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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER 12 - 17 FEBRUARY, 2024
Hello and Welcome,
Meetings This Week
2024/02/13 — 18:00-20:00 — February, Tue — Programming
2024/02/17 — 14:00-16:00 — February, Sat — Web Design
Meeting Next Week
2024/02/20 — 10:00-12:00 — February, Tue — Tuesday Group
Schedule of Current & Upcoming Meetings
First Tuesday 18:00-20:00 — Main Meeting
First Saturday 13:00-14:00 — Penrith Group
Second Tuesday 18:00-20:00 — Programming
Third Tuesday 10:00-12:00 — Tuesday Group
Third Saturday 14:00-16:00 — Web Design
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Go to the official Sydney PC Calendar for this month's meeting details.
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Penrith meetings are held every 2nd month on the 1st Saturday from 1-2 pm.
The next scheduled meetings are in March, May and July 2024.
ASCCA News:Tech News:
Windows 10 Support Deadline Raises Questions
See the InfoPackets article by John Lister on February 5 2024, at 01:02 pm EST.
Windows 10 devices are set to become insecure next year unless users pay an extra fee. But with warnings of 240 million devices "going to landfill", it remains possible Microsoft will blink at the last moment.
That Windows 10 reaches the end of its support period on October 14, 2025 is no secret: it's long been on Microsoft's support calendar and is in line with the company's policy of 10 years of support. From that date, Microsoft will no longer issue free security updates.
As with Windows 7, Microsoft will offer a paid update service for people in "circumstances that could prevent you from replacing Windows 10 devices." These updates will only cover security issues classed as "important" or "critical" and won't include any changes to features or functionality.
The pricing still needs to be confirmed. With Windows 7, it was an escalating fee of $50 for the first year, $100 for the second year and $200 for the third and final year when paid security updates were available. (Source: theregister.com)
240 Million PCs Could Be Obsolete
That could become a significant issue as refusing to update to Windows 11 is often not a case of users being obstinate. Many computers don't meet the minimum specifications, most notably requiring a hardware security feature called TPM 2.0. Installing that can be difficult or impossible on many machines.
Meanwhile, many users are reluctant to buy new computers for Windows 11 simply because they need to see the changes from Windows 10 as significant enough to justify the cost.
According to an estimate from Canalys Research, owners of around 240 million computers will face the decision of paying for security updates or replacing their devices. It notes that could mean electronic waste that weighs as much as 320,000 cars. (Source: reuters.com)
Users May Take Risky Option
What puts all of this into jeopardy is the prospect of users taking a third option: continuing to run Windows 10 without security updates. That's a considerable risk individually, but it also risks becoming a major problem for Microsoft. If enough Windows 10 computers are unprotected, any security vulnerabilities will be hugely attractive to hackers and criminals.
The risk of negative publicity from such attacks and the damage to the Windows ecosystem could mean Microsoft backtracks on its support plans. That's thought to be what happened with Windows XP, which wound up getting support for two years longer than expected, partly because users were put off upgrading to the poorly-received Windows Vista.
What's Your Opinion?
If you run Windows 10, what are your plans for next year? Will you upgrade, replace your machine, pay for security updates, or take your chances without support? Do you think Microsoft will stick to its plans to switch to paid support only?
Comments
Windows 10 — Submitted by Dennis Faas on Mon, 02/05/2024 — 13:43.
I'm holding off on upgrading to Windows 11 (even though my hardware supports it) long enough for all those nasty bugs to get squashed. Regarding functionality, it looks the same as Windows 10 but the menus have changed — and not necessarily for the better. Thankfully third-party programs can revert the machine to make it more usable, like Open Shell, formerly Classic Shell start menu.
Ten updates — Submitted by ronangel1 on Mon, 02/05/2024 — 15:26.
As things are at present I will not pay for security updates on Ten as with many others.
My machines will not work with Win 11, and, I do not like how it works!
Some company is bound to develop security updates that will work with Win 10, probably one of the major anti-virus companies including with their products. Microsoft will back down and give updates free or risk losing other business worth millions!
Windows 10 support deadline — Submitted by lesgray_cdn on Mon, 02/05/2024 — 15:31.
