operating system

Any software — even a premier operating system — that gets onto computers through stealth means has crossed over to the dark side. Several weeks ago my wife came fuming into my office. “Windows 10 just hijacked my computer,” she complained. “Without asking, Microsoft upgraded me from Windows...

That Windows 95 startup sound always gives me nostalgia, but how about taking it for a whirl without setting anything up whatsoever? Andrea Faulds, a 19-year-old developer in Scotland, managed to get Windows 95 to function fully in the browser without any plugins. It’s a truly incredible sight...

“1 billion is a big number” In the last few months I have participated in multiple discussions about Microsoft’s goal of getting Windows 10 on 1 billion devices in the first 2-3 years of its availability. That opening quote is shared with me from one particular person on a consistent basis...

One of the most rewarding things about upgrading your operating system is finding all the ways in which it can simplify your working tasks -- after all, the goal of a good operating system is to work better so you can spend your precious brain power doing actual, rewarding work. Here's how to...

Microsoft is being ambitious with Windows 10. Continuum for phones, Windows Hello, HoloLens, and a plan for 1 billion devices running Windows 10 are all new and daring, but the bravest of all is a middle finger emoji. Emojipedia has uncovered a host of new emoji changes in Windows 10, and the...

Microsoft stripped out Aero Glass — a transparent and blurry glass effect — from Windows 8, but it looks like it’s making a slight return in Windows 10. Leaked screenshots from Chinese site IT Home reveal that the latest internal builds of Windows 10 include a new blurred transparency effect on...

The Evolution of Windows Icons As the Windows operating system has evolved, so too have many of its icons. As Windows 7 comes on to the scene with new user interface features, I recently began looking back at the changes in the icons that we all click on every day. While I discovered that...