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This book provides guidance on how to evaluate proficiency in the competencies defined in the systems engineering competency framework and how to differentiate between proficiency at each of the five levels of proficiency defined within that document.

Readers will learn how to create a benchmark standard for each level of proficiency within each competence area, define a set of standardized terminology for competency indicators to promote like-for-like comparison, and provide typical non-domain-specific indicators of evidence which may be used to confirm experience in each competency area.

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Five-hundred-and-sixty-seven in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.

The Windows 11 2023 Update is now available. You can install it via Windows Update or download ISO images, if you prefer those.

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Passkeys are often touted as being the way to achieve a passwordless future. But as yet passkeys are supported by only a small number of websites. Passkeys are a safer, more efficient way of authenticating users, but it will be a long time before they become the norm -- if indeed they ever become the norm.

We talked to Darren Guccione, CEO and co-founder of Keeper Security, to discuss the use cases for passkeys, the barriers to mass adoption and how users can adopt and secure passkeys in conjunction with their passwords.

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Microsoft is just one of many tech companies that people view with suspicion when it comes to privacy. Over the years, Windows has been infected with all manner of privacy-invading telemetry features and settings -- particularly in the case of Windows 11 -- and there has been a fightback from users and software developers alike.

DoNotSpy11 is a tool that empowers concerned users to protect their privacy by blocking telemetry and disabling features of Windows. Now the software has been updated, and DoNotSpy11 version 1.2.0.0 introduces full support for the latest Windows 11 23H2 and makes it possible to disable the AI-powered Copilot.

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Apple has just revealed its new store, Apple MixC Wenzhou, making its first entry in the bustling city of Wenzhou and adding a fourth store in China's Zhejiang province. This new spot shows off Apple's commitment to being accessible and eco-friendly. With designs that are easy for everyone to use and plant-based materials, Apple MixC Wenzhou aims to be a welcoming place for all visitors.

Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail, expressed her excitement, “We’re thrilled to reach more customers with the opening of Apple MixC Wenzhou, and we take pride in the strong bonds we’ve formed with communities in China.”

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Today, PNY announces a fresh addition to its flash drive lineup -- the Elite-X Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 1. Despite its petite size, this flash drive offers a massive storage capacity of up to 256GB, alongside read speeds that go up to 200MB/s and write speeds reaching 100MB/s.

The Elite-X Type-C features a slender design that sits snugly in USB-C ports, eliminating the need for an adapter. The design ensures that while the drive is plugged in, other ports remain accessible, taking up minimal space. A thoughtfully included sliding cover guards the Type-C connector when it’s off-duty, shielding your precious data from potential damage or loss.

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Today marks the unveiling of Nitrux 3.1.0, codenamed “fx,” a release that shows Linux is the future of personal computing -- not Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 12. With the primary focus on updated packages, this release bids to bring a refreshing user experience. The immediate availability of Nitrux 3.1.0 is indeed a call for enthusiasts to delve into the updated software packages, bug fixes, and performance enhancements.

The codename "fx" for this release, though seemingly not referring to anything in particular, adds a cool touch to the versioning. The Nitrux team remains modest in their claims, emphasizing that despite the advancements, Nitrux 3.1.0 doesn’t brand itself as impervious to security threats, hence welcoming suggestions on GitHub to fortify the distribution further.

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Ask your clients, your friends, or anyone on the street: nobody likes to share their data, especially with people or companies they don't know. We routinely press 'no' on pop-ups asking for cookies in our browser, and of course you’re just as likely to say 'no' to any proposal to share your data to improve a product, even anonymously. People value privacy, even if that's somehow in contradiction with the fact that some of us also share the most private moments on social media. 

Does this diffused privacy awareness influence how companies relate to their customers and manage their products and services? Well, not quite. Most of the time, organizations simply don't implement anything which would truly protect the privacy of their users. They typically say things like "your data is protected" or "we are trusted by big companies". And even where regulations and policies are in place, this might not always force these organizations to have particular protections, even when it comes to very sensitive data like health data or financial information. Why? Is it not possible to do more? 

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Microsoft’s once-free solution for tenant-to-tenant migration is no more. Quietly, Microsoft changed its Cross Tenant User Data Migration terms of use for Enterprise Agreement customers, meaning they’ll need to purchase a license.

If you've been using Microsoft’s free migration solution, it makes sense you’d look for another free alternative. But, before committing to a new migration tool, it’s important to consider the potential pitfalls of free services. That is to say, while cost-efficient, free solutions may lack advanced features, scalability, support, and customization, potentially leading to more complex and prolonged migration processes. Here are five things IT managers need to consider when looking at free or paid migration tools.

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Lexar has just launched its latest product, the high-performance NM790 with Heatsink M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe SSD. No, it is not technically a new SSD -- it is just the existing NM790 but with a heatsink bolted on for improved cooling.

The NM790 with Heatsink offers read speeds of up to 7400MB/s and write speeds reaching 6500MB/s, marking a performance that is 2x swifter than the PCIe Gen 3 SSDs. This SSD doesn’t just stop at providing remarkable speed, it brings in an integrated heatsink to the table, ensuring your gaming rigs remain cool under the pressure of intense gaming sessions.

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Recent technology developments related to AI and the rise of quantum computing can put the integrity of digital agreements at risk, potentially leading to data loss, manipulation, identity or asset theft, and legal consequences for an organization.

For this reason OneSpan is launching a new Trust Vault feature for its e-signature solution that helps guarantee the integrity and long-term viability of documents using immutable storage based on blockchain technology.

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AI has been very much top of the agenda this week. We've had President Biden's executive order on AI, we've had the AI Safety Summit in the UK, we've even had Collins Dictionary choosing AI as its word of the year (not to be confused with the three-toed sloth beloved of Scrabble players).

Today we also have new research from SnapLogic looking at how generative AI is being used, viewed, and adopted within large enterprises.

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There have been a number of notable updates for Windows 11 in recent weeks, not least of which is the KB5031455 update from last month. The update brought with it a higher number of new features, including the AI-powered Copilot; it also brought problems.

Microsoft acknowledges an issue that results in desktop icons moving around, and the finger of blame is being pointed at Copilot's interaction with multi-display setups.

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The hitherto cheapest means of accessing Apple Music is no more. Apple has announced that it is killing off the $4.99 per month Apple Music Voice Plan.

Introduced back in 2021, this tier allowed for access to the entire Apple Music catalog, but only via Siri, and the discontinuation of this plan means that the cheapest generally available Apple Music subscription is now $10.99 (although students have a $5.99 option). So, what does this means for anyone currently on the Apple Music Voice Plan?

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Duracell, the brand we’ve entrusted to keep our gadgets going, has unveiled its latest innovation -- the M150 Portable Power Station. I absolutely adore the classic “Coppertop” design. It looks like a giant disposable battery, y’all!

The M150’s 150 watt capacity makes it an indispensable companion for your laptops, smartphones, and other electronic devices. Imagine being at a tailgate and still having the luxury to charge your phone, or sitting in a remote work spot without the stress of finding a power outlet.

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