WINDOWS 11 By Mary Branscombe Changes to File Explorer might show that Microsoft is serious about listening to users — and fixing Windows 11. The Windows Insider program has been through a lot of changes over the years. At its best, it has been a supportive community the Windows team has paid attention to for […]

NETWORKING By Mary Branscombe Windows tries to keep your PC safe online by not allowing incoming network connections unless the software you’re using asks for them. Here’s how it figures that out, and how you can fine-tune it. In the real world, a firewall is a physical barrier meant to stop a fire — or […]

ISSUE 23.23 • 2026-06-08 WINDOWS By Mary Branscombe It’s easy to build up a long list of old devices, but sometimes it’s the Microsoft Store that’s living in the past. When Windows 8.1 came out, the Windows team put in a tiny Easter egg. Besides being able to download apps from the Windows Store (as […]