Visual Studio Archives

Winsage

June 5, 2025

Microsoft is adding a simpler text editor than Notepad to Windows 11 soon

Microsoft is enhancing Notepad following the discontinuation of WordPad and is introducing a new text editor called Edit for Windows 11, which operates within the Command Prompt. Edit is a compact tool that resembles the classic MS-DOS Editor and has a contemporary interface similar to Visual Studio Code, occupying 230KB of disk space. Users can launch Edit by typing "edit" in the Command Prompt, allowing basic text file editing without advanced features like text formatting or AI summaries. Currently, files cannot be saved directly in Edit; users must copy text to other applications for finalization. Edit is in development and can only be accessed through manual installation from GitHub, with plans to make it the default text editor for command line use in the future.

Winsage

May 30, 2025

Microsoft unveils “centralized” software update tool for Windows

Microsoft is developing a Windows-native update orchestration platform to improve the software updating experience for IT administrators and end-users. This platform aims to streamline the management of updates across various applications and components within the Windows ecosystem, reducing confusion caused by independent updates for different products. Currently in private preview, developers can access the platform through Windows Runtime (WinRT) APIs and PowerShell commands by registering as update providers. The orchestrator will intelligently defer updates based on user activity and system performance, and it will automatically reschedule failed attempts. Additionally, Microsoft is introducing Windows Backup for Organizations to assist with the transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11. This feature simplifies the backup and restoration of settings for Windows 10 and 11 devices. To use this functionality, devices must be Microsoft Entra hybrid joined or Microsoft Entra joined and running a supported version of Windows. The restore feature is compatible only with Microsoft Entra joined devices running Windows 11, version 22H2 and later. The Windows Backup for Organizations feature is currently in a limited public preview for select members of the Microsoft Management Customer Connection Program.

Winsage

May 24, 2025

Get A Trio Of Microsoft License Keys For As Low As $10 This Weekend

PC users can purchase Microsoft lifetime licenses at discounted prices during Memorial Day weekend through StackSocial, a Microsoft Verified Partner. Microsoft Visio Professional 2021 and Project Professional 2021 are available for a reduced price when using the promo code WINDOWS, which also applies to Windows 11 Home. The promo code is valid until May 27, and activation for Project and Windows 11 licenses must occur within 30 days, while Visio licenses must be redeemed within a week. Without the promo code, all three applications are still discounted, but using the code provides further savings. Visio and Project incur a handling fee, while Windows 11 Home does not. StackSocial is also offering discounts on Microsoft Office 2019, Visual Studio Professional 2022, and other licenses, all of which are lifetime licenses.

Winsage

May 22, 2025

Can Microsoft Turn PC And Cloud Dominance Into AI Supremacy?

Microsoft is advancing an "agentic" future in enterprise computing by leveraging its strengths in Windows PCs and Azure cloud. At Build 2025, executives presented a vision of an "open agentic web" where intelligent software agents operate across devices and applications. Currently, 15 million developers use GitHub Copilot, and 90% of Fortune 500 firms have developed AI agents using Microsoft tools. GitHub Copilot is evolving into a proactive coding agent capable of performing complex development tasks autonomously. Azure AI Foundry is introduced as a unified environment for AI applications, hosting over 1,900 AI models and enabling enterprises to select optimal models for their needs. Windows is transforming into an AI platform with features like AI-driven shortcuts and local AI model access. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) and NLWeb are central to Microsoft's strategy, promoting openness and interoperability among AI agents. Copilot Tuning allows organizations to customize AI agents for specific business contexts, while Copilot Studio supports multi-agent orchestration. Microsoft's integrated AI approach contrasts with competitors like Google and Amazon, positioning it as a leader in providing comprehensive AI solutions.

Winsage

May 21, 2025

Windows 11 Introduces Enhanced Administrator Protection to Strengthen Security Against Elevated Privilege Attacks

Microsoft has launched Administrator Protection for Windows 11, a feature designed to enhance cybersecurity by preventing privilege escalation attacks. This feature creates a security boundary around administrative operations, reducing the attack surface for cybercriminals. It introduces a hidden, system-managed local user account that generates isolated admin tokens, preventing user-level malware from compromising elevated processes. Administrator Protection eliminates auto-elevation functionality, requiring users to explicitly authorize administrative actions. It utilizes a System Managed Administrator Account (SMAA) that generates non-persistent admin tokens for specific tasks, which are discarded after use. The feature is currently available to Windows Insiders in the Canary channel and will expand to the Dev channel, with broader deployment expected in the 24H2 release. Compatibility challenges may arise in complex development environments, such as with Visual Studio.

