Microsoft Windows software
Microsoft Windows is the most successful and ubiquitous enterprise software product ever created, and its future developments affect nearly every IT manager in some way. Browse all the latest news and analysis about Microsoft Windows software and the issues around buying, implementing and delivering benefits from Windows.
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News
12 Nov 2024
Microsoft fixes 89 CVEs on penultimate Patch Tuesday of 2024
High-profile vulns in NTLM, Windows Task Scheduler, Active Directory Certificate Services and Microsoft Exchange Server should be prioritised from November’s Patch Tuesday update Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2024
AI becomes Microsoft’s fastest-growing business
Artificial intelligence has delivered $10bn to Microsoft’s bottom line, but the business is not in cloud GPUs for third-party inference engines Continue Reading
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News
18 Feb 2019
IT Priorities 2019: IT professionals plan a big push to migrate off Windows 7
With the clock ticking to Windows 7 end of support, more than half of the IT professionals who took part in a survey have a Windows 10 migration as their top IT project this year Continue Reading
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News
31 Jan 2019
Microsoft cloud powers earnings boost
CEO Satya Nadella claims Azure compute services are the starting point for digitisation, as businesses add higher value services like AI Continue Reading
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29 Jan 2019
Why CIOs need to reshape desktop IT for Windows 7 end of support
With a year to go before Windows 7 reaches end of life, IT departments have more than just the operating system upgrade to consider. Continue Reading
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E-Zine
29 Jan 2019
A vintage digital transformation for Majestic Wines
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the digital transformation of retailer Majestic Wines, and find out how buying online rival Naked Wines led to a cloud-led overhaul of the firm’s IT. We look at the challenges for IT managers as they prepare for the end of Windows 7 support in January 2020. And our latest buyer’s guide discusses deep learning technology. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
24 Jan 2019
Windows 7: Don't expect Microsoft to handle all Windows 10 issues
It does not seem that long ago that IT departments were battling with upgrading PCs from Windows XP to Windows 7, as Microsoft finally pulled the plug for support on the legacy operating system. ... Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Jan 2019
How can attacks bypass Windows Driver Signature Enforcement?
Security researchers demonstrated how a new fileless attack technique can bypass a Windows kernel protection feature at Black Hat 2018. Find out how the technique works. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jan 2019
Why CIOs need to reshape desktop IT for Windows 7 end of support
With a year to go before Windows 7 reaches end of life, IT departments have more than just the operating system upgrade to consider Continue Reading
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News
04 Dec 2018
How Docker plans to help businesses get around Windows Server 2008
Microsoft will end support for Windows Server 2008 in 2020. Many applications will fail to upgrade to the latest server OS. But Docker has a plan Continue Reading
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News
28 Nov 2018
CIO interview: Stephen Docherty on NHS data sharing
The Cambridge Analytica scandal raised awareness about privacy. Stephen Docherty, CIO of South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, explains why Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Nov 2018
Tips for minimising the impact of the Microsoft Office price rise
Microsoft has “adjusted” prices with Office 2019, making it more expensive to buy on-premise versions of its products Continue Reading
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News
20 Nov 2018
Dutch audit finds Microsoft Office leaks confidential data
The diagnostics Microsoft Office collects from users should be a source of concern for any government CISO, according to a DPIA audit Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2018
Microsoft forces price hike on budget-constrained councils
The October 2018 price hike for Microsoft Office 2019 will badly affect local governments, leading Socitm to urge Microsoft to reconsider Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2018
Office 365 users locked out by authentication failure
Multifactor authentication aims to protect users’ security, but many woke up this morning to find they could no longer access Microsoft 365 Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Nov 2018
Is Azure ready to go cloud-native?