Microsoft should bite the bullet and remove the hardware requirements for Windows 11 or at least broaden the supported range. They can and should add the caveat that security may be compromised if they install without TPM2. Microsoft does not fully support that configuration and takes no responsibility if 11 is installed on such a system. If one has enough RAM (i.e. eight or even better 16GB) systems from Gen 4 Intels and equivalent AMDs work with 11 just fine.
How to Disable Microsoft's Ads and Recommendations in Windows 11
See the How-To Geek article by SHAN ABDUL | PUBLISHED 5 February 2024.
Shut those ads off!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
— Remove suggested apps from the Start menu and turn off ads in the File Explorer.
— Tweak diagnostic data and device usage permissions to stop personalized ads and recommendations.
— Turn off the Windows Spotlight feature and search highlights to remove ads from the lock screen and Windows Search.
Have you recently upgraded to Windows 11 and been bothered by unwanted ads and suggestions? Despite Microsoft's claim that these ads improve the user experience, they can become overwhelming. Fortunately, you can easily disable them. Let's take a look at how you can do that.
Why Do You See So Many Ads in Windows 11?
Microsoft is known to show advertisements in specific areas of its operating systems, like the Start menu, lock screen, File Explorer, or within certain apps. With Windows 11, the frequency of these ads has increased, aligning with the addition of more personalized features by Microsoft. But why does the company show these ads?
Microsoft claims these recommendations improve the user experience and help users optimize their operating system. These ads are personalized based on your interactions with the operating system and the apps and services you use. They aim to promote Microsoft products, services, or third-party apps in the Microsoft Store you might find helpful.
If you're bothered by the constant stream of advertisements and recommendations throughout the operating system, you can easily disable them.
Disable Ads From the Start Menu
Have you ever opened the Start menu and noticed a list of pinned apps you don't remember installing? Despite appearing as installed, these are merely suggested apps from Microsoft. Windows displays these apps based on your region, the types of apps you regularly use, and other factors.
However, like any other suggestion, the ultimate goal is to encourage you to install them. If that's not something you'd like to do, you can remove these apps to declutter the revamped Start menu on Windows 11. To remove a suggestion, click the Start button, right-click on the app you want to remove and select "Uninstall." Then, confirm the uninstallation in the popup.
Repeat these steps to remove all suggested apps in the Start menu that you don't plan to install or use.
...
Remove Ads From the File Explorer
Tweak Diagnostic Data Settings
Tweak Device Usage Permissions
Disable Ads From the Lock Screen
Remove Recommendations From Windows Search
Disable General Windows Permissions
...
That's how you can stop receiving irritating ads and recommendations from Microsoft. If you continue encountering them despite turning off the above options, they probably originate from notification-spammy apps and your web browser. Find and uninstall such apps and turn off browser notifications to enjoy a cleaner and clutter-free experience.
How to Change the Date and Time Format in Windows 11
See the How-To Geek article by SHAN ABDUL | PUBLISHED 5 February 2024.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
To modify the date and time format, open the Settings app and navigate to Time and Language > Language and Region > Regional Format. Then, click on Change Formats and select your preferred format.
To set the custom format, type "Region" in Windows Search to open region settings. Then, click Additional Settings and configure custom formats in the Date and Time tab.
Changing it is simple if you don't like the default date and time format and prefer something more intuitive. You can either choose from the available formats or create a custom one. This guide will show you how to do just that.
Select From the Available Date and Time Formats
The first option to change the date and time format is to pick from preset formats using the Settings app. Right-click on the Start button and select "Settings." Navigate to the "Time and Language" tab on the left and open the "Language and Region" settings on the right.
Within the Region section, click on the "Regional Format" option — ensure that you do not click on the dropdown menu but on the blank space. Then, click on the "Change Formats" button.
In this menu, select your preferred date and time format next to "Short Date" and "Long Date," as well as "Short Time" and "Long Time."
Remember that Windows displays the short date and time formats in the taskbar. You need to edit these values to have the taskbar display your preferred format. If you're using Windows 10, changing the date and time format is slightly different.
