OK.
7. Finally, restart your PC to apply the changes.

How to enable LSA using the Group Policy Editor

If you have a Windows Pro or Enterprise edition, you can use the bundled Local Group Policy Editor to enable the Local Security Authority protection. If you have the Home edition, don't worry, you can still access this tool using Policy Plus freeware. Just make sure to create a system restore point before making any changes to your Windows Policy.

Here's how you can enable the Local Security Authority protection with the Local Group Policy Editor:

1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing Win+R and type 'gpedit.msc.'
2. Press Enter and navigate to Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Local Security Authority in the Local Group Policy Editor window.
3. In the right panel, double-click on 'Configure LSASS to run as a protected process' policy.

In the policy settings window, select 'Enabled' and choose either 'Enabled with UEFI Lock' or 'Enabled without UEFI Lock' in the dropdown menu.

1. If you choose 'Enabled with UEFI Lock,' LSA will run as a protected process and the configuration can't be disabled remotely.
2. Click OK, then Apply.

Source

Russ Cox, a Google software engineer steering the development of the open source Go programming language, has presented a possible plan to implement telemetry in the Go toolchain.

However many in the Go community object because the plan calls for telemetry by default.

These alarmed developers would prefer an opt-in rather than an opt-out regime, a position the Go team rejects because it would ensure low adoption and would reduce the amount of telemetry data received to the point it would be of little value.

Cox's proposal summarized lengthier documentation in three blog posts.

Telemetry, as Cox describes it, involves software sending data from Go software to a server to provide information about which functions are being used and how the software is performing. He argues it is beneficial for open source projects to have that information to guide development.

"I believe that open-source software projects need to explore new telemetry designs that help developers get the information they need to work efficiently and effectively, without collecting invasive traces of detailed user activity," he wrote.

And the absence of telemetry data, he contends, makes it more difficult for project maintainers to understand what's important, what's working, and to prioritize changes, thereby making maintainer burnout more likely.

But such is Google's reputation these days that many considering the proposal have doubts, despite the fact that the data collection contemplated involves measuring the usage of language features and language performance. The proposal isn't about the sort of sensitive personal data vacuumed up by Google's ad-focused groups.

Hang on – you're Google's mate, aren't you?

Even so, IT consultant Jacob Weisz makes it clear that Go cannot escape its association with Google, any more than Java can be separated from Oracle or Swift from Apple. He wrote in a reply to the proposal on GitHub that he had resisted Go for years because of its association with Google and only recently started to work with it because friends have convinced him that it isn't that closely associated with the company.

"Now you guys want to introduce telemetry into your programming language?" Weisz said. "This is how you drive off any person who even considered giving your project a chance despite the warning signs. Please don't do this, and please issue a public apology for even proposing it. Please leave a blast radius around this idea wide enough that nobody even suggests trying to do this again."

He added: "Trust in Google's behavior is at an all time low, and moves like this are a choice to shove what's left of it off the edge of a cliff."

Toronto-based software developer Connie Lukawski put it more succinctly: "No telemetry in my toolchains, hard pass."

That reaction is by no means universal – telemetry has passionate defenders.

But it's useful...

Former Google cryptographer and current open source maintainer Filippo Valsorda, in a post to Mastodon, expressed support for the Go proposal and disappointment in the tenor of the criticism.

"This is a large unconventional design, there are a lot of tradeoffs worth discussing and details to explore," he wrote. "When Russ showed it to me I made at least a dozen suggestions and many got implemented."

"Instead: all opt-out telemetry is unethical; Google is evil; this is not needed. No one even argued why publishing any of this data could be a problem."

Rejection of the suggested opt-out default is common among those choosing to comment on the proposal. Weisz's comment had received 59 upvotes and 24 downvotes at the time this story was filed, which perhaps can be taken as a snapshot of the divide – if online votes count for anything.

Reached via email, Weisz told The Register that reactions to the telemetry proposal appear mostly to be negative.

"Many community members believe that telemetry should either be opt-in, a.k.a. voluntary, or not included at all," Weisz explained. "The Go team has not expressed any criteria by which they will decide whether or not to move forward with the proposal, leading several to wonder if the decision has already been made."