We look at the suitability of Microsoft’s Azure platform for deploying cloud-native applications Continue Reading
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News
30 Oct 2018
AWS retains cloud market leader status in Q3, as Microsoft and Google post gains
AWS retains its title as the world's biggest cloud provider, but the position is not going unchallenged by the likes Microsoft and Google, Synergy Research Group's third quarter market analysis shows Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2018
Microsoft results show hybrid benefit to Azure growth
The software company continues to push the benefits of on-premise Windows Server infrastructure alongside Azure PaaS Continue Reading
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Blog Post
22 Oct 2018
All Things Migration
So, in recent blogs I've talked about all things migration-wise; Windows migration issues and the testing thereof, migrating to the cloud, even migrating the cloud back to OnPrem, from OnPrem to ... Continue Reading
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News
17 Oct 2018
Microsoft signs pledge to assist people with dyslexia
Tech giant Microsoft has signed the Made by Diversity pledge to help more people with dyslexia use technology as part of their education Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2018
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen dies, aged 65
Computer programmer who helped propel Microsoft to become one of the world’s largest businesses will be remembered for his generosity Continue Reading
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News
09 Oct 2018
Windows 10 update pulled after file losses
Microsoft has been forced to stop the October 2018 release of Windows 10 because users have complained it deletes files Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Oct 2018
Windows Virtual Desktops: Microsoft takes virtual Windows mainstream on Azure
Microsoft is fleshing out its virtual desktop proposition by allowing enterprises to access Windows via its Azure platform, but what does this mean for its competitors? Continue Reading
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Blog Post
02 Oct 2018
Parallel Universe Windows Migration as a Service
Rewind a few years and I was carrying out a series of test projects for a UK-based ISV client, AppDNA, whose focus was the analysis of application compatibility when migrating between different ... Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Sep 2018
How is Google taking on Microsoft Office in retail?
Carrefour represents a big-name contract win for Google’s G Suite, but will Microsoft Office still be dominant across retail? Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2018
Councils at risk from unsupported Windows Server and SQL Server
Some local authorities are using unsupported server software, while others are not paying for extended support Continue Reading
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News
22 Aug 2018
Microsoft dominates SaaS thanks to collaboration software
Microsoft’s software-as-a-service business is growing at 45% a year, well ahead of the rest of the market, reports Synergy Research Group Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2018
Microsoft looks at a Windows VM to sandbox rogue code
A feature revealed in the Windows Insider programme may appear in a future Windows 10 update for enterprises Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2018
Ramp up security to mitigate Office 365 attacks
Public clouds tend to be more secure, but Office 365 has become a major target for attacks, which means internal IT security needs tightening Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2018
Cloud sales stoke Microsoft’s strong growth
Microsoft says cloud-based Office products made a huge contribution to sales growth Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2018
ITPS expands datacentre to support Azure Stack and HPC
Datacentre company ITPS expands its County Durham facility to meet client needs for high performance computing and security Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2018
Microsoft warns if an email is being sent out of office hours
When Blackberry introduced mobile email, it made everyone permanently connected to work. Now, Microsoft wants to curb this Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2018
Windows 7 migration powers PC uptick
PC sales in the enterprise have increased as businesses roll out Windows 10 before Microsoft ends support for Windows 7 Continue Reading
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Photo Story
27 Jun 2018
Surface 2 family reboots desktop
Microsoft's latest range of Surface 2 devices provide tight integration with Windows 10, PowerBI and Office 365, giving users a new approach to working Continue Reading
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19 Jun 2018
Making sense of Microsoft’s cloud developer platform
We assess how Microsoft is aligning its development tools to support Linux and open source, in light of its acquisition of GitHub. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
18 Jun 2018
Your PC is rooted and jailbroken: deal with it!
One of the defining characteristics of the modern digital workplace is a Windows PC on every desk and a smartphone in every pocket. The ability to centrally discover, provision, deploy, update, and ... Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Jun 2018
Making sense of Microsoft’s cloud developer platform
We assess how Microsoft is aligning its development tools to support Linux and open source, in light of its acquisition of GitHub Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2018
After GitHub acquisition, Microsoft will need to up its game in the enterprise
Microsoft’s $7.6bn acquisition of GitHub propels the company that is loved and hated for Windows to the very heart of open source. Can it be trusted? Continue Reading
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News
04 Jun 2018
Microsoft takes over GitHub as it expands its open source plan
Microsoft is a major contributor to open source. It has now acquired the largest open source repository Continue Reading
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News
31 May 2018
