TweakHound

Computer stuff...

Thursday Random Stuff…

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THE FLASH comic logoFlash
Flash a-ah, Savior of the Universe!
APSB16-08 Security updates available for Adobe Flash Player
Download:
Flash for IE
Flash for other browsers
Main download page
Flash a-ah, He’ll save every one of us!
Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for March 2016 Issued: March 10, 2016 (Critical Security Bulletin (added to summary on March 10))
Flash for IE updated for Windows 8.1 and Win10.

Nvidia 364.51 WHQL’s
“Optimal experience for Tom Clancy’s The Division, Hitman, Need for Speed, Ashes of the Singularity, and Rise of the Tomb Raider”

Shhh!
Tails 2.2 released.
Tails is a live operating system, that you can start on almost any computer from a DVD, USB stick, or SD card. It aims at preserving your privacy and anonymity, and helps you to:
– use the Internet anonymously and circumvent censorship;
– all connections to the Internet are forced to go through the Tor network;
– leave no trace on the computer you are using unless you ask it explicitly;
– use state-of-the-art cryptographic tools to encrypt your files, emails and instant messaging.

Is Microsoft Trolling Windows 7 Geeks?

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troll_blueWoody Leonhard wrote Windows patch KB 3139929: When a security update is not a security update. In it he discusses that Microsoft included a GWX non-security update in security update KB3139929. That non-security update is KB3146449 and is uninstallable. Here is the breakdown:
Updated Internet Explorer 11 capabilities to upgrade Windows 8.1 and Windows 7
About this update
This update adds functionality to Internet Explorer 11 on some computers that lets users learn about Windows 10 or start an upgrade to Windows 10. Before you install this update, see the Prerequisites section. For more information about Windows 10, see Windows 10.

So yes this doesn’t sound good. In fact it sounds like yet another low-down, underhanded, sneaky, dirty-rotten trick by Microsoft. A giant middle finger to Windows 7 users if you will.

But the thing is sites around the web parroted the fact that this update produced a “blue banner” promoting Win10 when using IE despite the fact that none of them are able to reproduce the issue.

I’ve poked around on a couple of my Windows 7 machines and I can’t find anything nefarious related to this update. The only thing I can find is the picture below when you go to MSN:
ms_trollingwin7

 
On its face this seems outrageous. I really can’t believe that MS would pull this kind of stunt again? And, there seems no proof of egregious behavior this time. At least not yet.
So, I dunno. I wonder if Microsoft is trolling Windows 7 Geeks?

Patch Tuesday

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firefox_redfoxUpdates Galore!
Updates available for all supported OSs and MS Office editions.
Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for March 2016

Read This
Adobe Reader updated: APSB16-09 Security updates available for Adobe Acrobat and Reader
Download Adobe Reader or update from within the program (Help > Check for updates).

Firefoxy 45
Download (en-US)
Download other systems and languages
Release Notes

Back In The Saddle
AnyDVD is back! “A little more than a week after the closure of owner SlySoft, controversial ripping tool AnyDVD is back. Now operating under the RedFox banner, AnyDVD and friends have skipped to Belize while offering a brand new release.”

Abbott Labs Sucks
“Abbott Labs, a global healthcare company, is laying off about 180 IT employees after signing an agreement with Wipro, a major India-based IT services firm, to take over some IT services… The workers are expecting to train their replacements, possibly workers on H-1B and other temporary visas.”

Mac Bashing. Fun For Everyone!
When asked if there would ever be Mac support for the Rift, Palmer responds by saying “That is up to Apple. If they ever release a good computer, we will do it.”
smilie_rotfl

Tuesday News

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windows securityUpdate For Win10
Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1511 for x64-based Systems (KB3140743)
Release Notes

There Is An Optional Update For Windows 7 and 8.1 Too
They are KB3138612 and KB3138615.
This is a update for the Windows Update Client. Although I am not seeing anything suspicious, some updates like this in the past have been GWX related. I’m gonna hold off on this one for a while.

Nvidia Drivers
Nvidia Geforce Game Ready 362.00 WHQL Drivers
Support for: Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, Far Cry Primal, and the latest update for Dying Light
Release Notes

Sunday Random Stuff…

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www_newsConfigure telemetry and other settings in your organization
Updated on February 25th, 2016. “Learn about the telemetry that Microsoft gathers, the network connections that Windows components make to Microsoft, and also the privacy settings that affect data that is shared with either Microsoft or apps and how they can be managed by an IT Pro.”

SSD Reliability
A new study says age is a bigger factor in SSD reliability than usage. This “means that over-provisioning for fear of flash wearout is not needed.” Full study here: Flash Reliability in Production: The Expected and the Unexpected

“Where’s my phone?”
Got Android? Got help!

Horrible Bosses
“Your jobs have been given over to a foreign workforce,” Perrero recalled the executive saying. “In the meantime you will be training your replacements until your jobs are 100 percent transferred over to them and if you don’t cooperate you will not receive any severance pay.”

Don’t Go In The Water
Wireshark 2.0.2 is out there. Bugfixes.

Headed To The NHL?
This high school kid scored a sweet goal for an overtime win! I say sign him now.

Site News
I had to switch to a new caching plugin because W3 Total Cache is causing issues and seems all but abandoned. Now trying WP Fastest Cache. Please let me know if you are having issues.