Weisz compared the Go proposal to Microsoft's decision to add telemetry to the .NET developer tools, which similarly transmitted data by default unless the developer opted out.

"The Go team has been described to me before as being backed or funded by Google, but not heavily directed by Google's corporate interests," said Weisz. "I think that's a common interpretation of where the Go team sits within Google. Many people view the Go team considering collecting data as a sign that the Go team is not necessarily more trustworthy than its parent company."

Google as a company has seen its reputation slip in recent years. In 2016, Google ranked third in a Harris Poll report on the top 10 companies for corporate reputation, behind Amazon and Apple. In 2022, Google ranked 31.

But it may be simpler than brand association. Some people believe they have a right to privacy, to be left alone, and to demand that their rights are respected through opt-in consent.

As developer Louis Thibault put it, "The Go dev team seems not to have internalized the principle of affirmative consent in matters of data collection."

Others, particularly in the ad industry, but in other endeavors as well, see opt-in as an existential threat. They believe that they have a right to gather data and that it's better to seek forgiveness via opt-out than to ask for permission unlikely to be given via opt-in.

Reconciling these positions has never really worked, as can be seen in the way discussion moderators have allegedly hidden posts critical of Google as being off-topic. Privacy extremists are just, well, extreme and should be ignored to the extent possible.

Supporters of the proposal want to discuss how telemetry should be done and detractors say the issue is whether telemetry should even be considered. Those are different discussions.

A developer account identified as tv42 makes it clear that mustering arguments about the kind of data collected miss the mark: "I fundamentally don't care how 'good' Go telemetrics would be, because I don't want the FOSS ecosystem as a whole to take any more steps down that slippery slope. There will not be a way back from this."

Software is so much easier when you can move fast and break things. ®

Source

Microsoft's Edge browser will be getting a significant facelift in the coming months, thanks to Adobe.

The same week the giant software maker said it is bringing the hype-tastic ChatGPT AI tool to Edge (and Bing), it also announced it is replacing the fairly basic PDF reader currently built into the browser with a new one powered by Adobe's Acrobat PDF engine.

The decision is part of a larger plan between the two companies to bring Adobe technologies like e-signature and documentation automation to Microsoft users. Already Adobe PDF and e-sign technologies have been integrated into Microsoft 365, Teams, and SharePoint.

Now this is coming to Edge, presumably with Adobe's PDF engine replacing the built-in tech that the browser's Chromium heart uses.

"Bringing Adobe and Microsoft closer together is good for productivity and good for customers," Jared Spataro, corporate vice president of modern work and business applications at Microsoft, said in a statement. "Adobe's PDF technology in Microsoft Edge means users will have fast and secure access to critical digital document capabilities."

The idea is to bring the richer set of features in Adobe's Acrobat PDF engine to Edge, including higher fidelity for better colors and graphics, better performance, strong security, and more accessibility capabilities, such as better text selection and read-aloud narration. Those functions will be free to Windows 10 and 11 users.

However, if folks want more advanced features, it's going to cost money. Users will need to buy an Acrobat subscription if they want to be able to edit text and images, convert PDFs to other file formats, or combine files. Those who already have such subscriptions can use the Acrobat extension in Edge without spending more.

Microsoft made a particular point of outlining its efforts to ensure the new Adobe PDF tool is secure. Miscreants will use malware-infused PDFs to muscle their way into enterprise networks, so Microsoft's Edge Vulnerability Research team was involved in the process of bringing the Adobe engine to Edge.

That includes adding security features to the PDF stack such as PartitionAlloc a secure heap implementation developed on Chromium and already used in Edge, according to Gareth Evans, principal security research lead at Microsoft.

"PartitionAlloc is designed in such a way as to keep objects of different types separate from each other with minimal intervention from the developer," Evans wrote.

The package also includes mitigations such as Intel's Control Flow Enforcement Technology to protect against the hijacking of control-flow transfer instructions, a technology that complements Microsoft's Control Flow Guard. Fuzzing – automatic testing for vulnerabilities – is another security feature included with the new Edge PDF stack.

In addition, Edge's Acrobat engine will be included in the software vendor's bug bounty program to incentivize developers to find and report flaws. And there have been quite a few flaws in Adobe's PDF code.