Retail sector flagged as slow to adopt cloud technologies in Bitglass research
The fourth annual Bitglass cloud adoption survey reveals enterprise appetite for off-premise technologies is continuing to rise, but some industries are moving more slowly than others Continue Reading
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Photo Story
30 May 2018
Build 2018: How Microsoft is embracing cross-platform development
Microsoft has realised the world is moving on from Windows. Azure supports Linux and Xamarin enables .Net developers to target IoS and Android devices Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2018
Save the Children International uses Microsoft Azure to bolster cross-border charity work
Graham Kent, director of IT shared services at Save the Children International, talks about using Microsoft Azure to boost cross-border collaboration between the charity’s member organisations and present a more united front to the world Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2018
Why Microsoft's AI is about helping anyone's intelligent agent
Microsoft believes businesses need to be connected to AI innovation. The way it wants to achieve this is through its AI platform for developers Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2018
Build 2018: Microsoft addresses the role of Windows in mobile-first era
Windows 10 Phone may be dead, but now Microsoft wants to make Windows 10 the best partner operating system for smartphones Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2018
Nadella opens Build 2018 with cross-platform push
Microsoft’s developer conference has kicked off with a renewed focus on making Microsoft products and services work well with other offerings Continue Reading
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Feature
02 May 2018
Four Windows 10 migration tools to consider
With the right tools -- such as the Windows ADK or MAP -- at their disposal, IT pros can take some of the headaches out of a move to Windows 10. Continue Reading
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News
01 May 2018
Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 focuses on IT admins
While it will stop those annoying taskbar InBox and social media messages, at the heart of the April 2018 Windows 10 update is an effort to simplify management Continue Reading
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News
30 Apr 2018
Security industry welcomes NHS move to Windows 10
Representatives of the security industry have welcomed the announcement that the NHS will be migrating to Windows 10 as part of a multi-million pound deal with Microsoft, but warn that the move will not be without its challenges Continue Reading
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News
27 Apr 2018
Microsoft releases Windows 10 security pack
Microsoft has released a download pack that incorporates NCSC guidance to save UK companies weeks of work to secure Windows 10 and comply with government guidelines Continue Reading
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News
27 Apr 2018
GDPR: Put your data in Azure cloud, says Microsoft chief
Tech giant reports strong growth in its cloud business in third-quarter 2018 fiscal results Continue Reading
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Blog Post
26 Apr 2018
The life of macro
Kanye West’s recent Twitter meltdown, in which he professed his love for Donald Trump, has seen many fans turn on him, but our interest lies more with his denunciation of Microsoft Excel. The ... Continue Reading
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News
23 Apr 2018
Executive interview: Werner Knoblich, Red Hat
Red Hat is 25 years old. We speak to its European chief about how open source, containers and hybrid cloud computing represent the foundation for IT Continue Reading
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Blog Post
20 Apr 2018
Growth mindset lets Microsoft love Linux
Timed to coincide with the RSA security conference, Microsoft has announced Azure Sphere, a new solution for creating highly-secured, Internet-connected microcontroller devices. But there's a bit ... Continue Reading
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News
09 Apr 2018
Security professionals admit patching is getting harder
Vulnerable systems need patching to avoid being attacked by security exploits, yet many businesses find it hard to apply patches quick enough Continue Reading
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News
09 Apr 2018
US tax cuts and dollar’s decline propel datacentre spending
Gartner’s latest spending forecast shows the strongest growth in IT spending, which it expects to total $3.7tn in 2018, up 6.2% from 2017 Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2018
Microsoft plans to invest $5bn to boost IoT business
Its vision involves sensor data from IoT devices being processed across a distributed computing infrastructure from the edge to Azure Continue Reading
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News
29 Mar 2018
UK government secures public sector discounts on Microsoft cloud products to April 2021
Government procurement chiefs have secured ongoing preferential pricing on Microsoft cloud products for the public sector through Digital Transformation Agreement Continue Reading
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Photo Story
28 Mar 2018
A month with the Google Pixelbook
We assess how well Google's Pixelbook premium Chromebook works in the enterprise Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2018
Microsoft readies Windows Server 2019
As it pushes Azure for the cloud and Azure Stack as an on-premise bridge, Microsoft still believes there is life in Windows Server Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2018
Cost and compliance deter users from public clouds
Hyper-converged server provider Nutanix argues that Azure and AWS are not the best option for running predictable workloads Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Mar 2018
Why the browser is the computer
When he was CEO of Sun Microsystems, Scott McNealy once said that the network is the computer. Today, users spend most of their time in a browser Continue Reading
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News
12 Mar 2018
