Linux, Open Source, & anti Microsoft news

Microsoft previously revealed its plans to ship a full Linux kernel in Windows 10, and now the company is planning to fully integrate Linux file access into the built-in File Explorer. A new Linux icon will be available in the left-hand navigation pane in File Explorer, providing access to the root file system for any distros that are installed in Windows 10.

Microsoft has partnered with San Francisco-based fintech startup Plaid to develop a new software app called Money in Excel. The collaboration will allow people to automatically import their bank and credit card account data into the personal finance tool. The software will be available to Microsoft 365 subscribers in the US initially.

Microsoft Corp. unveiled a consumer subscription service with added Office programs and tools to protect children and older adults, part of an effort to shift more customers to ongoing payment plans that provide a smooth revenue stream. Microsoft 365 Personal and Family will begin rolling out April 21 at $6.99 a month for an individual and $9.99 a month for the family edition, which includes six users.

Microsoft has become the latest company to have a crack at helping telcos prepare for 5G by acquiring network specialist Affirmed Networks. Affirmed’s big product, UnityCloud, provides tools for managing wireless carrier networks, such as increasing and decreasing capacity on demand. The platform can also network slice, a flagship feature of 5G tech which allows providers to prioritise certain kinds of traffic on their networks.

Microsoft recently made Windows 10 users a big promise to improve the user experience. But today it has issued new warnings about known problems in the updates it has pushed to millions of users.

Microsoft disclosed a new remote code execution vulnerability today that can be found in all supported versions of Windows and is currently being exploited in “limited targeted attacks” (via TechCrunch). If a hacker successfully pulled off an attack, they could theoretically remotely run code or malware on the victim’s device.

Working from home and want to access your PC at work? The best solution may cost thousands in additional Microsoft licensing costs.

Microsoft’s GitHub subsidiary on Monday said it has agreed to buy Npm, a company that operates an online service for distributing packages of open-source software written in the popular JavaScript programming language and offers software that companies can use for their proprietary code as well.

You won’t have to be a tester to try Windows 10’s new, built-in Linux kernel in the near future. Microsoft has confirmed that Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 will be widely available when Windows 10 version 2004 arrives.

Word leaked out on Tuesday of a new vulnerability in recent versions of Windows that has the potential to unleash the kind of self-replicating attacks that allowed the WannaCry and NotPetya worms to cripple business networks around the world.