The new Edge PDF offering will have all the capabilities that the current one does. Once the system is in place, users will see an Adobe brand mark in the bottom corner of the PDF view [.]

"These users will also see an option to try the advanced features, such as converting PDFs, combining files, editing text and images," which will require the Acrobat subscription, Microsoft wrote.

Redmond is also rolling out the new Adobe-driven Edge PDF tool in phases. Consumers and others using unmanaged Windows 10 or 11 systems will see the change once it launches next month, with all such users having it in place by September.

Companies with managed devices can choose when to opt-in until September, giving them time to test their apps with the change in PDF engine. After that, they can opt out until March 2024, when the legacy Edge PDF engine is removed. ®

Source

Microsoft's "suite of improvements" for Outlook includes giving the senders the option to disallow senders from reacting to emails. Senders will be able to make this change before hitting the Send button on Outlook. Admins can also decide which emails are eligible to get reactions and which are not.

Microsoft is targeting to release this capability across all major platforms where Outlook is supported. As per Microsoft 365 roadmap, it will be available for Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, and the web. However, it will be a targeted release, with Microsoft 365 Insiders getting it before everyone else. "Disallow Reactions on an email" is expected to be generally available in June this year.

June will be an exciting month for Outlook users as more useful features are lined up to be released during that time. One of the changes includes the ability to set flexible working hours in Outlook, which is also expected to arrive in June. But before that happens, Outlook users will finally be able to update their profile cards with pronouns, coming next month.

Which upcoming Outlook feature(s) excite(s) you the most? Let us know in the comments.

Microsoft Outlook will soon prevent you from sending reactions on some mails

Microsoft will likely demonstrate how it will use its Prometheus Model, combined with the ChatGPT-like chatbot in the new Bing, to automate writing tasks in Word, among other things. Indeed, the same article points out that the Prometheus Model can already be used for tasks inside Office web apps, thanks to the new Bing's integration with Microsoft's Edge web browser. The article claims Microsoft is using their AI tech to help create PowerPoint graphs and graphics.

Microsoft's surprise announcement this week of the new AI-powered Bing was originally supposed to happen sometime later in February, according to The Verge. However, the company moved up its announcement plans thanks to Google. That company revealed its own AI chatbot, Bard, on Tuesday, one day before Microsoft's own Bing AI reveal.

It would appear that the race to be the first with adding AI features to standard apps and technology is well underway, especially between Microsoft and Google. The Verge claims that Microsoft execs are very confident they are currently ahead of Google in AI technology, but also have a fear that other companies could pop up to threaten Microsoft's Office and productivity businesses with AI.

Microsoft reportedly plans to reveal ChatGPT-like features for Office apps in March

And as is often the case with many Dev channel builds, the latest one reveals some upcoming features too, which, at the moment, are hidden away. From the looks of it, it seems Microsoft is working on slowly improving the Windows Activation in Windows 11. This is in preparation for the future moment releases, as well as the upcoming Windows 11 version 23H2 leaked last night.

Spotted by Windows enthusiast and Twitter user PhantomOcean3, Microsoft is now modernizing the Windows Activation troubleshooter dialog box. The images below show the change. The one on the left is the current Windows Activation troubleshooter while the one on the right is the upcoming modern version that the company is working on:

Current design

New design

This troubleshooter revamp follows the previous development where Microsoft made similar changes to the Windows 11 Activation dialog box itself showing the company's intent on making the entire experience more modern and consistent with the overall Windows 11 user experience.

Via: Xeno(Twitter)

Microsoft is now improving Windows 11 Activation troubleshooter

Windows 11 build 25295 has an upgraded Clipboard settings section where you can customize Suggested Actions. For example, one might not want to see suggestions when highlighting phone numbers. Another addition in this area is support for addresses—you can select an address, and Windows 11 will offer you to look up directions in a browser.

For now, the customization for Suggested Actions is hidden from the public eye, but you can easily unearth it with the ViveTool app.

Caution: Unannounced features are often raw, unstable, or borderline unusable. Back up important data before enabling them with the ViveTool app. Remember that using stable Windows 11 is the best way to ensure your system remains as bug-free as possible.

