Visual Studio Archives

Winsage

September 8, 2026

Msckey Cuts 25% Off Windows 11 & Office 2024 for Back to Work/School

Msckey has launched a Back to Work/School sale from August 27 to September 15, offering a 25% discount on all Microsoft software licenses with the code BTS25. The sale includes various products such as Windows operating systems, Office 2024 suite, and professional tools like Microsoft Project and SQL Server. Current prices during the sale include Windows 11 Education for .99, Windows 11 Home for .74, and Office 2024 Professional Plus for .99. Msckey ensures that all licenses are genuine, clearly labeled, and delivered via email within minutes. Customers can pay using multiple options and receive personalized support.

Winsage

September 7, 2026

Microsoft just stumbled onto a way to fix Windows 11, but it hasn’t realized it yet

Microsoft has launched Project Zenith to improve the Windows 11 experience for developers, providing a streamlined environment primarily for high-end PCs. Devices under this initiative will come preloaded with essential development tools and optimized settings to reduce setup time. While the features are tailored for developers, similar configurations can be achieved on any Windows 11 machine by adjusting settings and installing applications like Visual Studio Code. Additionally, Microsoft plans to enhance security in Windows 11 by automatically enabling memory integrity protection on eligible devices starting next month.

Winsage

September 6, 2026

Microsoft Now Lets AI Build Native WinUI 3 Apps for Windows 11 in Under 30 Minutes

Microsoft has released a quick-start guide for developers to create native WinUI 3 applications for Windows 11 in about 30 minutes, using tools like VS Code, .NET 10, GitHub Copilot's free tier, and Microsoft's winapp CLI, without requiring Visual Studio. The guide details project scaffolding, AI integration for features, testing, and packaging as an MSIX installer. The AI agent, winui-dev, is a specialized plugin for WinUI tasks, and developers are encouraged to connect it to the Learn MCP server for updated documentation. This initiative aims to move developers away from web wrappers and Electron-style applications, which use more RAM. Microsoft announced at the Build 2026 conference that "3" will be removed from WinUI's name, reinforcing its long-term stability. WinUI 3 is being integrated into Windows 11 components, although some apps still use WebView2 technology, which consumes more RAM than native options.

Winsage

September 5, 2026

Microsoft engineer says “typing code is absolutely over,” and Windows 11 is already being built that way

David Fowler, an engineer with 18 years at Microsoft, claims that traditional software development methods are becoming obsolete, stating, “Typing code is absolutely over.” He has co-created technologies like SignalR and NuGet and currently leads Aspire, a toolchain for building distributed applications that emphasizes AI-driven development. CEO Satya Nadella noted that AI contributes to 20-30% of the code produced at Microsoft. While developers will still interact with code, manual typing is becoming less central, with a shift towards strategic software engineering tasks. Microsoft Research found that AI-generated suggestions in Visual Studio IntelliCode are often overlooked by developers. GitHub Copilot has evolved to autonomously perform tasks, including building Windows development environments as of February 2026. Linus Torvalds supports AI in Linux development, viewing it as a useful tool. A report from Veracode indicated that about 44% of AI-generated code contains known vulnerabilities, highlighting the need for oversight. Microsoft’s MDASH system uses AI for enhanced vulnerability assessments. Microsoft emphasizes native Windows development through the open-source WinUI 3 framework and provides resources for beginners using Copilot. Project Zenith aims to optimize Windows 11 for developers, supporting local AI-powered development. Fowler's statement signifies a transformation in developers' roles, focusing on strategic aspects rather than typing code, while the need for skilled software engineers remains essential.

Winsage

September 4, 2026

Announcing Project Zenith: The ready-to-code Windows experience on developer-class devices

Windows announced Project Zenith, a developer-optimized Windows 11 experience designed for devices with over 64 GB of unified memory and memory bandwidth exceeding 250 GB/s. The project will initially launch with AMD’s Ryzen AI Halo and will include preconfigured Windows setups and a curated selection of development tools. Devices under Project Zenith will allow developers to run models with over 30 billion parameters locally, reducing reliance on cloud resources. Enhancements to Windows 11 include improved performance and a cleaner workspace tailored for coding, with features like pinned Windows Terminal and Visual Studio Code. Project Zenith also integrates the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and provides a secure environment for developing agentic applications, leveraging OS-enforced identity and Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC). The initiative aims to offer a consistent ready-to-code experience across various devices while responding to developer needs and evolving with advancements in AI and software development.

