late 1990s Archives

AppWizard

April 18, 2026

Help! The Millennium Bug made all the robots in my mansion go berserk, and only Homer Simpson can save the day

Y2K: The Game is a PC game that pays homage to the Millennium Bug, reflecting the concerns of the late 1990s regarding technology. The game features a character named Buster, whose slow pacing has drawn criticism. Its soundtrack includes eclectic melodies, adding to its quirky charm. Despite not fully realizing its premise, the game is considered an intriguing relic of its time.

Winsage

April 13, 2026

Mozilla accuses Microsoft of running the old browser wars playbook to lock in AI dominance through Windows

Mozilla has accused Microsoft of using its dominance in the Windows operating system to marginalize competitors in the AI sector, particularly through the promotion of its Copilot feature. Mozilla claims that misleading update mechanisms are being used to push Copilot onto users and that system settings are being adjusted to hinder the performance of alternative browsers like Firefox. This situation is reminiscent of the 1990s browser wars when Microsoft bundled Internet Explorer with Windows to eliminate competition. In July 2025, Opera filed a formal antitrust complaint in Brazil against Microsoft, leading to an investigation into whether Microsoft was coercing hardware manufacturers to bundle Edge exclusively. A ruling against Microsoft could require a separation between the operating system and AI services. Microsoft's current strategy aims to control the AI inference layer, with each interaction through Copilot representing valuable data and monetization opportunities. Reports indicate that Microsoft is removing Copilot branding from standalone applications to further integrate it into the operating system. Despite Edge being the third most popular browser, Microsoft's tactics suggest a focus on securing AI infrastructure rather than just competing for browser market share. Regulatory scrutiny may increase due to ongoing antitrust challenges related to Microsoft's OpenAI investment and cloud AI bundling practices. The development of OEM relationships and potential resistance to Microsoft's requirements could significantly impact its integration strategy.

TrendTechie

April 11, 2026

Пираты слили на торренты Resident Evil Requiem

Hacker voices38 has successfully circumvented the Denuvo anti-piracy protection in Resident Evil Requiem, marking the first breach of a project secured with the current version of Denuvo without using hypervisor techniques. The method used is described as a native approach, which avoids the complications and risks associated with hypervisor solutions. This breakthrough claims to improve performance, mitigating frame rate drops that typically average 11 fps with previous methods. The version of Denuvo in Resident Evil Requiem has only minor modifications from the 2025 release. Resident Evil 9: Requiem debuted in February 2026, featuring Leon Kennedy and FBI agent Grace Ashcroft. Additionally, Android smartphones can run Resident Evil Requiem at 90 fps.

Winsage

March 19, 2026

Someone hacked Windows 98 onto a year 2000 Internet appliance just because they can

Dave Luna is attempting to run Windows 98 on the Compaq iPAQ IA‑2, a device originally designed for Windows CE. The iPAQ IA‑2 has limited hardware capabilities, including a 266 MHz Geode GX1 CPU and a maximum of 256 MB of SDRAM, which complicates the process of running a full operating system. Luna utilized the device's 16 MB flash drive, originally used for the operating system, to write MS-DOS and employ a chain-boot method to launch Windows 98. He successfully booted Windows 98 from an IDE drive by tricking the system into recognizing it as an ATAPI device, despite the BIOS restrictions. The iPAQ IA‑2 is not practical for regular use but allows for nostalgic gaming, such as playing DOOM. The concept of internet appliances, aimed at providing simple web browsing and email solutions, failed due to their restrictive nature, difficulties in software and hardware upgrades, and the need for subscriptions to specific Internet Service Providers. As broadband internet became more common, the appeal of these devices decreased, leading to their obsolescence, although they contributed to the development of modern devices like Chromebooks.

AppWizard

December 21, 2025

How AIM taught the internet to chat

AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) was a transformative platform for online communication during the late 1990s and early 2000s, becoming a cultural phenomenon despite initial skepticism from AOL executives. It gained popularity as a means for users to connect with friends and express themselves through quirky screen names and away messages. AIM faced challenges in monetization and adapting its business model but left a significant mark on internet history. Its decline was influenced by the rise of social networks and mobile messaging apps. The story of AIM's impact is discussed in a recent episode of the Version History podcast.

Winsage

November 21, 2025

Windows turns 40 as the most influential software product in history

Microsoft Windows celebrated its 40th anniversary on November 20, 2025. The journey began with the launch of Windows 1.0 in 1985, designed as a graphical layer atop MS-DOS, requiring a graphics card and 256KB of RAM. Subsequent releases included Windows 2.0 in 1987, Windows 3.0 and 3.1 in 1990 and 1992, respectively, which introduced significant features like a 3D-styled interface and popular games. Windows 95, launched in the mid-1990s, introduced the Start menu and taskbar, selling over seven million copies shortly after its release. The late 1990s and early 2000s saw the introduction of Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows XP in 2001, which was noted for its stability. Windows Vista was released in 2007, followed by Windows 7 in 2009, and Windows 8, which faced user backlash. Windows 10 was launched in 2015, adopting a Windows-as-a-Service model, and Windows 11 continues to evolve with new design and hardware requirements.