How to enable the updated Suggested Actions in Windows 11 build 25295?

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, if you have placed ViveTool in C:\Vive, type CD C:\Vive.
5. Type vivetool /enable /id:42623125 and press Enter. This command will turn on the customization in the Settings app.
6. Type vivetool /enable /id:41058795 and press Enter. This command will allow you to use suggestions with addresses.
7. Restart your computer.

You can revert the changes by repeating the steps above and replacing /enable with /disable in the commands on steps 5 and 6.

Source @PhantomOfEarth on Twitter

Latest Windows 11 Dev preview brings customizable Suggested Actions

You can find the new RGB settings in the Personalization section. Windows will list all supported devices and allow changing various options, such as brightness, lighting effect, effect speed, and colour. There is also an option to match the lights with your current Windows accent colour. Neat.

Caution: Unannounced features are often raw, unstable, or borderline unusable. Back up important data before enabling them with the ViveTool app. Remember that using stable Windows 11 is the best way to ensure your system remains as bug-free as possible.

How to enable the Lighting section in Windows 11 build 25295?

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, if you have placed ViveTool in C:\Vive, type CD C:\Vive.
5. Type vivetool /enable /id:35262205 and press Enter.
6. Type vivetool /enable /id:41355275 and press Enter.
7. Restart your computer.

You can revert the changes by repeating the steps above and replacing /enable with /disable in the commands on steps 5 and 6.

Source @thebookisclosed on Twitter

Windows 11 build 25295 lets you customize RGB devices in Settings

In the update workflow diagram below, Microsoft has explained how UUP can lead to smaller update download sizes for client PCs after the initial one-time 10GB increase in the case of distribution points for the Windows 11 22H2 feature update.

With the help of UUP, Microsoft is promising up to 30% smaller and hence faster downloads. Other improvements include cumulative and feature update integrations which means less reboot time, reduced client downloads, and more. In a Tech Community blog post, Thad Martin, a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft, has explained the benefits of UUP outlining all the improvements expected from it:

That extra 10GB foundation on distribution points enables the awesome new capabilities that come with UUP. The same fundamental improvements we've been making over several releases are now available to enterprises with UUP on-premises update management. In short, you'll experience faster and smaller quality and feature updates, reduced disk space and usage, and fewer reboots:

• Up to 30% smaller client downloads for quality updates

• Cumulative update integration with feature updates (i.e., get current in one reboot)

• Seamless retention of installed language packs and optional features (FOD) during feature updates

• Reduced client downloads for feature updates (i.e., inbox app downloads are conditional)Automatic OS healing during the update process

• End-user acquisition of language packs and FOD

In related news, slow download and install speeds are something plaguing the Windows 11 Insider channels too, especially Dev. Recently, the company stated that it was actively looking into the issue, and with the latest Dev Channel build, Microsoft says it has resolved such "longer than expected update times".

UUP Windows updates are almost here as Microsoft claims up to 30% smaller, faster downloads

According to WABetaInfo, the camera mode was under development last year but is finally rolling out to beta testers on the 23.3.0.74 version on iOS. With the new capability, individuals can record hands-free videos and send them on WhatsApp. So, instead of having to hold down the record button to film a video, users can simply switch to video mode to film. While the camera mode is currently available only to select users, the company will release it to more beta testers in the coming weeks.

Furthermore, some individuals complained about not being able to share voice notes on WhatsApp Status; with the update, that bug has also been fixed. The "Voice Status" feature was officially announced by Meta this week alongside four new capabilities to Status on WhatsApp. Users can now send reactions to others’ Statuses, change privacy settings with every new post to manage Status viewers, see link previews, and get informed about the latest posts by contacts with the “Status Profile Rings for New Updates” feature.

Another feature in the making is the ability to transcribe voice notes on WhatsApp, which will allow users to read voice messages in case they can not listen to them. Transcripts would be "unavailable" if WhatsApp is unable to detect words spoken or the language is different. News about the capability broke out in September 2021, however, the development was interrupted. Since the WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.3.0.73 update (preceeding today's update), it is under development again.

Individuals who wish to stay updated and test new features coming on WhatsApp can sign up for the beta program here.

