Beginning with Windows 8, Microsoft reorganized their OS, so that you could change system settings through the Settings Panel. The Control Panel disappeared from the Start Menu, to encourage people to move on and get used to the new way of adjusting OS behavior. But the Windows’ Classic Control Panel is still there, always has … Read more
Pusblisher users, take note! Microsoft retires their beloved Publisher app in October 2026. If this affects you, here’s what to know and do in preparation: What You Will See Happen For now, absolutely nothing changes. If you have MS Publisher installed on your PC, it will work as expected up until October 2026. In October … Read more
Today, Microsoft announced that Skype is shutting down in May 2025. Specifically, we can expect Skype to stop working on 5/5/2025. If you still use Skype, please consider moving over to Microsoft Teams. If you’re on a Windows computer, you probably already have Teams on your system. Microsoft has been proactive about pre-installing Teams. Check … Read more
If you subscribe to Microsoft 365, you may have seen their significant price increase in January 2025. Oh, you didn’t notice? Microsoft 365 Personal jumped from $70/yr to $100/yr, while Microsoft 365 Family increased from $100/yr to $130/yr. If this came in below your radar, that’s because Microsoft did it on the QT. And that’s … Read more
Microsoft has not been straight with us. We’ve been gearing up to kiss Windows 10 goodbye on October 14, 2025 when we don’t have to. If you are still using your Windows 10 computer, check out these details, because you might keep using your computer for longer than you thought. Windows 10 is getting a … Read more
Microsoft, in their inestimable wisdom, has quietly removed Wordpad from Windows. This has been a long time in coming, and a recent update finally nixed it. If you never used this app, this may be no big deal to you. But if you still like it and use it, here’s how to get Wordpad back … Read more
Sometimes, a program freezes, or locks up, and you need a way to close it. If clicking File -> Close or the ‘X’ button doesn’t work, you’ll want to “End the Task” to break free. Ending the Task will help you avoid a full reboot, and you should know your End Task options. Not to … Read more
The Windows SlideToShutDown Shortcut is adorable. And apparently, it’s been hiding on PCs since WIndows 8. If you want to try this out on your PC: Now you have a desktop shortcut that can power off your computer. When you trigger it, you’ll see a window-blind swoop down for you to use. Slide it down … Read more
Microsoft doesn’t care about your ad blocker. They want advertising revenue and they can get it, by adding ads directly into Windows 11. It started off subtle, but it’s gotten downright obnoxious. If you want to put Microsoft in their place, here are a bunch of ways to defeat Windows 11 advertisements: Pinned Apps Windows … Read more
It may sound like a dry topic, but some of us really need to understand Windows upgrade limitations in 2024. Microsoft has created some pinch-points, and it affects people who own older computers. Let me break this up into two sections: Windows 7/8 Can No Longer Be Upgraded to 10 For a long time, Windows … Read more