Microsoft is so keen for you to use Edge in Windows 11 that it has made the process of changing the default web browser absurdly and unnecessarily irritating. You would think -- and, indeed, expect -- it to be easy to change the default app used for anything, but here Microsoft seem determined to draw ire.

And if causing anger and irritation was the company's aim, well... mission accomplished. If you do want to change the default web browser, you have to tweak the settings for an incredible 10 file types! Mozilla is fighting back, using a hack to achieve the "impossible", but it's only a matter of time before Microsoft closes this loophole.

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Windows 11 is a very good operating system, and it hasn't even gone gold yet. In fact, despite only being Beta, I can confidently call it the best version of Windows ever. It is shockingly polished and beautiful -- the true successor to Windows 7. Windows 10 wasn't bad, but it never felt complete. Windows 11 feels purposeful and well-loved by developers. Microsoft has impressed me with the upcoming operating system. It is appearing to be more than a superficial update as I once thought.

With all of that said, understandably, not everyone wants or needs Windows 11. Due to some rather lofty hardware requirements, some consumers will find their computer simply can't run Windows 11 even if they want it to. While Microsoft and the overall computer industry would love to see these consumers buy new computers, that simply is not necessary. Instead, a Linux-based operating system can breathe new life into your aging PC.

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Reading devices with E-ink displays are an absolute must for hardcore readers. Can you read books using a traditional Android tablet or Apple iPad? Sure, but the screen can cause eyestrain. An E-ink reader, such as Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite, makes reading digital books much more enjoyable -- your eyes will thank you.

What if there was an open tablet, running Linux, that utilized an E-ink screen? That would be quite the interesting device, and it would be very exciting to imagine how such a thing could be used. Well, folks, such a product is on the way! Called "PineNote," the E-ink tablet has similar specs as the Quartz64 single board computer. The device should be available for purchase later this year. As of today, it is expected to launch with Manjaro Linux as the operating system.

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With the launch of Windows 11 coming later this year, and with large numbers of people already using the beta build, hardware manufacturers are gradually starting to release updated drivers for the latest version of Microsoft's operating system.

Intel has already released Windows-11 compatible graphic drivers -- as has its rival NVIDIA – and now the company has updated its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth software. With the latest updates, Intel PROSet/Wireless Software and Intel Wireless Bluetooth both offer support for Windows 11 and address issues in Windows 10.

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Debian is a great operating system in its own right, but also, it makes for an excellent base for other Linux distributions as well. For example, Ubuntu is probably the most well-known Linux distro in the world, and it is based on Debian. There are countless other operating systems, such as deepin Linux, that also stand on Debian's figurative shoulders. That's why it is so significant when a new version of Debian is released.

And today, that is exactly what is happening. You see, after much testing, Debian 11 is finally available for download! Called "Bullseye," the number of changes is absolutely insane. You see, it has 11,294 totally new packages and 42,821 updated packages. Some major changes include native exFAT support and improved printing.

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Windows 11 has generated a huge amount of interest and debate ahead of its official launch later this year. There's a lot to love in Microsoft's latest iteration of Windows but, as ever, there are also things that irritate users.

The revamped Start menu has proved controversial and divisive for numerous reasons, not least of which is the fact that it is centered by default (although this can be changed). But another thing that has upset some people is the inclusion of a Recommended panel in the lower half of the Start menu. At the moment it is used to highlight recently used files and recently installed apps, but some people fear that it will be used by Microsoft to spam users with other recommendations. If you don't like it, here's how to disable it.

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Windows 11 may not have had a proper release yet, but there are already tools and apps available for the latest version of the operating system. We've already seen Start11 for tweaking the Start menu, and now we have ThisIsWin11 for tweaking, customizing and debloating Windows 11.

This free app makes it easy to remove unwanted components from Windows 11 to help create a more streamlined system, as well as giving you great options for customization. You can increase your privacy and security by changing settings in ThisIsWin11 that are deeply hidden within Windows, and it quickly becomes clear why the developer calls this "the real PowerToys for Windows 11".