Source: WABetaInfo

WhatsApp is working on voice note transcription and a camera mode for hands-free filming

Microsoft has rolled out tabs in Notepad to the Windows 11 Insiders Beta Channel after testing it last month with users in the Dev Channel.

Tabbed Notepad was a top requested feature by users and followed joined several other apps that have gained tabs, including File Explorer and developer apps, such as Windows Terminal and PowerShell.  

The Notepad feature let users manage and organize multiple files with tabs in one Notepad window, or break out new windows by dragging a tab out. A setting lets users choose whether files open in new tabs or a new window by default.

The new beta build contains numerous fixes to the Windows 11 Taskbar and system tray, as well as for the Task Manager utility.

Microsoft also rolled out a new Windows 11 Insider preview build 25295 to the Dev Channel.

This build brings a copy button for quickly copying two-factor authentication codes in notifications toasts from apps installed on the PC or from phones linked to the PC.

The feature might not work flawlessly yet. Microsoft it makes a best effort to determine if the toast has an authentication code. It could also fail to detect the code in the toast.

It's also broadening availability of the the next search box on the taskbar. It started testing several ways for the search box to work in the taskbar late last year. Users can change the appearance of search on taskbar via Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Items.

The main change for enterprise is a new commercial policy that allows commercial customers to enable features introduced via servicing updates. That is, updates like monthly quality updates outside of the annual feature update for Windows 11.

These updates are off by default for devices where updates are managed via policy. This applies to Windows Update for Business or on-premises with Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

"While this policy is available for Insider Preview builds in the Dev Channel, there aren't any features currently in Dev Channel behind the policy. However, we expect to make this policy available in the Beta Channel shortly where there are features behind the policy," Microsoft notes.

Source

Let's be clear: Linux powers pretty much everything you use. Cloud? Linux. Social media? Linux. Google? Linux.

You cannot escape it. In fact, without Linux and open-source software, businesses across the globe wouldn't be nearly as competitive. This is a fact, not an opinion.

What is an opinion, however, is that Linux isn't viable for consumers or home users.

I would argue that opinion is a bit shortsighted because the current state of Linux not only makes for an ideal operating system for your home computers, but also can bring you considerable value as a server OS on your home network.

Don't stop reading yet. I know you're probably thinking, "I don't know how to set up a server!" What you might not know is that it's far easier than you might think.

And beyond that, there's a world of possibility to unleash when you allow Linux and open-source software into your home.

And it's not just about cost. Yes, Linux is a free operating system. You can download a single ISO image, burn it to a USB drive, and install Linux on as many computers as you like. More than anything, Linux is about freedom. Instead of having to do things the Apple or Microsoft way, you can do it your way.

It's the Burger King of operating systems.

Or not.

Anyway, what I'm talking about is the freedom to use it how you need it, where you need it, and when you need it. It's also about security. Although Linux is one of the most secure operating systems on the market, that's not exactly the kind of security I'm talking about.

Let me explain.

You probably use Google Workspace, Office 365, or iCloud. I consider myself a Google Workspace power user because I've used it for hours every day and have been doing so for a very long time. I use Google Workspace knowing that everything I create or save to that service is available to a third party. For most of what I create, that's fine. However, there are certain sensitive documents I create that I'm not okay with sharing or saving via a third-party hosted solution. For that, I would much rather keep things in-house.

That's where Linux and open-source come in for me and should be considered for you as well.

On my home network, I have a number of Linux servers deployed that I use as in-house cloud systems, invoicing and billing platforms, project management tools, and more. Beyond the operating system, the software I use for these purposes includes the following:

•     Nextcloud: As my in-house cloud service (for storing, sharing, editing, and creating documents).
•     InvoicePlane: For billing and invoicing clients.
•     OpenProject: For project management.
•     Portainer: For container deployments.

I also employ Samba on all of my Linux machines for file sharing across systems.

I'm not saying that just anyone can get the likes of Nextcloud up and running, but it's not nearly as hard as you think. In fact, with simple instructions (that I will provide in upcoming tutorials), you'd be surprised that yes, you can successfully install those platforms and make use of some powerful and flexible applications without leaving your home network.

