Wayne Williams

I like to think that while I do certainly criticize technology products and technology companies for any failings -- Microsoft forcing Windows 10 on to customers against their will last year, for example -- I’m fair. I still get as excited about a new phone, or a new version of Windows, as I did in the past, and I don't deliberately look for negatives. The same is true for all other BetaNews writers.

However, a new study finds that tech reporting is generally more pessimistic now than in the past, and for two very different reasons.

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If you're looking for a way to get started in Cloud computing, or to get more out of an existing setup, Cloud Management and Security from Wiley is an essential read.

Written by an expert with over 15 years’ experience in the field, the book usually retails for $109, but for a limited time you can download the full ebook version for free.

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There are all sorts of reasons why you might need to locate your Windows product key. Perhaps you’re thinking of upgrading from Windows 7 or 8.1 to Windows 10 (doing so is still free, despite what Microsoft has said), or you might want to perform a clean install.

In the past, tracking down the key usually involved finding your installation media, but the more modern approach is to simply pull it directly from your Windows installation.

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Websites that implement HTTPS reap a lot of benefits. Not only do they protect their users by preventing third parties from snooping on web traffic, and safeguard against content hijacking and cookie stealing, but they also enjoy a better ranking in Google as the search giant uses HTTPS as a signal in its search algorithms.

Few privacy-minded people would be happy about logging in, or entering credit card details, on a site which doesn’t afford the proper protection that HTTPS brings.

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Patch Tuesday occurs on the second Tuesday of every month, and is when Microsoft releases security patches for all supported versions of Windows.

However, due to a "last minute issue," Microsoft was unable to push out the patches for February, and made the decision to delay them until next month, a move that understandably didn’t go down all that well with customers, and even led to Google publishing details of an unpatched Windows bug.

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VNC (Virtual Network Computing) is a client/server technology that lets you remotely control any target device. RealVNC has been around for many years and its VNC Connect tool is now available for Raspberry Pi.

VNC Connect is included in the Raspbian repositories, and lets you connect to your Pi from anywhere in the world, from a range of devices, using a cloud brokered or direct connection. The Pi version comes with some extra features and functionality, but there are some steps you'll need to follow before you can start using it.

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As you'll no doubt have seen, Facebook is introducing several big changes to video on its platform. The most divisive change will be the introduction of auto-playing sound.

"Videos in News Feed have previously played silently -- you tap on a video to hear sound. As people watch more video on phones, they've come to expect sound when the volume on their device is turned on. After testing sound on in News Feed and hearing positive feedback, we’re slowly bringing it to more people. With this update, sound fades in and out as you scroll through videos in News Feed, bringing those videos to life," says Facebook. If that sounds like something you really don't want (and who would want that?), the good news is it's easy enough to disable the new feature.

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For the past several years, Microsoft has released security patches on the second Tuesday of the month -- the so-called Patch Tuesday.

However, Microsoft missed the date this month and now says the new patches won’t arrive until the middle of next month.

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This week, Microsoft re-released the telemetry updates KB2952664 (for Windows 7) and KB2976978 (for Windows 8.1).

While we don’t know what these will do this time around (Microsoft’s description is giving little away), in the past they triggered a snooping Windows task called DoScheduledTelemetryRun, and were linked to the infamous GWX (Get Windows 10) campaign that forced OS upgrades on unwilling Windows 7 and 8.1 users.

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Microsoft released Insider Build 15031 for PC two days ago, and promised a build for Mobile would arrive by the end of the week.

The software giant is as good as its word, and Build 15031 is now available to install.

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Windows 10 Cloud, Microsoft's new (and likely free) operating system hasn't been officially announced yet, but the first build of it leaked over the weekend, giving people a chance to see what the successor to RT looks like.

In this early version, the answer is mostly just like Windows 10, albeit with one major difference -- Windows 10 Cloud can only run apps from the Windows Store, not Win32 programs. Or at least that used to be the case.

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Microsoft has been busy bug bashing this week, but has still found time to push out a new Insider Preview build to the Fast ring.

Build 15031 is for PC only (a Mobile Build is anticipated later this week), and introduces yet more new features to the forthcoming Creators Update, including Dynamic Lock.

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Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban might have been overturned for now, but the new administration intends to do what it can to tighten entry into the United States.

One of the plans being considered as part of Trump’s "extreme vetting" policy is to ask visitors what websites they visit, and request their passwords. Should anyone refuse to hand over this information they will be prevented from entering the US.

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The problem of trolls and general rudeness is something that many people would like to change about social networks and online interaction in general. Twitter is trying to curb abusive behavior on its service, but Microsoft has a more interesting approach -- it wants people to embrace "digital civility" and to treat each other with respect and dignity online.

With this aim in mind, the software giant has created a Digital Civility Index -- a new measure of people’s safety online and exposure to risks.

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Twitter has long had an abuse and harassment problem, which has put off a lot of would-be users. Over the years the company has taken steps to try to combat the issue, but with very limited success.

However, Twitter is now working hard make the service a more friendly place -- just last week it improved how users report abusive tweets. Today, the company goes even further, and introduces three new changes designed to silence the trolls.

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