Open Source
The latest Open Source coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Tiny11 Brings Windows 11 25H2 to Aging Hardware — But Security and E-Waste Tensions Simmer
Windows 10 users have just six months before Microsoft pulls the plug on free security updates — and the search for off-ramps is accelerating. On October 14, 2025, mainstream support ends, forcing...
Microsoft Made Windows Terminal the Default in Windows 11: Here’s How It Boosts Productivity with Tabs, Panes, and WSL
When Microsoft shipped Windows 11 22H2, it retired an era of monochrome monotasking by making Windows Terminal the default command-line experience. The move wasn't cosmetic—it replaced the...
Tech Writer Abandons Windows 11 Start Menu for Flow Launcher, Citing Speed and Plugin Power
A MakeUseOf tech writer has publicly ditched the Windows 11 Start menu for Flow Launcher, an open-source, keyboard-first app launcher, reigniting a debate over how Windows should serve power users....
Microsoft's New Edit CLI Tool Fuels Terminal-First Writing Revolution
A Windows Central writer recently made a striking claim: they compose everything inside a terminal—no floating toolbars, no Ribbon, just text and keyboard muscle memory. That declaration has...
XChat’s Encryption Promise Crumbles: GPS-Tagged Photos and Server Keys Put Users at Risk
Images sent over X’s new encrypted chat service retain full EXIF metadata, including GPS coordinates, device information, and timestamps, Straight Arrow News (SAN) revealed this week. The finding,...
ExplorerPatcher Bypasses 24H2 Upgrade Block With Binary Rename, Restores Key Features
A freshly baked pre-release of ExplorerPatcher has pulled off a clever maneuver, allowing enthusiasts to install Windows 11 24H2 on machines that Microsoft’s compatibility checks had previously...
Save Hours and Headaches: The Three Secret PowerToys Features Every Pro Should Use
PowerToys boasts two dozen utilities for window management, file renaming, and mouse tricks, but its most overlooked features—backup, diagnostic logs, and a plugin system—are the ones that save...
tiny11builder Gains 25H2 Support, Now Purges Copilot and Outlook from Windows 11 ISOs
A freshly updated PowerShell script gives Windows power users a sharper scalpel for stripping unwanted components from Windows 11. The open-source tiny11builder project now supports version 25H2...
Firefox Nightly Now Lets You Chat with Copilot Without Leaving Your Tabs
Firefox Nightly users can now add Microsoft Copilot to their browser's sidebar, bringing the AI assistant's chat, voice, and page summarization capabilities into Mozilla's experimental channel. The...
PowerToys v0.94 Tackles Settings Overload with Fuzzy Search and Hotkey Conflict Alerts
PowerToys v0.94 has arrived, and it’s more than just a routine update—it’s a deliberate push to tame the growing complexity of Windows power-user settings and shortcuts. When a utility suite...
Bill Gates’ 48-Year-Old 6502 BASIC Code Now Yours: Microsoft Releases Historic Interpreter Under MIT License
Microsoft has published the complete assembly source code for its 6502 BASIC interpreter version 1.1 on GitHub under the permissive MIT License, making a foundational piece of personal computing...
Microsoft PowerToys to Finally Auto-Switch Windows 11 Between Light and Dark Modes
PowerToys v0.95 will ship with a built-in Theme Scheduler, closing a years-long gap in Windows 11 that forced users to rely on third-party apps or registry hacks for automatic theme switching. The...