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For some people, the upgrade to Windows 11 is little more than eye-candy, a visual change for those who have grown weary of the look of Windows 10. There is, of course, much more to the operating system than that, but aesthetics are certainly what most users will notice first.

And one of the concerns about the design of Windows 11 and the various visual effects that it includes is that there will be a negative impact on system speed. Not so, says Microsoft. Optimization has been implemented that should mean users "shouldn’t notice any difference" in performance.

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Four-hundred-fifty-one 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.

Microsoft's patch for the PrintNightmare vulnerability is causing performance issues on some Windows 10 devices.

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It’s not only the Windows operating system that’s getting a makeover, some popular Microsoft apps are also getting updated for inclusion in Windows 11.

These include the Snipping Tool, Calculator, and Mail & Calendar. Today the software giant rolls out new builds of these to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.

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As we inch ever nearer to the release of Windows 11, Microsoft is making its Insider builds for that OS more widely available. Case in point being Build 22000.132 which is being made to everyone in the Dev and Beta Channels.

With this build, Chat from Microsoft Teams is now available for Insiders in the Beta Channel, and one-to-one and group audio and video calling is starting to roll out too.

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When Microsoft removed the Start menu from Windows 8 -- believing we’d all prefer to prod at large tiles on touchscreens -- there was the inevitable backlash. Although the company did restore the Start menu in Windows 8.1, by then the damage was done. The OS flopped badly and that one ridiculous design decision was the main reason for it.

With Windows 11, Microsoft hasn’t been as bold/crazy to repeat history. There’s a still a Start menu, but it’s one that’s centered, which won’t be to everyone’s liking. When Windows 8 shipped without a Start menu, a number of third party developers quickly stepped in to right Microsoft's wrong. And now we’re starting to see similar such Start menus arrive that promise to 'fix' Windows 11.

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Windows 11 looks quite beautiful, but let's be honest... it is pretty much just Windows 10 with a fresh coat of paint. Sadly, Microsoft is requiring some pretty strict hardware requirements for the upcoming operating system, meaning many people could find themselves unable to upgrade. Even worse, the company has provided confusing communications regarding TPM requirements.

Thankfully, even if Microsoft thinks your perfectly fine computer is obsolete, the Linux community doesn't think that. In other words, if your computer is incompatible with Windows 11 due to a lack of a TPM chip or other hardware issue, it can still run a modern Linux distro just fine. In fact, thanks to the upcoming Zorin OS 16 Pro, you can experience the all-new Windows 11 interface on Linux! Wow!

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Why don’t more desktop computer users run Linux-based operating systems? Well, software compatibility aside, there is fear of change and the unknown. For a user to switch from Windows, it need to be a fairly simple affair. For years, just installing a Linux distribution was a daunting task. These days, however, it can be faster and easier than installing Windows -- depending on the distro, of course.

For Linux beginners, once installed, their chosen distro should be easy to use with an intuitive desktop environment. I'm a big fan of GNOME, but understandably, not all folks like it -- especially Linux novices. One particular Linux-based desktop operating system has been focusing on accessibility to all -- elementary OS. This distribution is polished and focuses on being easy to use. It is a good choice for both experts and beginners alike. Today, elementary OS 6, code-named "Odin," becomes available for download, and it is loaded with exciting changes.

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Virtualization software Parallels Desktop 17 for Mac is now available, and the latest update brings with it a host of important changes and additions. Among the highlights of the latest version is full support for not only Windows 11, but also macOS Monterey. Both of these operating systems have yet to be released, but Parallels is ready for them, meaning eager testers can get on and try them out.

Parallels Desktop 17 for Mac also boasts support for Apple's M1 chip as well as more traditional Intel-based platforms. The update also sees huge performance improvements with an improved gaming experience and better USB support.

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