Peter Fowler
@peterf.bsky.social
Thoughts & reposted tech articles on PCs, home tech & WiFi networks. Born in the UK, now a resident of Sydney, Australia since 1969. Retired Communications Engineer with part time job providing PC Repairs & Home Network Support.
www.homecompnet.com
www.homecompnet.com
Here we go again with #Microsoft #Windows updates. I encourage my clients to create backup image at least every 3 months as it is more likely Microsoft will stuff their PC than anything else will! Ideally create a backup image before each monthly update!
'Devices are failing to boot': why the latest Windows 11 bug could cause Microsoft more grief
Windows 11 runs into another disastrous bug with its latest update — Microsoft admits an 'issue in which devices are failing to boot', worryingly.
www.techradar.com
January 26, 2026 at 8:20 PM
Here we go again with #Microsoft #Windows updates. I encourage my clients to create backup image at least every 3 months as it is more likely Microsoft will stuff their PC than anything else will! Ideally create a backup image before each monthly update!
Further to my last post! I have been saying this for years! Stop with the new features until you have fixed the OS or suffer the consequences!
Notepad gets new features, while it's clobbered by new bug — highlighting everything that's wrong with Microsoft right now
Notepad gets new features — including a dash more AI – but I'm betting this isn't what most Windows 11 users want
www.techradar.com
January 22, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Further to my last post! I have been saying this for years! Stop with the new features until you have fixed the OS or suffer the consequences!
Looks like #Microsoft #Windows is going to be no better in 2026 than last year! Consumers should look at free alternatives like Linux Mint or ChromeOS Flex and save their sanity!
Windows 11 is becoming a crash-happy nightmare as two new bugs cause havoc — and my patience is wearing thin with Microsoft
Windows 11 is becoming a crash-happy nightmare as two new bugs are frustrating users.
www.techradar.com
January 22, 2026 at 8:32 PM
Looks like #Microsoft #Windows is going to be no better in 2026 than last year! Consumers should look at free alternatives like Linux Mint or ChromeOS Flex and save their sanity!
I haven't tried #OnlyOffice yet but I understand it is a worthy alternative to #LibreOffice.
I’m never going back to PowerPoint after mastering this free open-source tool
Create stunning slides for free
www.xda-developers.com
January 17, 2026 at 8:41 PM
I haven't tried #OnlyOffice yet but I understand it is a worthy alternative to #LibreOffice.
About time #Microsoft! Eventually they have listened to all the complaints. Shame they never thought to tell anyone! You cannot expect everything when it's #Microsoft.
OneDrive Backup just got a massive change for the better - how it works now
Microsoft is still forcing you to back up your files to the cloud, but recent changes have made it easier to restore your local files. Too bad those changes aren't documented.
www.zdnet.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:55 AM
About time #Microsoft! Eventually they have listened to all the complaints. Shame they never thought to tell anyone! You cannot expect everything when it's #Microsoft.
This is a very good summary of why many long term Windows users have given up and moved away from Windows for good. Most have gone to Apple, Linux or ChromeOS. #Microsoft is pushing their subscription services to bolster revenues from its diminishing user base.
Remembering what Windows 10 did right—and how it made modern Windows more annoying
Remembering Windows 10's rollout can help diagnose what ails Windows 11.
arstechnica.com
December 29, 2025 at 8:08 PM
This is a very good summary of why many long term Windows users have given up and moved away from Windows for good. Most have gone to Apple, Linux or ChromeOS. #Microsoft is pushing their subscription services to bolster revenues from its diminishing user base.
Whilst I never used reminders in #Google #Keep, this change will cause some Keep users some confusion whilst they understand how the interaction with #Tasks works.
Google Tasks is taking over reminders from Google Keep – and I'm not sure Google has thought this through
Reminders become tasks
www.techradar.com
December 25, 2025 at 10:31 PM
I believe #Google is more paranoid about security than either #Apple or #Microsoft. Google already has a number of ways to recover an account but this is a new excellent option.
Recovery Contacts: Sign in with a little help from your friends and family
An overview of Recovery Contacts, so friends and family can verify your identity if you lose access to your Google account.
blog.google
December 25, 2025 at 10:06 PM
I believe #Google is more paranoid about security than either #Apple or #Microsoft. Google already has a number of ways to recover an account but this is a new excellent option.