Winsage

September 4, 2026

Windows 11’s Project Zenith cuts clutter for developers and promises a “distraction-free” experience

Microsoft is launching Project Zenith, which optimizes Windows 11 for developers by preinstalling essential applications and configuring settings tailored for coding. Key features include File Explorer displaying file extensions, hidden files, and the complete path in the title bar. Developer-class devices will run models with over 30 billion parameters locally and will come with tools like Windows Terminal and Visual Studio Code pinned to the Taskbar, along with preinstalled applications such as GitHub Copilot and PowerToys. To qualify as a developer-class device, a system must have a minimum of 64 GB of unified memory and at least 250 GB/s memory bandwidth. Initially, these enhancements will be available on AMD's Ryzen AI Halo devices, with plans for broader availability. All Windows 11 devices will benefit from overall improvements, including reduced memory usage and enhanced functionality in Search and File Explorer.

Winsage

September 4, 2026

Microsoft’s Project Zenith is a ‘distraction-free Windows experience’ for developers

Microsoft has launched Project Zenith, aimed at enhancing the developer experience on Windows for devices with 64GB or more of unified memory. At the IFA event, AMD introduced the first Project Zenith device, a compact PC powered by Ryzen AI Halo chips. These devices come with a preconfigured Windows setup for development and tools such as Visual Studio Code, GitHub Copilot, PowerToys, WinAppCLI, and Windows Dev Skills. The File Explorer has been optimized for developers, displaying file extensions and hidden files, and unnecessary notifications have been disabled. Project Zenith is a response to developer feedback regarding their needs from Windows.

Tech Optimizer

September 3, 2026

Avast Antivirus Zero-Day PoC Lets Attackers Dump SAM Database and Gain SYSTEM Shell

A public proof-of-concept (PoC) repository has revealed a local privilege escalation zero-day vulnerability in GenDigital's Avast Antivirus, allowing attackers with local execution access to extract the Windows Security Account Manager (SAM) database and execute a shell with NT AUTHORITYSYSTEM privileges. The flaw is located in the Avast Sandbox component and could enable a complete local takeover of the system. The PoC is compatible with any version of Avast Antivirus and has been tested on fully patched versions of Avast and Windows 11 25H2. The repository does not provide a formal release, CVE identifier, or patch details. The vulnerability may also affect other GenDigital products like AVG and Norton. Security teams are advised to monitor for suspicious activities related to Avast services and restrict local administrator access. Organizations should inventory their deployed versions and apply vendor-provided updates as they become available.

Winsage

August 25, 2026

Microsoft’s leaked new OS is one you’ll hope stays buried, and it’s not Windows

Leaked documents reveal that Microsoft developed Project Aion, a Copilot-centric operating system distinct from Windows 11, which was never released. Aion was designed without a Start menu, desktop icons, or a traditional taskbar, placing Copilot at the center of user interaction. The project was conceived as early as 2024 and aimed to redefine user engagement with technology, focusing on education, entertainment, and task completion. It utilized a streamlined Windows codebase called Win3, which was lighter than Windows 11 but lacked support for legacy Win32 apps. Aion featured a personalized dashboard with task cards and app icons for both Microsoft and third-party applications. It was intended to run on various AI-focused devices and aimed to create a versatile operating system adaptable to different hardware configurations. Key features included a conversational user experience, an "Ask me anything" box for queries, and "Spaces" for project organization. Despite its innovative design, Aion was primarily aimed at enterprise use and faced limitations due to the absence of traditional desktop applications. The likelihood of Aion's release is slim as Microsoft has shifted its focus to refining Windows 11 and has begun retracting ambitious AI integrations, prioritizing stability and performance enhancements over new operating systems.

Winsage

August 25, 2026

Microsoft: August updates break printing, PDF export in WPF apps

Microsoft has acknowledged a significant issue with the .NET Framework updates from August 2026, causing disruptions in printing and PDF export functionalities in certain applications, particularly those using the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) UI framework. After installing the update, some WPF applications may encounter a System.IO.FileFormatException when printing or generating PDF/XPS content with specific fonts, including Calibri. This issue affects various platforms, including Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server editions from 2012 to 2025. Microsoft has provided a temporary workaround involving the Switch.MS.Internal.TtfDelta.DisableCmapAndSbitOverflowProtection AppContext switch, but cautions that it may expose systems to vulnerabilities. This situation is reminiscent of a similar incident in February 2021, where WPF applications and Visual Studio experienced crashes after Windows 10 cumulative updates. Additionally, on the same day, Microsoft offered a workaround for another issue caused by Windows 11 updates that led to crashes in certain games.