licensing

Windows 10 reaches its official end of support on October 14, 2025 — and if you intend to run, repair, or virtualize the OS after that date, downloading and archiving an official Windows 10 ISO today is the simplest, safest hedge against broken links, tampered images, and last‑minute panic...

Microsoft’s move to meter Copilot Studio and AI agents by “messages” changes the calculus for automation: it makes on-demand, low-commitment experimentation easy, but it also requires careful billing-policy setup in Power Platform and Azure to avoid surprise costs and service disruptions...

Microsoft has quietly begun embedding three new Microsoft 365 “companion” apps into the Windows 11 taskbar — Calendar, File Search, and People — small, focused helpers designed to pull calendar events, corporate files, and contact details one click away from the desktop and reduce time lost to...

The single photograph credited to the Idaho State Journal from the Patriots–Commanders preseason gallery is a small, vivid example of how modern sports images travel, carry hidden technical metadata, and create both editorial value and legal risk for anyone who downloads, republishes, or edits...

Microsoft has begun deploying a new set of lightweight Microsoft 365 “companion” apps that live in the Windows 11 taskbar — offering instant access to people, files, and calendar items without launching full Office or Teams windows — and the release raises both productivity promises and...

A California resident has filed a lawsuit seeking to force Microsoft to keep Windows 10 receiving free security updates, calling the company’s October 14, 2025 end-of-support decision a de facto coercion to buy new hardware and a move to entrench its AI strategy — a case that crystallizes...

Microsoft will stop providing updates and support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, forcing a decision for millions of users: upgrade to Windows 11, buy a new PC, enroll in Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, or continue running an unsupported system at elevated risk...

Microsoft’s competitive position in the software industry remains both formidable and contested: the Benzinga automated analysis frames the company as a financial and strategic bellwether among software peers, but careful cross-checking of the numbers and regulatory context shows a more nuanced...

Microsoft’s Copilot 3D quietly introduces a one‑click route from flat photos to manipulable 3D assets, allowing users in Copilot Labs to upload a single JPG or PNG and receive a downloadable GLB model in seconds — a lab‑stage experiment that reshapes accessibility for hobbyists, educators, and...

The debate over Windows vs. Linux for your homelab is tired but relevant: for most home lab builders, Linux is the pragmatic default, while Windows remains valuable for specific, compatibility-driven roles. This article synthesizes the common arguments, verifies the major technical claims...

The short answer is: for most home labs, Linux is the better base, but the full story is more nuanced — Windows still earns a place when you need specific application compatibility, native GPU use for desktop tasks, or a familiar GUI for mixed-use machines. The advice in the popular How‑To Geek...

Microsoft has quietly confirmed a welcome twist for holdouts on Windows 10: a single consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) license, tied to your personal Microsoft account, can cover up to 10 PCs—plus you don’t have to pay the previously announced $30 if you opt to sync settings with the...

When attempting to administer a Windows server environment, there are few issues more disruptive and anxiety-inducing than being locked out due to a perplexing error message. One such problem—"The task you are trying to do can't be completed because Remote Desktop Service is currently busy"—has...

The ongoing competition tug-of-war in the cloud services market highlights a critical point: Microsoft's licensing policies for its software, particularly Windows Server, heavily influence the viability and economics of multi-cloud deployments. According to Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft's...

Windows Server 2025 has officially landed, marking one of the most significant leaps in server technology since the introduction of hybrid cloud integration and modern virtualization. Microsoft, with this latest release, appears keenly focused on balancing the fine line between innovation and...

A full year after VMware unceremoniously stuffed its most beloved community freebie into a digital sarcophagus, something unexpected is stirring in the world of virtualization: the resurrection of ESXi's free tier. In a move that’s as quietly dramatic as a hypervisor reboot at 3am (when nobody’s...

If you blinked, you might have missed it: VMware, the virtualization juggernaut, has pulled a plot twist more dramatic than a soap opera season finale. The company quietly revived its free ESXi hypervisor, a move that has set the virtualization and IT communities abuzz. For those following...

Microsoft’s Microsoft 365 Family subscription is currently under scrutiny as users report unexpected licensing issues that have thrown a wrench into their daily productivity routines. Over the past hour, posts across social media have amplified user frustrations as individuals find themselves...

Microsoft’s revised licensing and pricing strategy for on-premises server products is set to shake up IT budgets and deployment strategies come July 2025. This comprehensive update marks a turning point in how organizations approach on-premises infrastructure, providing continuous updates via a...

I'm considering replacing my 10-year old Windows Server 2012 Essentials R2 platform with a new server - hardware and OS. This is for home use only. Since I'm building the machine myself, I'm looking to purchase a Windows Server 2022 Essentials license - I haven't found a source for this and...