The privacy and security of your information

That's power. And the security you get by not saving sensitive data on a third-party, public service cannot be overstated. You could effectively replace all of those third-party services (some of which you pay for) with free, open-source tools on your network. By doing this, you're not relying on Google, Microsoft, Dropbox, Slack, or Apple to keep the security of your data as a top priority. Although the chances of Google getting hacked are slim, it's not impossible. But more than that, one of the issues that's causing me great concern is AI.

Consider this: In order to be effective, artificial intelligence must be trained. With Google, Microsoft, and who knows who else using more and more AI, they need content to train their systems. Who's to say they are not using documents saved to their systems as fodder for training?

Personally, I don't want my novels being used for such purposes. Because of that, I'm seriously considering migrating from Google Docs to an in-house Nextcloud instance. Nextcloud includes all the features I need to develop and write fiction, without having to worry those books are being used to train AI.

That may not be a make-or-break reason for you, but it is for me. I write for a living and do not want my work being used for any purpose other than it's intended. Along with that level of assurance, I also prefer bringing those needs in-house because I am in complete control. On top of that, should I lose my internet connection, I can still reach the servers on my network, so I can continue to work.

Don't forget the desktop

I'm not saying you must use Linux on the desktop if you plan on using Linux as a server OS for your network. That's not the case, because most of those services you deploy with Linux would be used via a web browser. But the thing about Linux on the desktop is that it removes a number of frustrations you've probably experienced with other operating systems. As I said earlier, with Linux you get to do things your way. If you don't like the way a Linux distribution works, you can change it. You won't find that level of freedom with MacOS or Windows.

There are also tons of software titles you can install and use for free, some of which are even proprietary. You can install Spotify, Slack, and more… so you're not really missing out on anything. And if you like games, there's Steam. Yes, once upon a time, there were glaring holes in the available software options for Linux. Given nearly everything today is handled by way of a web browser, those glaring holes are far fewer. Plus, with the rise in popularity of Snap, Flatpak, and AppImages, even a number of proprietary apps have made their way to the operating system.

Not only do you have all the apps you need, but you can also deploy numerous different services, and keep all of your important data in-house. Doing that with proprietary OSes isn't nearly as easy as it is with Linux and open-source.

So, what are you waiting for? Let's get Linux installed and start deploying those services you want to run within the confines of your LAN. It's secure, reliable, and as flexible as you want.

Source

Gates said that until recently, AI systems "couldn't read", adding, "If you handed them a textbook, like biology, and you said, 'Here's a test; did you really understand what was in this book? ' they could not do it." However, new systems like ChatGPT are learning how to both read and write. While Gates admits that they are currently prone to errors, and they don't know if they are making mistakes, the improvements that will be made to chatbots over the next couple of years "will be profound."

Gates also mentioned the announcements of the new Bing chatbot from Microsoft, which he admitted he has a bias for, along with Google's competitor Bard. He sees AI being integrated into Microsoft Office and even Microsoft Teams. He offered an example of a chat in Teams to discuss a company's sales, and a person could ask an AI chatbot to bring up the sales history for a specific country.

In terms of human jobs that might be affected by this new technology, Gates does think that there will not be as many document processing jobs in the future, saying its similar to the reduction of typists jobs today. While AI could have a bigger impact on the jobs market in the future, Gates believes for the next few years, it will mostly be used to make white collar workers more efficient.

Source

According to early reports, the Moment 4 update is going to be the yearly feature update that happens later in 2023. Hence Moment 4 is what Microsoft reportedly refers internally to the Windows 11 version 23H2 or Sun Valley 3 (SV3 in short).

Windows enthusiast and Twitter user Xeno has spotted references and traces of internal development Windows 11 23H2 today, indicating that Microsoft is slowly but surely preparing for 23H2.

When visiting the "http://aka.ms/23H2" a redirection to OSGWiki suggests that Microsoft is starting to add stuff into the OSGWiki. The OSGWiki (www.osgwiki.com) is an internal Microsoft website where the company employees share resources and documentation of internal builds and other related upcoming developments.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, replacing 23H2 in http://aka.ms/23H2 with 24H2 takes us straight to the Bing homepage.

Leak suggests Microsoft might slowly be gearing up for Windows 11 23H2 (Sun Valley 3)