Stack Overflow recently published the results from their “Developer Survey 2016”. I thought about giving them some feedback. I went to the top level, clicked on the feedback link and navigated to their What else should we ask developers? question. Next, I needed to create an account. That being done, it turns out I need […]

Read More → Stack Overflow and its user unfriendliness towards newcomers

… Windows machines try to request two URLs (www.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt and ipv6.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt, the former over IPv4, the latter over IPv6) to ascertain whether a given network is routed to the Internet and if there is a captive portal in the way (NCSI stands for “Network Connection Status Indicator”). Ref.: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/08/even-when-told-not-to-windows-10-just-cant-stop-talking-to-microsoft/ See also: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/networking/2012/12/20/the-network-connection-status-icon/.

Read More → Network Connection Status Indicator (NCSI)

KB3146449 is another update one should avoid installing. From its own description: Updated Internet Explorer 11 capabilities to upgrade Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 And: 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.

Read More → Ad for Windows 10 camouflaged as a security update, how low can one sink?

A couple of KBs, KB2977759 and KB2952664, related to the dreadful Appraiser stuff, appeared in our WSUS instance this week. The former just made it on my list of KBs one should avoid. Both was promptly declined. The list encompasses: KB2952664, Compatibility update for upgrading Windows 7 KB2977759, Compatibility update for Windows 7 RTM KB3022345, […]

Read More → KB2977759 and KB2952664 now available in WSUS