Wayne Williams

Microsoft and IBM open source MS-DOS 4.00

Microsoft, in partnership with IBM, has released the source code of MS-DOS 4.00 under the open-source MIT license. This release comes a decade after Microsoft first made the source code for MS-DOS 1.25 and 2.0 available to the public through the Computer History Museum.

The decision to release the MS-DOS 4.00 source code was inspired by the discovery of early, unreleased beta binaries by researcher Connor “Starfrost” Hyde. Hyde’s discovery stemmed from a conversation with former Microsoft Chief Technical Officer Ray Ozzie, who unearthed the binaries among floppies sent to him during his tenure at Lotus. Intrigued by the software’s historical value, Hyde approached the Microsoft Open Source Programs Office (OSPO) to explore the possibility of making these resources publicly available.

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Get 'Principles of Data Science -- Third Edition' (worth $39.99) for FREE

Principles of Data Science bridges mathematics, programming, and business analysis, empowering you to confidently pose and address complex data questions and construct effective machine learning pipelines.

This book will equip you with the tools to transform abstract concepts and raw statistics into actionable insights. Starting with cleaning and preparation, you’ll explore effective data mining strategies and techniques before moving on to building a holistic picture of how every piece of the data science puzzle fits together.

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From Windows XP to Windows 10 -- How Microsoft's end-of-life nag screens have changed

Microsoft has evolved its approach to warning users about the end of life (EOL) of its Windows operating systems over the years. The methods and techniques used, from Windows XP onwards, have varied, ranging from the polite to the downright aggressive (we're looking at you, Windows 7).

This journey, revealed in a new video, highlights how Microsoft's strategy has shifted to ensure users are aware of when their operating system will no longer receive support, emphasizing the importance of security and system updates and, in some cases, upgrading you against your will without warning (we're still looking at you, Windows 7).

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Get 'Coding with AI For Dummies' (worth $18) for FREE

Coding with AI For Dummies introduces you to the many ways that artificial intelligence can make your life as a coder easier. Even if you’re brand new to using AI, this book will show you around the new tools that can produce, examine, and fix code for you.

With AI, you can automate processes like code documentation, debugging, updating, and optimization. The time saved thanks to AI lets you focus on the core development tasks that make you even more valuable.

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How writing zip support for Windows almost cost its creator his job at Microsoft

These days, we take Windows' built-in zip support for granted, even if we prefer to use an alternative tool like 7-Zip. The story of how Microsoft added zip functionality to its operating system is an interesting one, and the guy responsible for it reveals how its creation nearly got him fired from his job at the tech giant.

Dave Plummer is a retired operating system engineer for Microsoft who worked on MS-DOS and Windows 95, among other things. He wrote the zip file support for Microsoft’s Windows 95 Plus pack, a feature which became an integral part of Windows 98 onwards and which, in his own words, "hasn’t really changed all that much in the 30 years since."

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Get 'Applied Machine Learning and AI for Engineers' (worth $67.99) for FREE

While many introductory guides to AI are calculus books in disguise, this one -- Applied Machine Learning and AI for Engineers -- mostly eschews the math.

Instead, author Jeff Prosise helps engineers and software developers build an intuitive understanding of AI to solve business problems. Need to create a system to detect the sounds of illegal logging in the rainforest, analyze text for sentiment, or predict early failures in rotating machinery? This practical book teaches you the skills necessary to put AI and machine learning to work at your company.

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Get 'Modern DevOps Practices -- Second Edition' (worth $39.99) for FREE

DevOps and the cloud have changed how we look at software development and operations like never before, leading to the rapid growth of various DevOps tools, techniques, and practices.

 This updated edition of Modern DevOps Practices helps you pick up the right tools by providing you with everything you need to get started with your DevOps journey. The book begins by introducing you to modern cloud-native architecture, and then teaches you about the architectural concepts needed to implement the modern way of application development.

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The stunning Windows 13 -- yes, 13! -- is the Microsoft operating system we want

Microsoft plans to phase out support for Windows 10 soon (unless you pay, of course), leaving users with the option to either upgrade to Windows 11 or wait for the anticipated successor, likely to be Windows 12.

Although Microsoft hasn't officially announced that next-gen operating system yet, it has dropped plenty of hints, and there’s a good chance it will come jam-packed with AI functionality, as that is clearly where the operating system -- and the company -- is headed.

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MenteeBot is an AI-powered humanoid robot coming to your home and workplace in 2025

Mentee Robotics has pulled back the curtain on MenteeBot, a personalized humanoid robot that fully integrates AI across all operational aspects.

Founded in 2022 by AI experts, Mentee Robotics has been working quietly behind the scenes for the past two years. The company’s prototype humanoid robot represents a full end-to-end operation cycle, from verbal command recognition to complex task fulfillment. This includes advanced feats such as navigation, locomotion, scene understanding, object detection, localization, and natural language understanding.

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Get 'Windows Server 2022 & PowerShell All-in-One For Dummies' (worth $30) for FREE

Looking for a little help installing, configuring, securing, or running a network running Windows Server 2022? Windows Server 2022 & PowerShell All-in-One For Dummies delivers a thorough guide to network administration in a single, convenient book.

Whether you need to start from scratch and install a new server or want to jump right into a more advanced topic like managing security or working in Windows PowerShell, you'll find what you need right here.

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Get 'The Cloud Computing Journey' (worth $35.99) for FREE

As the need for digital transformation and remote work surges, so does the demand for cloud computing.

However, the complexity of cloud architecture and the abundance of vendors and tools can be overwhelming for businesses. The Cloud Computing Journey addresses the need for skilled professionals capable of designing, building, and managing scalable and resilient cloud systems to navigate the complex landscape of cloud computing through practical tips and strategies.

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Get 'Cybersecurity and Decision Makers: Data Security and Digital Trust' (worth $142) for FREE

Cyber security is a key issue affecting the confidence of Internet users and the sustainability of businesses. It is also a national issue with regards to economic development and resilience.

As a concern, cyber risks are not only in the hands of IT security managers, but of everyone, and non-executive directors and managing directors may be held to account in relation to shareholders, customers, suppliers, employees, banks and public authorities.

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Get 'Java All-in-One For Dummies, 7th Edition' (worth $27) for FREE

With Java All-in-One For Dummies, you get 8 books in one, for the most well-rounded Java knowledge on the market. Updated for Java 19, this book includes all the major changes to the programming language, so you won’t fall behind.

Start by learning the basics of Java -- you can do it, even if you’ve never written a line of code in your life. Then go in-depth, with all the info you need on object-oriented programming, Java FX, Java web development, and beyond. Grab a hot cup of java and settle in to learn some Java, with friendly For Dummies guidance!

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It's finally here! Download Kodi 21 'Omega' now

Kodi-21-Omega

It’s been a long time coming, but Kodi 21 ‘Omega’ is here, and ready for prime time. The latest incarnation of the hugely popular home theater software comes with a number of big new features and improvements.

The Kodi Foundation says there have been over 3,750 commits made since Kodi 20 'Nexus' was released to a waiting world on January 15, 2023.

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Get 'Robust Python' (worth $47.99) for FREE

Does it seem like your Python projects are getting bigger and bigger?

Are you feeling the pain as your codebase expands and gets tougher to debug and maintain? Python is an easy language to learn and use, but that also means systems can quickly grow beyond comprehension. Thankfully, Python has features to help developers overcome maintainability woes.

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