Two of the best Linux alternatives to Windows 10 or 11. I favour Linux Mint; on my limited Linux experience I have found Linux Mint more stable.
Linux Mint vs. Zorin OS: I've tested both Windows alternatives, and here's my choice
Linux Mint and Zorin OS are both popular Linux distros - but which one should you use? Here's my thinking.
share.google
December 25, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Two of the best Linux alternatives to Windows 10 or 11. I favour Linux Mint; on my limited Linux experience I have found Linux Mint more stable.
A useful reminder how deleting in Google Photos works. This confuses many users!
Google Photos reminds users how deleting works across devices and backups
In a post, Google is reminding Photos users how the act of deleting a photo or video works across your...
9to5google.com
December 24, 2025 at 3:51 AM
A useful reminder how deleting in Google Photos works. This confuses many users!
A must watch (excellent) video covering the pros and cons of the ubiquitous CLOUD we all use today!
The BIG Outage: The One System That Can Take Down Everything
YouTube video by Dave's Garage
www.youtube.com
December 23, 2025 at 8:51 PM
A must watch (excellent) video covering the pros and cons of the ubiquitous CLOUD we all use today!
This is obviously what #Microsoft should have been doing to keep users rather than just annoy the hell out of them to the point they are leaving in droves. Put the Marketing Dept on indefinite leave and just fix Windows 11 basics.
Ex-engineer tells Microsoft to forget AI – focus solely on fixing Windows 11's performance issues and bugs 'until it doesn't suck'
Fed up with Microsoft's big push for AI? Wish it would fix the basic problems with Windows 11? You are very much not alone.
www.techradar.com
December 2, 2025 at 8:17 PM
This is obviously what #Microsoft should have been doing to keep users rather than just annoy the hell out of them to the point they are leaving in droves. Put the Marketing Dept on indefinite leave and just fix Windows 11 basics.
#Microsoft should be getting worried! Zorin, Mint and other popular distros are eating away at Microsoft's user base. ChromeOS Flex and Chromebooks are also attracting users who don't want to buy a new PC when their existing PC is working fine! Microsoft's Windows 11 money grab is not popular!
Is the end of Windows 10 the beginning of something big for Linux? One distro has racked up a million downloads in the past month
Can't – or won't – upgrade to Windows 11? You're not alone, and one Linux distro is attracting a lot of attention since Windows 10 support ended.
www.techradar.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:15 PM
#Microsoft should be getting worried! Zorin, Mint and other popular distros are eating away at Microsoft's user base. ChromeOS Flex and Chromebooks are also attracting users who don't want to buy a new PC when their existing PC is working fine! Microsoft's Windows 11 money grab is not popular!
Follow on from my last post, this article gives a good description of Zorin OS, one of the increasingly popular Linux distros.
This is the Linux distro I moved my non-tech family members to
A surprising Linux distro for non-tech users that makes the transition from Windows a breeze.
www.xda-developers.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Follow on from my last post, this article gives a good description of Zorin OS, one of the increasingly popular Linux distros.
#Microsoft' s decision to force 400 million PCs to be prematurely pushed from #Windows could be its final downfall to Linux, ChromeOS and MacOS! Consumers are leading the way and once they are used to a non- Windows OS business will follow!
780,000 Windows users downloaded this Linux distro in a month, and for good reason
Here's hoping they stick around.
www.xda-developers.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:36 PM
#Microsoft' s decision to force 400 million PCs to be prematurely pushed from #Windows could be its final downfall to Linux, ChromeOS and MacOS! Consumers are leading the way and once they are used to a non- Windows OS business will follow!
Apart from the options in the article, you could also switch your existing PC to a fully supported #Linux or #ChromeOS Flex Operating System.
Windows 10 support ends soon – here's what you need to decide before it's too late
Whatever you do, do something – don't keep running Windows 10 with no updates
www.techradar.com
September 27, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Once again #Microsoft attempting to lock users into their products and forcing further use of their services like OneDrive. This will force those using #MSOffice 10 year versions to purchase storage unless they can work out how to store created files locally.
Microsoft Word now automatically saves new documents to the cloud
Word documents will be automatically saved to OneDrive
www.theverge.com
September 20, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Once again #Microsoft attempting to lock users into their products and forcing further use of their services like OneDrive. This will force those using #MSOffice 10 year versions to purchase storage unless they can work out how to store created files locally.
