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Developer Mayuki used Claude to vibe-code ReProgman, a lightweight clone of the classic Windows 3.1 Program Manager shell that ran until Windows 95 replaced it in the mid-1990s. The 12-16MB tool requires no installation, runs on both Windows 11 and Apple Silicon Macs via .NET SDK 10.0+, and has been published on GitHub under the MIT license.
WIRED published a guide identifying nine Windows laptops that compete with Apple's MacBooks on quality and performance, alongside broader advice on choosing a laptop. The guide recommends spending $750 to $1,000 for a 13- or 14-inch machine with at least 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of storage, and modern chips like Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series or Intel's Core Ultra lineup. It cites models such as the Dell 14 Plus and HP OmniBook 5 14 as strong examples in this price range.
A technical breakdown explains how Windows XP picked a user's initial account picture: it used the RtlRandomEx function seeded with GetTickCount(), scanning the default pictures folder once rather than twice. This single-pass method is a special case of reservoir sampling, selecting one item fairly as the folder is enumerated.
Microsoft has fixed a bug introduced by the optional KB5120998 preview update that caused mouse cursor personalization settings to revert to defaults on some Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 devices, particularly non-English installations. The company says the September 8 KB5124008 cumulative update resolves the issue and is urging affected users to install it, noting that uninstalling the buggy update did not restore settings.
Microsoft has resolved a bug that made desktop wallpapers turn solid black and reset mouse settings on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 devices. The issue stemmed from the KB5120998 preview update released in August 2026, and Microsoft says installing the KB5124008 update from September 8 fixes it.
Proofpoint identified an exploit toolkit, dubbed BlueMoon, that chains two Chromium vulnerabilities with a Windows kernel flaw to deploy malware on victims' machines. At least four separate hacking groups, some linked to the Chinese government, have deployed the kit within days of each other, and all three underlying vulnerabilities have only just received patches.
Microsoft's Bing Wallpaper app, which normally rotates nature and landscape photos, recently displayed a promotional image for a Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts 11-film collection instead. Users on Reddit, Thurrott.com and Microsoft Learn forums expressed surprise and frustration, with some mistaking the ad for adware and others objecting due to JK Rowling's political controversies.
Longstanding advice to periodically restart a computer remains valid today, with experts recommending Windows PCs be rebooted at least once a week. Linux systems generally require fewer restarts, and laptops should be shut down or put to sleep after use due to their limited cooling capacity.
Microsoft released patches for 974 vulnerabilities across Windows and other products, its largest single update batch ever, surpassing July's record of 570 fixes. The release includes two actively exploited zero-day flaws that let attackers escalate privileges, plus 113 critical-rated bugs including a dangerous DNS weakness and a Windows Shell remote code execution flaw scoring 9.8 out of 10 in severity.
Microsoft is introducing new APIs in Windows 11 that let third-party apps check whether a user falls into a child, teen, or adult age category, without revealing the person's actual birthdate. Developers can use this signal to tailor content, features, or restrictions based on age group rather than requesting precise personal data.
Microsoft has issued the KB5122878 update for Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC and machines enrolled in the Extended Security Updates program, bumping systems to build 19045.7725 (or 19044.7725 for LTSC 2021). The update bundles this month's Patch Tuesday security fixes plus smaller changes covering Secure Boot certificate rollout, a time-zone correction for Morocco, and diagnostic and compatibility tweaks.
Microsoft has shipped the September 2026 Patch Tuesday cumulative updates KB5124008 and KB5122880 for Windows 11 versions 25H2/24H2 and 23H2. The update patches roughly 1,000 vulnerabilities catalogued in recent months and is mandatory, installable via Windows Update or the Microsoft Update Catalog. Since 25H2 shares its codebase with 24H2, both versions receive identical fixes and features.