reports

Winsage
July 10, 2026
StatCounter reports a decline in Windows usage this year, while OSX is rising, aided by the budget-friendly Neo. Linux is also gaining popularity, though specific distributions are not identified. Gamers are increasingly moving away from Windows, influenced by Microsoft's mixed reception of its AI features and the rise of alternatives like Bazzite, SteamOS, and the Proton compatibility layer.
AppWizard
July 10, 2026
John Carmack, co-founder of id Software, expressed sadness over the recent layoffs at the studio, which saw 96 employees at its Richardson location and 40 remote positions cut, representing a 50% workforce reduction. This restructuring is part of a broader initiative by new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, which has resulted in 1,600 staff layoffs earlier in the week, with another 1,600 expected throughout the financial year. Carmack suggested that id Software may have been viewed as a "marginal business" within Microsoft's portfolio and noted that its financial contributions to Microsoft appear minimal compared to the tech giant's overall revenue of 1.72 billion. He reflected on the competitive nature of the gaming industry and questioned whether different strategies could have improved id Software's financial performance. Despite the layoffs, he remains hopeful for the studio's future. Fellow co-founder John Romero also expressed support for the affected staff and emphasized the importance of preserving the legacy of iconic franchises like Doom, Quake, and Wolfenstein.
AppWizard
July 10, 2026
As of 4:33 PM PT, the "too many requests" error affecting Steam has subsided, allowing users to access the Steam store again, although server issues persist in Dubai. This downtime is unusual for a Thursday, as Valve typically schedules maintenance on Tuesdays. The error message displayed when accessing Steampowered.com indicates excessive requests. The situation may be related to the conclusion of the Summer Sale, leading to increased traffic. Many of Steam's services, such as seeing friends online and matchmaking, continue to function normally, with the primary issue being the accessibility of the Steam website.
Tech Optimizer
July 9, 2026
Certain LG monitors are reportedly installing software on Windows PCs without user consent, including unsolicited advertisements for McAfee antivirus. This was discovered by a Reddit user who found the "LG Monitor App Installer" in their Windows event log. The application may install itself automatically via the Microsoft Store or Windows Update and is difficult to remove. Users can disable the app's automatic startup or uninstall it, but it may reinstall in the future. Windows Pro users can use the Group Policy Editor to prevent automatic installations of manufacturer-specific applications. The incident raises concerns about user control and transparency regarding unsolicited software installations.
Winsage
July 9, 2026
Microsoft has acknowledged a bug in Windows 11 that causes the Capability Access Manager's write-ahead log file to expand indefinitely, potentially exceeding 500GB of storage on affected devices. This issue is addressed in update KB5095093, which includes builds 26200.8737 and 26100.8737. Users can manually install this update via the optional updates section of Windows Update or wait for its automatic rollout during the July 2026 Patch Tuesday. The Capability Access Manager manages app permissions and logs usage of privacy-sensitive features, but the WAL file continues to grow unchecked on affected systems. The file can reach sizes from 70GB to over 513GB. To check if a system is affected, users can check storage settings or use Robocopy to verify the file size. The update is available through the Optional updates section and will be included in the cumulative update on July 8, 2026. The excessive size of the WAL file can lead to critical storage shortages and related issues, but it does not compromise the security or core functionality of the permission system. Microsoft has not confirmed if Windows 11 26H1 Insider builds are affected.
AppWizard
July 9, 2026
Microsoft has acquired Bethesda, leading to speculation about a new Fallout RPG being developed by Obsidian, with Josh Sawyer, director of Fallout: New Vegas, at the helm. Reports indicate that Obsidian has paused the production of an Avowed sequel and other projects to focus on this new Fallout game. However, this development occurs amidst significant layoffs at Xbox, raising concerns about team morale and stability.
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