Winsage

May 20, 2025

Securing the Model Context Protocol: Building a safer agentic future on Windows

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a lightweight, open protocol functioning as JSON-RPC over HTTP, facilitating standardized discovery and invocation of tools. MCP defines three roles: MCP Hosts (applications accessing capabilities), MCP Clients (initiators of requests), and MCP Servers (services exposing functionalities). Windows 11 will incorporate MCP to enable developers to create intelligent applications leveraging generative AI. An early preview of MCP capabilities will be available for developer feedback. MCP introduces security risks, including cross-prompt injection, authentication gaps, credential leakage, tool poisoning, lack of containment, limited security review, registry risks, and command injection. To address these, Windows 11's MCP Security Architecture will establish security requirements for MCP servers, ensuring user safety and transparency, enforcing least privilege, and implementing security controls like proxy-mediated communication, tool-level authorization, a central server registry, and runtime isolation. MCP servers must comply with security requirements, including mandatory code signing, unchanged tool definitions at runtime, security testing, mandatory package identity, and declared privileges. An early private preview of MCP server capability will be offered to developers post-Microsoft Build for feedback, with a secure-by-default enforcement strategy planned for broader availability. Microsoft aims to enhance defenses continuously and collaborate with partners to bolster MCP's security framework.

Winsage

May 20, 2025

Microsoft Makes “Edit” Command Line Editor Open-Source, WSL Going Open-Source Too

Microsoft announced several open-source initiatives at its Build 2025 developer conference, including the introduction of Edit, a new command-line text editor for Windows, which is open-sourced on GitHub, crafted in Rust, and licensed under MIT. Edit is designed to enhance the user experience in Windows Terminal and is currently in early development, with plans to be included in future Windows releases. Additionally, Microsoft open-sourced GitHub Copilot within Visual Studio Code to improve collaborative coding, and the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is transitioning to an open-source model, with its source code now available on GitHub.

Winsage

May 14, 2025

WSL is the best feature added to Windows in the last decade

Microsoft introduced the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update in August 2016, initially as a tool for developers. WSL debuted as a beta version with a native-kernel translation layer, allowing Windows to run unmodified Linux ELF binaries. Its early performance was limited, leading users to prefer Linux virtual machines for full compatibility. The launch of WSL2 in May 2020 replaced the translation layer with a lightweight, real Linux kernel running in a Hyper-V utility VM, providing near-native performance and comprehensive syscall coverage. WSL2 has since seen continuous improvements, including GPU-compute and CUDA support in 2021, full GUI support for X11 and Wayland applications in 2022, and systemd support in September 2022. WSL2 approaches the performance of bare-metal Linux while integrating seamlessly with Windows, allowing users to launch a Linux shell easily. It enables developers to access the C drive and interact between Windows and Linux environments without dual-booting. WSL2 enhances productivity for data science workflows, allowing the use of tools like PyTorch with CUDA. It also offers features for non-developers, such as creating aliases for launching Windows applications and running Linux GUI applications. WSL's integration into Windows represents a significant shift, providing opportunities for users across various domains to explore Linux functionalities.

Winsage

May 14, 2025

Microsoft’s ‘Patch Tuesday’ Update Fixes Seven Zero-Day Exploits

Microsoft's latest Patch Tuesday update addresses 72 security vulnerabilities, including five critical zero-day vulnerabilities. Four of these zero-days are elevation of privilege flaws: - CVE-2025-32701 and CVE-2025-32706 target the Windows Common Log File System Driver. - CVE-2025-30400 affects the Microsoft DWM Core Library. - CVE-2025-32709 involves the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock. These vulnerabilities allow attackers to gain SYSTEM privileges locally. The fifth zero-day, CVE-2025-30397, is a remote code execution vulnerability in the Microsoft Scripting Engine, which can be exploited through malicious links in Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer. CVE-2025-30397, CVE-2025-32701, and CVE-2025-30400 were discovered by the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center, while CVE-2025-32706 was disclosed by the Google Threat Intelligence Group and CrowdStrike, and CVE-2025-32709 was reported by an anonymous researcher. Additionally, a publicly disclosed spoofing flaw in Microsoft Defender, CVE-2025-26685, allows unauthenticated attackers with local network access to impersonate another account. The final zero-day, CVE-2025-32702, is a remote code execution vulnerability in Visual Studio.

Winsage

May 10, 2025

I made my Windows Terminal exactly the way I want it, and it’s hard to go back to GUI apps

The author has been using Linux, specifically Ubuntu Server, for over a decade for cloud deployments, game server management, and media streaming. They primarily use a MacBook for daily tasks but also require Windows for gaming on a main PC, utilizing Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). The author has configured Windows Terminal to manage multiple command-line shells, including Windows PowerShell, Command Prompt, and WSL, all within a single application. Windows Terminal is pre-installed on Windows 11 version 22H2 or later and can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store for earlier versions. The author's Windows Terminal setup opens a WSL environment by default and includes options for Command Prompt, PowerShell, and Developer Command Prompts. They have customized their experience by removing trailing whitespace when pasting, organizing tab order, hiding the title bar, and using a Dark theme with the Monokai Remastered color scheme and JetBrains Mono font. The WSL configuration is set to access an Ubuntu terminal directly. Windows Terminal allows the author to connect to Proxmox hosts or virtual machines via SSH and supports multiple tabs for managing different systems. It features a "Quake" mode for quick command execution and the ability to create automated tools with keyboard shortcuts. The author plans to explore adding SSH profiles for easier server connections.