Tech Optimizer

November 7, 2025

Reinventing PostgreSQL for the Next Generation of Apps

Enterprises are modernizing their databases due to latency issues, the need for global uptime, and licensing pressures. PostgreSQL is emerging as a preferred alternative to traditional database solutions like Oracle and SAP, focusing on reliability, control, and efficient management of modern workloads, including AI and edge applications. pgEdge, an open-source Postgres vendor, emphasizes that migration to PostgreSQL is about ensuring flexibility and avoiding vendor lock-in. PostgreSQL's governance model, independent of any single company, is a significant advantage, particularly in light of licensing audits and forced upgrades. PostgreSQL has a large developer community and is a mainstream enterprise technology, with tools like pgAdmin widely used. Concerns about operational burdens with open source are addressed by extensions like pgEdge, which enhance PostgreSQL's capabilities for high availability and seamless multi-cloud deployment. pgEdge operationalizes PostgreSQL for distributed use, automating upgrades, backups, and point-in-time recovery, leading to a lower total cost of ownership compared to proprietary models. Modern applications require edge-native databases to operate close to users, reducing latency. pgEdge supports multimaster PostgreSQL across geographically distributed clusters, allowing local read and write capabilities while maintaining data consistency. It builds on PostgreSQL’s logical replication without forking it, ensuring compatibility and consistency. pgEdge facilitates database automation on Kubernetes, managing backups, recovery, and upgrades, making it easier for platform teams. Organizations can start with a simple setup and scale to a multiregion architecture as needed, using the same PostgreSQL stack throughout. pgEdge offers container builds that cater to enterprise needs for geospatial intelligence and AI workflows. As AI applications increasingly run at the edge, pgEdge provides the necessary performance and coherence for edge-native AI. PostgreSQL's SQL compatibility and ACID compliance ease the migration process from systems like Oracle and SAP. The extensive user base across various sectors simplifies hiring PostgreSQL expertise. Combining PostgreSQL with pgEdge offers a strategic modernization pathway for enterprises needing reliable, Kubernetes-native operations and AI-ready extensions, freeing them from vendor lock-in and high licensing costs. This integration transforms PostgreSQL into a globally distributed, cloud-native control plane for data, benefiting architects, CFOs, and developers alike.

Winsage

October 16, 2025

Patch Tuesday: Windows 10 end of life pain for IT departments

Microsoft has ceased support for Windows 10 and released a significant Patch Tuesday update addressing several zero-day vulnerabilities, including CVE-2025-24990, which involves a legacy device driver that has been completely removed from Windows. This driver, the Agere Modem driver (ltmdm64.sys), supports hardware from the late 1990s and early 2000s and has not kept pace with modern security practices. The removal of the driver is a strategic decision to reduce security risks associated with outdated components, as patching such legacy code can lead to instability and may not effectively resolve vulnerabilities. Another vulnerability addressed in the update is CVE-2025-2884, related to the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 reference implementation. Additionally, CVE-2025-49708, a critical vulnerability in the Microsoft Graphics Component with a CVSS score of 9.9, poses severe risks by allowing a full virtual machine escape, enabling attackers to gain system privileges on the host server from a low-privilege guest VM. Security experts recommend prioritizing patches for this vulnerability to maintain the integrity of virtualization security.

Winsage

October 15, 2025

Patch Tuesday: Windows 10 end of life pain for IT departments

The conclusion of support for Windows 10 has led to the discovery of several zero-day vulnerabilities, including CVE-2025-24990, which involves a legacy device driver that Microsoft has removed. This driver, associated with the Agere Modem, has not been updated to meet modern security standards and is actively exploited by attackers. Microsoft opted to remove the driver rather than patch it, as patching could lead to system instability. Another vulnerability, CVE-2025-2884, relates to the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, with Microsoft treating it as a zero-day despite its involvement with the Trusted Computing Group. Additionally, CVE-2025-49708, a flaw in the Microsoft Graphics Component, has a CVSS score of 9.9 and allows attackers to escape from a guest virtual machine to the host operating system, posing significant security risks.

Winsage

October 15, 2025

Last Windows 10 Patch Tuesday Fixes Six Zero Days

Microsoft has released security updates for 172 vulnerabilities in October, including six zero-day vulnerabilities. Three of these zero-days are actively exploited: 1. CVE-2025-59230: A local elevation of privilege (EoP) vulnerability in the Windows Remote Access Connection Manager that requires no user interaction. 2. CVE-2025-24990: An EoP vulnerability linked to the Agere Modem driver (ltmdm64.sys), which Microsoft has decided to remove instead of patching due to its legacy nature and associated risks. 3. CVE-2025-47827: A secure boot bypass vulnerability affecting IGEL OS, with a proof of concept available since May, allowing potential kernel-level rootkit deployment. Additionally, three publicly disclosed zero-days remain unexploited: - CVE-2025-0033: A critical vulnerability in AMD EPYC processors using Secure Encrypted Virtualization – Secure Nested Paging (SEV-SNP), with no patch available. - CVE-2025-24052: An EoP vulnerability in the Agere Modem driver, similar to CVE-2025-24990. - CVE-2025-2884: An out-of-bounds read vulnerability in TCG TPM2.0 that could lead to information disclosure or denial of service. This month is the last Patch Tuesday for Windows 10 users to receive free updates, after which enrollment in Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) scheme will be necessary for continued support.