Set a Custom Date and Time Format
To set a custom date and time format on Windows, type "Region" in Windows Search and open the Region settings.
Navigate to the "Formats" tab and click the "Additional Settings" button in the lower-right corner. Then, move to the "Time" tab and select your preferred time format next to "Short Time" and "Long Time" from the options provided. Otherwise, use the notation provided at the end of the window to set a custom format. After adding the desired formats, click "Apply" and "OK."
After that, navigate to the "Date" tab and choose your preferred date format next to "Short Date" and "Long Date" from the available options. Or use the provided notations to set a custom date format.
Customise Format
That's how you can easily alter the date and time format on Windows. Changing the date, time, and time zone is similar and just as straightforward.
CIA man who leaked to WikiLeaks gets 40-year sentence
See the iTWire article by Sam Varghese | Monday, 05 February 2024, at 10:40 am.
A CIA engineer, who was convicted of leaking documents to WikiLeaks that exposed the agency's mass surveillance activities, has been jailed for 40 years.
Joshua Schulte was sentenced on 2 February, with District Judge Jesse Furman saying the punishment was for "crimes of espionage, computer hacking, contempt of Court, making false statements to the FBI, and child pornography".
His conviction was announced in a courtroom in Manhattan on 13 June 2022.
The exploits he released were named Vault 7 by WikiLeaks, which released them from March 2017 to September the same year.
He was named a suspect in the theft in May 2018, but the US could not charge him immediately due to a lack of evidence.
In a statement announcing the 40-year sentence, US attorney Damian Williams said: "Joshua Schulte betrayed his country by committing some of the most brazen, heinous crimes of espionage in American history.
"He caused untold damage to our national security in his quest for revenge against the CIA for its response to [his] security breaches while employed there."
"When the FBI caught him, Schulte doubled down and tried to cause even more harm to this nation by waging what he described as an 'information war' of publishing top secret information from behind bars."
"And all the while, Schulte collected thousands upon thousands of videos and images of children being subjected to sickening abuse for his gratification."
"The outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the career prosecutors in this office unmasked Schulte for the traitor and predator that he is and made sure that he will spend 40 years behind bars — right where he belongs."
Fun Facts: Yet Another Scripting Language — ZetScript
See the CodeProject article Written By jespa007 (Jordi Espada) | Software Developer (Senior) | Spain.
A simple script engine for C++
ZetScript is a JavaScript-like programming language featuring a virtual machine, dynamic garbage collector, and an API for seamless integration with C++ code, providing a straightforward approach for binding and exposing functionalities.
Download source code — 640.9 KB
Download source code (Win x64) — 250.5 KB
The source code is already available on github.
Other Links
Complete documentation with examples [ 323 PDF pages — Ed. ]
Introduction
ZetScript is a programming language with an API that allows the binding of C++ code on the script side. ZetScript includes the following features:
— Virtual Machine
— Script Language close to JavaScript
— Dynamic Garbage collector
— Straightforward way to expose C++ code in ZetScript and bind ZetScript code to C++
— Implement operators on types and member properties through metamethods
A helloworld is shown in the following code:
C++
#include "zetscript.h"
int main(){
zetscript::ScriptEngine script_engine;
script_engine.compileAndRun("Console::outln(\"Hello World from ZetScript!\")");
return 0;
}
List 1.1
The code presented in list 1.1 instances script engine and compiles and runs a line of code that prints Hello World from ZetScript using built-in Console::outln.
Yet Another Script Language?
In 2016, I decided to start work with scripting because I needed to be faster in production. Of course, because I always try to be a good engineer, I began to play with all the script engines in this world.
Some of them were faster, but I didn't like their syntax. In others, the syntaxes were suitable but slow at run-time, etc. After spending a lot of time playing with them and deciding what kind of script engine could be a better candidate for my project, I realised they only fit some of my needs.
So on this date, I decided to start my script engine, but apart from putting my effort into my requirements, I read from some forums what I expect to have from a good script engine. I combined both things, and it became ZetScript.
I've decided to make ZetScript public because I like to make life easy for people in case they find this a helpful tool.
— Jordi Espada
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Bob Backstrom
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