failure Archives

AppWizard

July 4, 2026

Cyberpunk 2077 has now sold more than 40 million copies, ‘a testament to what CD Projekt does best’

Cyberpunk 2077 has sold over 40 million copies since its release in December 2020. Initially, the game faced significant backlash, especially on console platforms, leading to its removal from the PlayStation Store. The PC version was more stable, but the console experience suffered from numerous bugs and performance issues. CD Projekt committed to fixing these issues through updates and expansions, resulting in a "very positive" user rating on Steam. The game's success is attributed to the dedication of its community and CD Projekt's perseverance. Despite this turnaround, CD Projekt's leadership acknowledges challenges in regaining the trust of all players. Cyberpunk 2077's sales figures still trail behind The Witcher 3, which has surpassed 65 million copies sold.

AppWizard

July 3, 2026

Humble Choice June 2026: Last chance to grab this huge selection of PC games

You have until July 7th to claim the June Humble Choice bundle, which includes the following titles: - Octopath Traveler 2 (Steam) - The Riftbreaker (Steam) - Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Steam) - INDIKA (Steam) - Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (Steam) - Construction Simulator (Steam) - Hell Clock (Steam) - Overlooting (Steam) The subscription costs £11.49/.99. Notable ratings include Citizen Sleeper 2 with a five-star rating, INDIKA with a 4/5 star rating, and Life is Strange: Double Exposure receiving three stars. Humble Choice members receive up to 20% off in the Humble store, and 5% of each membership goes to charity, with It Gets Better being the chosen charity for June.

Tech Optimizer

July 2, 2026

From monolith to Lakebase to LTAP: rethinking the database from storage up

Sixteen years ago, the author began their PhD at UC Berkeley and was advised to focus on analytics rather than OLTP databases, which were considered solved. This led to the creation of Apache Spark and Databricks. However, during the development of Databricks, it was found that OLTP databases were not solved problems; they were difficult to scale and fragile. This realization led to the development of Lakebase, a serverless Postgres database designed with modern technology. Lakebase architecture separates the write-ahead log (WAL) and data files into independent, scalable services. The WAL is externalized to a service called SafeKeeper, which uses Paxos-based replication for durability, while data files are managed by PageServer, which stores them in cloud object storage. This design addresses challenges such as data loss, scaling, and performance interference between transactional and analytical workloads. Lakebase maintains compatibility with Postgres, offers unlimited storage, serverless compute, durable writes, and simpler high availability. It also introduces LTAP (Lake Transactional/Analytical Processing), which allows both transactional and analytical processing to operate on a single data copy in real time, eliminating the need for separate data copies and reducing costs. LTAP utilizes a unified storage layer that allows data to be materialized in both row and columnar formats, optimizing it for both transactional and analytical workloads. The system ensures that analytics can access the most current data without affecting transactional performance by using a log sequence number (LSN) to retrieve the latest changes. Unlike traditional CDC approaches, LTAP requires no explicit table replication, as all data is stored in a single governed copy. This architecture circumvents common issues faced by hybrid transactional/analytical processing (HTAP) systems, such as incomplete feature sets, lack of ecosystem support, and performance contention. The Lakebase architecture has unlocked capabilities like unlimited storage, elastic compute, durable writes, and instant branching, with ongoing developments anticipated in the future.

Tech Optimizer

July 2, 2026

From monolith to Lakebase to LTAP: rethinking the database from storage up

Sixteen years ago, the author began their PhD at UC Berkeley, where they were advised to focus on analytics rather than OLTP databases, which were considered a solved problem. However, upon developing Databricks, they found that OLTP databases were cumbersome, challenging to scale, and fragile. This led to the creation of Lakebase, a serverless Postgres database designed to address these issues by externalizing the write-ahead log (WAL) and data files into independent services. Lakebase architecture separates the WAL into a distributed service called SafeKeeper and data files into another service called PageServer, allowing for improved durability, scalability, and performance. This architecture eliminates data loss risks associated with disk failures and misconfigurations, simplifies high availability, and allows for elastic compute resources. Lakebase also introduces LTAP (Lake Transactional/Analytical Processing), which enables transactions and analytics to operate on a single data copy in real-time, avoiding the need for separate data copies and reducing costs. The system retains Postgres's ACID semantics while storing data in open columnar formats, making it accessible to both transactional and analytical engines without the delays and complexities of traditional replication methods. The architecture allows for unlimited storage, serverless compute, and instant branching, while ensuring that analytics can read the most current transactional data without affecting transactional workloads. LTAP aims to unify transactional and analytical processing by leveraging distinct compute engines for each workload while integrating at the storage layer.