Fileless attacks surge as hackers exploit PowerShell scripts
Malicious scripting through Microsoft’s PowerShell IT admin tool is being used to take control of Windows machines and Apple Macs Continue Reading
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News
07 Mar 2018
Click and collect comes to desk-side IT support
Velocity Smart is a new company hoping to revolutionise desk-side support by removing the need for IT staff to physically visit employees’ desks Continue Reading
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News
22 Feb 2018
Google calls out Microsoft for failing to fix reported flaw
Google’s Project Zero has gone public with a Windows 10 flaw that Microsoft claimed to have fixed in its February security update Continue Reading
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News
19 Feb 2018
Prepare for Y2K style Meltdown strategy
The days of fixing the date bug in legacy systems may be long gone, but IT now has as much of an effort mitigating the Spectre/Meltdown processor flaw Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Feb 2018
Chrome OS: Why it may be time to approach desktop IT in a different way
The managed desktop has been running for nearly 20 years. Surely there must be a better way? We investigate Continue Reading
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Photo Story
15 Feb 2018
How to introduce Chrome OS in the enterprise
We test a corporate desktop IT environment, running on CloudReady, a version of Chrome OS that can run on PCs and Macs Continue Reading
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Blog Post
02 Feb 2018
Microsoft's challenge for 2018: mindshare & market relevance
Microsoft's revenues are up, but compared to its biggest competitors -- Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook -- its mindshare and perceived market relevance are down. Satya Nadella's Microsoft is ... Continue Reading
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News
01 Feb 2018
IT Priorities 2018: Where senior IT managers plan to spend their budget
It is the year when IT departments migrate to Windows 10, upgrade to Windows Server 2016, architect microservices and deploy cloud management Continue Reading
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News
01 Feb 2018
Microsoft results show a distributed computing future
While it has paid a massive US tax bill, the company's results show Microsoft is making progress on its intelligent cloud hybrid strategy Continue Reading
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News
31 Jan 2018
IT Priorities 2018: Why IT must change its approach to Windows 10
Windows 10 is set to be a top priority for IT departments this year, but it should be seen as more than just a desktop operating system upgrade Continue Reading
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News
26 Jan 2018
Leak confirms CEO dumped Intel shares after Meltdown and Spectre processor flaw
Leaked document show that Intel’s CEO sold his shares the very day the company told hardware makers of its processor flaw Continue Reading
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News
25 Jan 2018
Robots are needed to manage the automation robots
The next decade will see robots transform from invisible forces obeying our commands to lifelike objects interacting with humans on a daily basis Continue Reading
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News
23 Jan 2018
Many councils admit they are not ready to upgrade from Windows 7
With less than two years to go before Microsoft stops supporting Windows 7, a study has found many councils may struggle to meet this deadline Continue Reading
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News
18 Jan 2018
Demand for cloud services drives increase in IT outsourcing
Cloud services spending in Europe, the Middle East and Africa offset a drop in traditional IT outsourcing in 2017 Continue Reading
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News
18 Jan 2018
Meltdown and Spectre: to patch or not to patch
As IT recoils from the Spectre and Meltdown chip exploits, companies face patches that are incompatible, leading to crashes, reduced performance and lock-ups Continue Reading
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News
16 Jan 2018
Financial savings just the beginning for CIOs who understand code quality
Businesses need to understand the quality of the code in their applications if they are to avoid unnecessary costs and glitches Continue Reading
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News
19 Dec 2017
Top 10 enterprise IT in the Nordics stories in 2017
The Nordic region might be best known in IT circles for its startup communities – but it has much more to offer Continue Reading
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News
06 Dec 2017
Mayor of London opens Bangalore office to strengthen links with Indian businesses
City of London’s office in India’s tech hub aims to promote Indian investment and IT jobs in UK capital Continue Reading
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Video
28 Nov 2017
Lauri Love: how reformed hackers halted the WannaCry virus
Lauri Love presents a compelling story of the WannaCry malware that nearly brought down the NHS, and the behind the scenes work of former hackers, and security researchers that helped to prevent lives being lost. Love is facing extradition to the US after allegedly taking part in a hacking protest over the death of internet pioneer Aaron Swartz, who faced jail for using a hidden computer to downloading academic journals at MIT. Continue Reading
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E-Zine
17 Oct 2017
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on empathy and innovation
In this week’s Computer Weekly, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella explains why he has made empathy a key part of technology innovation at the software giant. We examine the latest developments in the debate over the tax status of IT contractors in the public sector and the IR35 reforms they claim are hampering digital government projects. And we ask if an emphasis on creativity will help attract more young people to work in IT. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2017
What is the future of Windows Server?
