Articles about Software

PHP 8.0 is due for release in November, but when this major new version appears Windows will not support it.

The company says that bug fixes and security patches will continue to be released for the lifecycles of PHP versions 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4. But when the latest version is released later this year, Microsoft will "not [...] be supporting PHP for Windows in any capacity for version 8.0 and beyond".

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KeePass has long made life easier when it comes to managing an ever-growing list of passwords for websites, online accounts and so on. Now with the release of KeePassXC 2.6.0, users are being treated not only to a redesign -- including a dark mode option -- but also new features including offline database password health checks.

The program now features comprehensive reports about passwords stored in its database, including checking with security service Have I Been Pwned to see if any have been involved in password breaches. But there's more.

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German software developer Ashampoo has unveiled Photo Optimizer 8.0, a major new release of its Windows photo-editing tool. The first major update since June 2018, version 8 builds further on the 1-click optimization tool introduced in version 7, plus offers additional manual fine-tuning tools alongside a new perspective correction feature.

Photo Optimizer 8 opens with what Ashampoo admits is a 'significantly improved' 1-click correction tool, designed to detect potential weaknesses in the original photo and provide improvements with no user involvement required. The improved algorithm has undergone two years of development and trial runs, with many thousands of setting combinations tested to help lift photos suffering from dull colors, poor lighting and a lack of contrast.

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With the release of eM Client 8, the desktop email client for macOS and Windows gets a visual overhaul in addition to a batch of new features. But em Client is about more than just email; there's also a calendar component, chat and notes.

Just about every aspect of the user interface has been redesigned to improve not only aesthetics, but also ease of use. A key enhancement to the software that will be welcomed by many is the ability to run multiple instances of the program simultaneously. This means it is now easier than ever to move between different sections of the app, as you're able to have, for instance, your emails open in one window, and your calendar in another.

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Swiss developer iterate GmbH has released Mountain Duck 4.0 for Windows and Mac.

Highlights in the new release -- a paid upgrade for all users, including those with licenses for previous versions -- include the ability to view the sync progress for current transfers, and an option to view a list of recently changed files on both computer and server.

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In a new survey, 55 percent of respondents say test automation would improve software quality, and 51 percent say they're releasing software updates daily or weekly.

But the study of over 350 software testers from mobile testing platform Kobiton also shows automation initiatives are still in their infancy, with 58 percent of survey respondents saying their automation programs are relatively new or at least six months from starting.

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We may only be halfway through 2020, but SoftMaker Office 2021 is already here. After a period of beta testing, the office suite is ready for a full release on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Available either as a one-off purchase or on a subscription, SoftMaker Office 2021 is pitched squarely as an alternative to Microsoft Office. The office suite makes bold claims about competing with Microsoft's famous suite of tools, but the claims that more than stand up to scrutiny. This is an impressive selection of programs that has much to offer.

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The latest State of Software Quality survey from continuous reliability company OverOps shows that 70 percent of respondents say quality is paramount and they would rather delay the product roadmap than risk a critical error impacting their users.

In addition, over half of survey respondents (53 percent) indicate they encounter critical or customer-impacting issues in production at least one or more times a month. A quarter of participants also say that over 40 percent of critical production issues are first reported by end users or customers rather than internal mechanisms.

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Few things have stood the test of time in the Internet era. Technologies come and go at a rapid pace, as we create new and better tools to help us solve more and more complex problems. Once they've served their purpose, we bid them adieu and move on. Loyalty plays no part here. You either adapt or are left behind.

Looking back, you can (still) name a couple of game-changing products and technologies born decades ago that we continue to enjoy today. If you're a consumer, you're probably thinking of Windows or the Mac. If you're a software engineer, Java's high up on your list. And for good reason. As it celebrates its 25th birthday this weekend, it remains at the top of its game as one of the most popular programming languages ever created. Happy birthday, old timer!

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Using a package manager to install software is something that will be familiar to Linux users, but it's not something that has been an option for anyone running Windows. But now this has changed since Microsoft released a preview of its Windows Package Manager utility.

You can think of using the winget command as an alternative to using the Microsoft Store to install app, or using traditional executable installers. But it's not just and alternative -- it also has the potential to be more flexible and powerful. Here's how to use Windows Package Manager and how to script it to automate the installation of several programs.

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We've seen lots of companies making their products available free during the current crisis. AOMEI has already made its backup tool available free for a year.

It's now added to that by making the full version of its cloud management tool MultCloud available free for three months.

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We're constantly told to back up our data -- but if we're honest, very few of us actually get around to doing so. There are a number of reasons for this, the first of which can be not knowing quite what needs backing up. The next obstacle is knowing how to do it, which tool to use, and how much it will cost you.

Then, of course, there is the question of carving out time to get a backup configured and schedule updates so you don't have to think about it again. It's little wonder that so many people simply don't bother. To make things easier, FBackup 8.7 is now available and is our recommended tool for backing up your most important data.

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Foxit Software has unveiled landmark updates across its range of PDF viewing and editing tools for Windows PCs. There’s the brand-new free Foxit Reader 10.0 for those who simply need a fast, lightweight PDF viewing tool with handy extras like basic annotation and editing tools.

For those looking for more functionality, Foxit Phantom Standard 10.0 offers more advanced tools for editing, creating and converting PDF files to other formats.

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Everyone likes the idea of a computer speed boost, right? While some people are happy to get theirs hands dirty and spend time tinkering with endless settings, there are plenty of others who would rather that things were taken care of for them. Ashampoo has just released WinOptimizer 18, the system optimization software that aims to cater for people who fall into both camps.

This is a company that has a long record of producing handy utilities for Windows, and with WinOptimizer 18 this tradition continues. The program is made up of a series of system optimization and clean-up modules that you can work through one at a time, or you can use the one-click optimization to automate and speed up the process.

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The end of Wunderlist is nigh: from tomorrow, Microsoft will finally kill the brilliant task-management app in favor of its own Microsoft To Do application, which while introducing many of Wunderlist’s features has retained a distinct identity of its own.

If you’ve tried To Do and not liked it, then here’s the good news: you don’t need to put up with Microsoft’s replacement. Thanks to the good folks at Zenkit, an app exists that succeeds in retaining the Wunderlist look, feel and core feature set. That app is Zenkit To Do, and if you’re quick, you can transfer your data directly to it from Wunderlist.

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