This may be a bit of a generalization, but children are not the most responsible people. Since they don't yet really understand the value of a dollar, they may not appreciate or care for belongings as well as they should. This can be especially true when things are given to them for use at school, such as textbooks, musical instruments, or computers.

HP apparently understands how destructive some kids can be, as the company has created a rugged (MIL-STD 810G) education-focused convertible laptop. The all-new 11.6-inch touch-screen (1366 x 768) ProBook x360 11 Education Edition runs Windows 10, and is designed to take a beating.

It’s been a while since we had a new Windows 10 Insider build -- Thanksgiving got in the way of Microsoft’s usual weekly schedule.

Today, the software giant releases Build 14977 to the fast ring, but it’s for Mobile only. The PC build has a blocking bug that results in broken apps on an upgrade, so we’ll have until next week for a new build for that platform.

Windows 10’s mandatory updates are designed to keep your system safe and always up to date. You do have limited control over the update process, but not as much as in Windows 7, for example.

You can stop updates in Windows 10, but it requires you to disable the Windows Update service in the Services manager, and most people won’t know how to do that. Thankfully there is an easier solution.

According to NetMarketShare’s desktop operating system usage share figures, in September Windows 10, on the back of no longer being free, went into reverse gear and managed to lose market share. It was only a drop of 0.46 percentage points, but even so.

October didn’t show much of an improvement for the new OS either. In that month it managed a minuscule rise of just 0.06 percentage points. Some good news for Microsoft in November then, as Windows 10 finally returns to actual growth.

The BitLocker feature of Windows is supposed to offer a degree of peace of mind that files are going to be secure -- but one expert points out that a simple key combo is all it takes to bypass the security feature.

A bug has been discovered in the way Windows 10 handles a Feature Update -- the installation of a new build of the operating system. By taking advantage of the bug, it is possible to access a Command Prompt and gain unrestricted access to the contents of the hard drive.

Virtual reality is rather cool, although it requires money and commitment. To truly experience VR on a PC, you need a powerful computer and, sometimes, a room to be dedicated to it too. After all, the VR mask usually has to be tethered to the desktop PC -- a messy experience, leading to tangled wires. Sadly, it is these wires that really limit the fun of VR on PC.

Thankfully, some PC manufacturers have wisely created backpack computers -- a PC designed to be worn on the user's back. This creates greater mobility while experiencing VR, although it does have the downside of requiring batteries (which ultimately need charging). Today, ZOTAC unveils a new backpack PC, and it looks amazing. Called 'VR GO' it is equipped with two 6600 mAh batteries, allowing up to two hours of game play. You can buy additional batteries and swap them for even longer gaming sessions, however.

Windows 10 has a lock screen mode called Windows Spotlight that pulls attractive images from the web on a daily basis. In most instances, you’ll only see these when you log on, or lock your PC.

If you see an image that you’d like to use as Windows wallpaper, you can’t simply right-click and save it, but there is a way to easily export Windows Spotlight images to a folder so you can use them as desktop backgrounds.

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

As far as Windows 10 news goes, there has been plenty this week. It came to light that Microsoft is sharing Windows 10 Telemetry data with third-parties, and that EMET is still considered a good security option on Windows 10 despite Microsoft claiming otherwise.

It’s no secret that Windows 10 records all sorts of usage information, some of which it feeds back to Microsoft. To help with the smooth running of Windows 10, and to get an idea of how users interact with the operating system, Microsoft collects telemetry data, which includes information on the device Windows 10 is running on, a list of installed apps, crash dumps, and more.

Telemetry data recorded by Windows 10 is, in a nutshell, just technical information about the device the OS is on, and how Windows and any installed software is performing, but it can occasionally include personal information. If you’re worried about that, the news that Microsoft is sharing telemetry data with third parties might concern you.

In direct contrast to Microsoft's assertion that Windows 10 is its most secure operating system ever, the US-CERT Coordination Center says that Windows 7 with EMET offers greater protection. With EMET due to be killed off, security experts are concerned.

A vulnerability analyst from CERT, Will Dormann, advises Microsoft to continue the development of EMET. Microsoft says 'many' of EMET's features have been integrated into Windows 10, but the concern is that key components are missing, and others have been implemented in such a way that reduces their security.

Unless you’ve taken steps to actively block Windows 10’s mandatory updates, the chances are the new OS is regularly installing updates without your knowledge, and you'll probably only discover a new one has happened if/when something goes wrong.

For the most part, updates are perfectly safe, introduce occasional new features, and keep your system protected from threats, without you needing to lift a finger. But if you’re the sort of person who likes to know exactly what’s going on with your computer, there are a couple of ways to keep track of the Windows 10 updates.

After the release of both alpha and beta versions, Fedora 25 is officially here and ready for production machines. If you aren't familiar with the popular Linux-based operating system, please know that it is the distribution of choice for the founder of the Linux kernel, Linus Torvalds.

One of the most endearing qualities of Fedora is its focus on only offering truly free open source software. Also, you can always count on a very modern version of the Linux kernel being available. Despite having very up-to-date packages, it is always very stable too. My favorite aspect, however, is the commitment to the GNOME desktop environment; other DEs are available, though.

Windows Defender can help keep Windows 10 safe from threats, and run as a second line of defense alongside any existing security software you have installed.

Microsoft has added various new elements to the program in the Anniversary Update, including Limited Periodic Scanning and Block at First Sight protection. There’s now a new Windows Defender Hub available to download in the Windows Store.

Despite being the default browser in Windows 10, Edge really hasn’t taken off in the way that Microsoft would have hoped. According to the latest usage figures from NetMarketShare, the new browser currently has just 5.26 percent share.

In a bid to improve matters, the software giant has started using pop-up notifications to push Edge in Windows 10, and bash its "rival" Chrome on both security and battery life. But if those arguments aren't enough to persuade you to switch, maybe the lure of 4K content from Netflix being exclusive to Edge will do the trick.

As Windows 10 evolves, Microsoft is incorporating a number of different technologies from 3D to mixed reality. The company's own AR/VR platform, Windows Holographic, has headsets like Oculus Rift, and the minimum spec for connected PCs is slowly starting to emerge.

As noted by the Verge, the latest insider builds of Windows 10 include a Windows Holographic First Run app that gives you the chance to test your computer to see if it is compatible with Windows Holographic. The minimum specs are surprisingly low.