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Winsage
April 3, 2025
Microsoft is testing a taskbar icon scaling feature for Windows 11 that automatically reduces the size of taskbar icons to accommodate more applications. This feature is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in the Beta (Build 26120.3671) and Dev (Build 26200.5518) channels as part of the 24H2 version. Users can customize the scaling settings with three options: when the taskbar is full (default), never, or always. Additionally, Microsoft has introduced a test remediation package for Windows Insiders that enables the use of the Quick Machine Recovery tool, which will be installed automatically when test mode is activated. Users can check the installation status in Settings > Windows Update > Update history. Microsoft is also testing a basic search history feature for its AI-powered Recall functionality, which will expand to AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs starting in December.
Winsage
April 3, 2025
Tomorrow, April 4, 2025, Microsoft celebrates its 50th anniversary. Bill Gates has released a downloadable PDF of the original source code that started the company, which was initially named 'Micro-Soft'. The original code was created for the Altair 8800 using a teleprinter. Gates and Paul Allen developed the Altair BASIC interpreter, their first product, which aimed to democratize computing. They worked for two months to create the software after promising MITS a product that did not yet exist. Their collaborative effort laid the foundation for significant technological advancements over the past five decades.
Winsage
April 3, 2025
Microsoft's Windows 11 features a centered Start menu and taskbar aimed at modernizing its aesthetic, but many users find it uninspiring. The Quantum Start Menu is a Windhawk theme designed to enhance the Windows 11 interface, providing a cleaner and more intuitive Start menu and taskbar. YouTuber Link Vegas has created a video guide for installing the Quantum Start Menu, which requires a theme package, Windhawk application, and configuration files.
Winsage
April 1, 2025
Microsoft is introducing a new tool called Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) to address boot-up issues in Windows PCs, currently available for testing in the latest Windows 11 Insider build. QMR, designed for both IT administrators and home users, automates the recovery process by entering the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) when a critical boot-up error occurs. The PC will connect to the internet, send diagnostic data to Microsoft, and receive a tailored fix via Windows Update, allowing it to boot normally without further user intervention. QMR is part of Microsoft's Windows Resiliency Initiative and aims to simplify the recovery process for users.
Winsage
April 1, 2025
Microsoft has introduced a new tool called Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) to address boot-up issues in Windows PCs, currently available for testing in the latest Windows 11 Insider build. QMR automates the recovery process by utilizing the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), allowing PCs to automatically enter recovery mode, connect to the internet, and send diagnostic data to Microsoft. Based on this data, a tailored fix is sent to the device through Windows Update. QMR is designed for both IT administrators and home users, with the latter having it enabled by default. It is part of Microsoft's Windows Resiliency Initiative, and the company is encouraging feedback from testers.
Tech Optimizer
April 1, 2025
- An event-driven architecture utilizing Kafka, MongoDB, and PostgreSQL is employed for data management, ensuring real-time tracking and auditing. - A PostgreSQL trigger on the customer table monitors INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE operations and uses the LISTEN/NOTIFY mechanism to publish changes. - A Spring Boot listener, CustomerChangeListener, monitors database changes and sends structured events to Apache Kafka via KafkaProducerService. - A Kafka topic named customer_events is created to manage customer change events, with KafkaProducerService publishing these events and KafkaConsumerService listening for them. - Events received by KafkaConsumerService are stored in a MongoDB collection called customer_history, which captures details about changes for auditing. - The MongoDB customer_history collection serves as a repository for historical customer changes, including who made the change, what was altered, when it occurred, and the rationale. - A project structure must be established, and the Maven pom.xml file updated with dependencies for Spring Boot, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Kafka. - Application properties need to be configured to connect to PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and the Kafka broker. - The main application file is CustomerTrackingApplication.java, which runs the service. - CustomerController.java manages CRUD operations for customer data, triggering database actions and Kafka notifications. - CustomerService.java contains business logic for managing customer data and interacts with PostgreSQL and Kafka. - A history table and trigger must be created in PostgreSQL to log all changes to the customer table. - CustomerChangeListener.java listens for notifications from PostgreSQL and sends relevant data to Kafka. - Kafka producer and consumer services manage messages related to customer changes, ensuring accurate history in MongoDB. - All changes (insertions, updates, deletions) are stored in the customer_history collection in MongoDB.
Winsage
April 1, 2025
PowerToys is a suite of productivity tools for Windows 11, featuring over two dozen modules. PowerToys Run is a launcher and search bar that simplifies launching applications and finding files. It can be enhanced with plug-ins, including: - Window Walker: Allows users to search for running applications for quick window switching. - OneNote: Enables quick access to notebooks and pages after activation. - WinGet/Scoop: Streamlines app installation and uninstallation from a trusted repository. - BrowserSearch: Facilitates quick searches of browser history across different web browsers. - FastWeb: Allows users to create shortcuts for websites accessible via text commands. - Everything: Provides a fast search engine for files, improving upon the basic file search capabilities. - Clipboard Manager: Makes clipboard history searchable for easier reuse of text clips.
Winsage
March 31, 2025
Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5160 (KB5053654) has been released for the Beta Channel for users on Windows 11, version 23H2. Windows 11, version 24H2 is also available as an optional upgrade for Insiders in the Beta Channel. New features include: - A speech recap feature in Narrator that allows users to track and reference spoken content, with a history of the last 500 strings spoken. Users can access this feature using keyboard shortcuts. - Copilot on Windows can now be launched with Win + C, and users can customize their Copilot key. It includes a press-to-talk feature for voice interaction. - The Windows share window has been enhanced to allow quick editing options for images, including cropping and applying filters. - A new FAQs section has been added to the Settings > System > About page to provide users with quick answers about their PC. Fixes include resolving delays in app icons appearing in the Start menu and updating the logic for desktop app icons to enhance visibility. Known issues include a flashing context menu in the Start menu and a crash issue with Narrator that can be resolved by restarting the PC. Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 through an enablement package, and features are rolled out gradually using Controlled Feature Rollout technology.
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