Winsage

July 1, 2026

Bottles is how you should actually run Windows apps on Linux

Wine enables users to run Windows applications on Linux by translating Windows calls into POSIX calls. It has evolved significantly, especially with contributions from Valve's Proton project, but can be complex and unpredictable, leading to potential glitches with updates. Bottles enhances this experience by creating isolated containers for each application, allowing users to run specific versions of Wine tailored to individual applications. This approach improves compatibility and organization, as users can group applications with similar settings. Bottles also features Eagle, a tool that recommends optimal Wine setups, and allows easy backup and restoration of configurations, ensuring a clean system.

Winsage

June 30, 2026

Is SteamOS ready to replace Windows? I installed it so you don’t have to

The Steam Machine was announced with a starting price of 9 in the U.S. and £879 in the U.K. SteamOS is currently in beta and primarily supports the Steam Deck, Steam Machine, and Lenovo Legion Go S, with only about 19.13% of Steam users utilizing AMD GPUs compared to 72.42% using Nvidia. AMD provides broad support for Linux through open-source drivers, while Nvidia's proprietary drivers complicate SteamOS installation. Installing SteamOS requires a complete wipe of the NVMe SSD, and there is limited support documentation from Valve. Users have created guides to assist with installation, which involves adjusting BIOS settings and partitioning drives. Networking issues were encountered during installation, requiring command line updates and workarounds. SteamOS offers a console-like experience and a user-friendly interface for gaming, but it presents challenges for users who are not experienced with DIY setups.

AppWizard

June 25, 2026

Is Halifax down? Issues with banking app and login reported

Bank account holders have reported difficulties accessing the Halifax app and online banking services since around 8:30 AM, with users voicing concerns on Downdetector. In the UK, including cities like Birmingham, London, and Bristol, 69% of users experienced problems with the app, 12% faced login issues, and 13% reported mobile banking problems. A notice on the app indicated a technical error preventing users from logging in. Downdetector tracks disruptions in online services by allowing users to report issues, providing real-time analysis of reported problems.

Tech Optimizer

June 24, 2026

Norton 360 Advanced gets 77% discount, drops price to £2.92/mo — top-rated antivirus, 200GB cloud backup, VPN, parental controls and more

Norton 360 Advanced is currently available at a 77% discount, reducing the monthly cost to £2.92 for protection of up to ten devices. It includes antivirus technology, 200GB Cloud Backup, a Password Manager, a VPN for secure browsing, a Parental Control App, Dark Web Monitoring, Identity Restoration Support, Social Media Monitoring, and Financial Monitoring services.

Winsage

June 24, 2026

Windows 11 24H2 EOL: Resolve Version Drift with TruRisk Eliminate

Windows 11 version 24H2 will reach the end of servicing on October 13, 2026. Enterprises often face version drift, requiring different upgrade strategies for various Windows 11 builds across endpoints. Upgrade methods include enablement packages, ISO-based feature updates, or direct upgrades from Windows 10. Enablement packages are the quickest and least disruptive option for compatible Windows 11 systems. Qualys TruRisk Eliminate can standardize upgrades and minimize version drift on a large scale. Endpoints should be assessed for readiness, categorized by eligibility and current OS status. Enablement packages are recommended for recent Windows 11 builds due to their minimal download size, faster installation, and reduced operational impact. If enablement packages are unavailable, ISO-based feature updates may be necessary. Direct upgrades from Windows 10 to Windows 11 25H2 can be executed without intermediate transitions. Qualys TruRisk Eliminate provides tools for managing these upgrade processes effectively.

Winsage

June 23, 2026

In 2011, Microsoft signed the Secure Boot certificates that still sit inside millions of Windows PCs, and the first one expires on June 24, 2026, leaving unupdated machines running normally while future boot-level revocations stop reaching them

Microsoft's Secure Boot certificates, including the Microsoft Corporation KEK CA 2011, will expire on June 24, 2026, followed by the Microsoft UEFI CA 2011 on June 27 and the Microsoft Windows Production PCA 2011 on October 19. New certificates issued in 2023 will replace these older ones. While devices will continue to operate and receive standard Windows updates, they will gradually lose access to critical security updates that protect against boot-level threats. After June 24, the ability to sign new disallowed signature database payloads with the old KEK will be lost, reducing the capacity to revoke compromised bootloaders. Users are advised to keep Windows and firmware updates current, while enterprises may face challenges managing diverse machine inventories for updates.