At its annual Ignite event, Microsoft presented a number of features that give an insight into its strategy Continue Reading
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News
25 Sep 2017
Microsoft Ignite kicks off with cross-platform SQL and on-premise Azure
Microsoft announces completion of cross-platform SQL Server, GDPR compliance for Office 365, plus Azure Stack Continue Reading
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News
19 Sep 2017
Outlook outage: Microsoft blames European Hotmail downtime on load-balancing fault
Microsoft claims connectivity issues that blighted Outlook and Hotmail users for much of Monday 18 September have now been largely resolved Continue Reading
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E-Zine
12 Sep 2017
IT transformation takes the lead at Dogs Trust
In this week's Computer Weekly, we speak to the head of IT at the Dogs Trust about its use of cloud computing and data analytics. We also look at the societal challenges of AI and investigate how to get a good Office 365 deal. Plus our buyer's guide checks out DevOps tools. Download the issue now. Continue Reading
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E-Zine
05 Sep 2017
Dutch startup wants to revolutionise online food shopping
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how Dutch startup Picnic hopes to revolutionise the online food shopping market using artificial intelligence and data analytics. We take a look at the latest updates to Microsoft’s Office 365 cloud-based productivity tools. And we assess the prospects for AMD’s latest line-up of server processors and ask if they can challenge market leader Intel. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
31 Aug 2017
Open source helps Schiphol fly to multi-clouds
Amsterdam airport Schiphol is utilising open source software to create and use a multi-cloud platform with an open API Continue Reading
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E-Zine
15 Aug 2017
Tech takes the lead in the Tour de France
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how the Tour de France – the world’s greatest bike race - is transforming its relationship with fans thanks to internet of things, data analytics and machine learning technology. We analyse industry reaction to the UK government’s new data protection laws. And our new buyer’s guide looks at Microsoft’s cloud-based Office 365 software suite. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Aug 2017
Integration is key to Office 365’s progress
We look at how Microsoft Office 365 works and how far it has gone towards becoming a platform for integrating other tools Continue Reading
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News
08 Aug 2017
Top tips to avoid a costly Office 365 subscription bill
The Office 365 cloud-based productivity suite is Microsoft’s next strategic platform. We explore the licensing implications Continue Reading
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E-Zine
04 Jul 2017
Be better connected in a wireless world
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at the latest developments in wireless technology and discover how enterprises can deliver secure and reliable wireless networks for staff and customers. We examine Microsoft’s PowerShell scripting language to understand why it’s become such an important tool for automating system administration. And we ask CIOs what it’s like to cross the divide and work for IT suppliers. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2017
Microsoft admits Windows 10 disables third-party security software
Microsoft has admitted Windows 10 disables some third-party security software, but claims this is purely because of compatibility issues Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2017
Pirated software used to spread malware in APAC
A regional study by a Singapore university has found that counterfeit software distributed through discs and file-sharing networks is plagued by malware Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2017
SAP aligns with Saudi Arabia’s IT transformation agenda
Global software giant SAP sees an opportunity for its wide portfolio in Saudi Arabia as the Middle Eastern country transforms Continue Reading
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E-Zine
23 May 2017
Global ransomware attack could be a security wake-up call
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at the global WannaCry ransomware attack that struck the NHS and spread across 150 countries – will it be the wake-up call that finally makes organisations take cyber security seriously? We find out how Moscow is leading the way in smart city digitisation. And our latest buyer’s guide examines customer experience management. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
16 May 2017
Introducing Microsoft PowerShell
Real sys admins never use GUI tools. PowerShell offers command line tools for managing and automating Windows servers and Microsoft online services Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2017
Why IT needs effective monitoring for cloud applications
IaaS and PaaS free up IT from running day-to-day administration tasks, but the cloud can become a black box, limiting visibility Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2017
How Microsoft is extending the benefits of Office 365
There are now over 100 million corporate users of Office 365, which provides a great developer opportunity. We find out why Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2017
Hotel booking site Trivago powers collaboration with Dropbox
A Slack group and a workshop day helped Trivago deploy Dropbox for Business to 1300 users Continue Reading
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News
28 Apr 2017
Microsoft chief reveals Azure upsell strategy
Azure competes with AWS on price as an IaaS, but Satya Nadella sees this as a way to get CIOs to buy higher-level services Continue Reading
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News
27 Feb 2017
Santander bank to work with IBM developing mobile apps for staff
Santander bank wants to make its staff more productive through mobile apps, which it will create alongside IBM Continue Reading
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News
22 Feb 2017
Microsoft issues critical patches but not for zero days
After missing the monthly security update for 14 February, Microsoft has issued some patches but not for zero-day vulnerabilities despite the availability of exploit code Continue Reading