I was recently sent this YouTube which is a fascinating watch!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tjc-....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tjc-....
Most Popular Computer Operating Systems 1985 - 2024
YouTube video by Captain Gizmo
www.youtube.com
September 14, 2025 at 6:31 AM
I was recently sent this YouTube which is a fascinating watch!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tjc-....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tjc-....
If you want to download all your personal data from OneDrive, have a look at this YouTube from Leo Notenboom: youtu.be/PKsoohLHcl8. When setting up a new PC for someone, I check their current OneDrive contents (if any) using the second method. This data will automatically come down to the new PC.
How Do I Download All OneDrive Files to My PC?
YouTube video by Ask Leo!
youtu.be
September 14, 2025 at 6:26 AM
If you want to download all your personal data from OneDrive, have a look at this YouTube from Leo Notenboom: youtu.be/PKsoohLHcl8. When setting up a new PC for someone, I check their current OneDrive contents (if any) using the second method. This data will automatically come down to the new PC.
I get so many questions (and problems) relating to #Microsoft #OneDrive that I thoroughly recommend EVERYONE watching the YouTube video from Leo Notenboom below: youtu.be/q_JmtT_4l3c. This YouTube is excellent for explaining how OneDrive works and how to avoid a confusing mess!
How Do I Store Files on My Computer and Not OneDrive?
YouTube video by Ask Leo!
youtu.be
September 14, 2025 at 5:57 AM
I get so many questions (and problems) relating to #Microsoft #OneDrive that I thoroughly recommend EVERYONE watching the YouTube video from Leo Notenboom below: youtu.be/q_JmtT_4l3c. This YouTube is excellent for explaining how OneDrive works and how to avoid a confusing mess!
Once again #Microsoft is trying to lock you into their products. This is only a temporary solution for Windows 10 and probably unnecessary if you still plan to move to a new Windows 11 PC asap. You could take the opportunity to move to a totally different OS like MacOS, Linux or ChromeOS Flex.
How to get another free year of updates for your Windows 10 PC
Buying Windows 10 a one-year stay of execution doesn’t have to cost anything.
arstechnica.com
August 10, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Once again #Microsoft is trying to lock you into their products. This is only a temporary solution for Windows 10 and probably unnecessary if you still plan to move to a new Windows 11 PC asap. You could take the opportunity to move to a totally different OS like MacOS, Linux or ChromeOS Flex.
#Microsoft is doing everything it can to lock you into OneDrive! Once they have you only Office 365/OneDrive they have guaranteed annual revenue!
'Moving is easy with Windows 11' Microsoft tells us, promoting Backup app for transferring files from a Windows 10 PC - but you'll need to pay for OneDrive
In a new promo video for the Windows Backup app
www.techradar.com
August 5, 2025 at 9:00 PM
#Microsoft is doing everything it can to lock you into OneDrive! Once they have you only Office 365/OneDrive they have guaranteed annual revenue!
It just never gets any better! The only consistency is #Microsoft incompetence! Join the millions leaving Windows for Linux, ChromeOS and MacOS!
New Windows 11 update fails to install for some, and I'm hardly surprised at that – but some other reported bugs sound more worrying
The July update for Windows 11 24H2 is proving troublesome
www.techradar.com
July 14, 2025 at 5:55 PM
It just never gets any better! The only consistency is #Microsoft incompetence! Join the millions leaving Windows for Linux, ChromeOS and MacOS!
Just when is #Microsoft going to stop trying to build fancy new features and fix the basic functionality of the OS so that it can reliably update?
A Windows 11 update failing to install is nothing new, but Microsoft has spectacularly dropped the ball with the latest patch for June.
First patch was paused and revised version is problematic too
www.techradar.com
June 18, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Just when is #Microsoft going to stop trying to build fancy new features and fix the basic functionality of the OS so that it can reliably update?
USB-C has become so popular but some users don't fully understand why they have problems sometimes.
4 myths about USB-C you shouldn't believe
USB-C has reached ubiquity, appearing in everything from PC peripherals to laptops. These are some myths about the standard that we'd like to dispel.
www.xda-developers.com
May 29, 2025 at 11:32 PM
USB-C has become so popular but some users don't fully understand why they have problems sometimes.