Upgrade. Always upgrade. It’s a persistent mantra for technology. And, after all, what homeowner doesn’t want to have the latest-and-greatest tech available? Still, you may want to wait to upgrade to Windows 11 if you have the Microsoft operating system (OS) in your home.

Look at it this way, when software is first delivered, the manufacturer believes it is the best thing it can offer, or at least the best software it can offer by the delivery deadline. But, as you well know from all the software update notifications you get on your devices, there are still changes after the software is released. Glitches can be discovered, and security vulnerabilities may be identified. If you’re on Windows 10 right now, you can wait to upgrade to Windows 11. Let some of those bugs get worked out by the early adopters first.
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One change that isn’t getting glowing reviews? The Windows 11 taskbar. It isn’t as customizable and is permanently centered. This means you can’t make it taller or move it around the screen. Windows 10’s taskbar is just better. So, maybe wait and see if they tweak the task bar before making the change.

Are you a home gamer? You might think Windows 11 is going to give you more gaming-centric features, but although it’s being touted as “the best Windows for gaming,” Windows 10 has all the same features.

So, what’s the appeal of Windows 11?
Why are people making the move to Windows 11? Well, there’s that near-Pavlovian impulse to get the latest available technology. At the same time, the new OS aims to simplify the user experience. Microsoft has added snap controls allowing users to resize and reposition desktop windows, as well as content personalization tools and many widgets to choose from.

Windows 11 also embraces a Zero Trust framework to combat cybersecurity risk. The new OS validates user identity and the platform you’re using to safeguard access to your computer. Encryption and malware protection are also now the default rather than add-ons.

But those changes need more
The enhancements to Windows 11 demand more advanced hardware than that required for Windows 10. You’ll need:

• a compatible 64-bit processor;
• a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip (to help protect encryption keys, user credentials, and data);
• 64 GB or more available storage;
• 4 GB of RAM;
• a high-definition (720p) display

Unlike Windows 11, Windows 10 runs on everything. So, you won’t need to make any changes to meet hardware requirements.

You may also need to change some of your habits with the move to Windows 11. If you’ve been loyal to Internet Explorer, you’ll need to adapt. The new OS moves away from Explorer and its ActiveX-based applications. Also, if you’re a fan of Android apps, you’re going to be annoyed. Windows 11 has limited Android capability right now.

No rush to upgrade
Ultimately, there’s no reason to rush to update your Windows. Microsoft promises to support the Windows 10 OS until October 14, 2025.

Of course, all this is assuming you have already upgraded to Windows 10. If you’re still holding on to legacy software (Windows 7 anyone?), get thee to the app store! Upgrade to more secure software that continues to benefit from Microsoft support and patching of any vulnerabilities.

Not sure about the best software solution for your home, or overwhelmed by the idea of upgrading? Our IT experts are here to help. We can check your device compatibility with Windows 11 and assess your systems and needs. Contact our team today at (888) 234-WDIT(9348)!

.You may not think of yourself as “handy,” so the thought may not even have crossed your mind to take apart your cell phone or laptop to try and repair it. But did you know that in certain cases it might be illegal for you to even try? There is a debate raging over “right to repair.”

The right to repair issue crosses many products. Car enthusiasts have fought to access parts and guides to repair their vehicles. Farmers are pushing for the right to fix their John Deere agricultural equipment. Now, there are people lobbying for the right to fix laptops, cell phones, and other electronics.

Manufacturers, meanwhile, maintain that doing so risks their intellectual property. There may also be safety risks.

Additionally, they make money from planned obsolescence. Many PC users know what this means already. Anyone on the widely popular Windows 7 operating system had to move to new software in 2020. Microsoft is on a ten-year cycle. It provides a software product its full attention for five years, then it begins offering new options and stops supporting the old one. At the end of the decade, the software is no longer updated or supported. That means no security patches either, which means vulnerability to cyberattack, so users must go to the next version.

Now, you’re not going to build your own operating system, but what about when something goes wrong with your smart phone or tablet? You don’t always want to have to buy a new one. Plus, trading out the old one for a new device runs counter to sustainability goals. You end up with one more piece of hardware destined for the landfill.

Right to Repair Activism
Consumers, repair pros, watchdogs, and green activists have all joined the right to repair debate. They want to be able to upgrade processing power, memory, or battery power in electronics.

But many companies refuse to release the necessary parts (e.g. Apple). Manuals and product guides aren’t made available either. This makes it almost impossible to do-it-yourself repair the company’s products. The consumer must pay the manufacturer for repairs, or they can turn to a third party vendor (affiliated with the manufacturer).

When it comes to technology, the tide may be turning. Why? We are increasingly reliant on our phones and other devices. There’s more push back against a business model that forces us to upgrade every two to four years.

Plus, we’re more aware globally of the value of recycling and up cycling. One American grassroots group notes that repairing tech could bridge the digital divide. PCs for People wants to improve access to technology by rebuilding donated devices.

What It Means for You
Laws are in the works in many places to legislate the right to repair. In the U.S., Apple and Tesla are among those lobbying against state efforts. Nevertheless, 14 states have passed laws on right to repair. The EU has a law requiring companies to provide parts to independent repair workers. The UK’s right to repair regulations come into effect this year. Australia is currently assessing its laws related to right to repair, too.

Until laws change, consumers pay whatever the manufacturer demands for products that aren’t built to last. This also has each of us contributing to global technology waste. For more on the issue, visit repair.org, the site of the Digital Right to Repair Coalition.

Meanwhile, if you have technology that needs repairing, our IT experts can help. Contact us today at (888) 234-WDIT(9348).

Many business tools are moving to the cloud. One popular option is Microsoft 365, formerly known as Office 365. This unified platform consolidates Excel, Word, and PowerPoint with collaboration and communication tools. Added apps and services help streamline operations, too. Simplifying your IT infrastructure can also cut costs and reduce duplication of effort. Still, when you’re leveraging the convenience of Microsoft 365, data backup is your job.

When all software was on-site on business servers and machines, you had complete control. The IT team kept the systems up to date, virus-free, and running smoothly. They built in redundancy to ensure data recovery. They planned for natural disaster, human error, malicious attack, ransomware, or hardware misconfiguration.

Now, though, IT doesn’t have the same control. With the transition to Microsoft 365, the job has changed. Microsoft makes sure its users can continue to access SharePoint or Teams in the event of a disaster, but this doesn’t mean they are responsible for backing up your data – that’s your responsibility.

As do many cloud-based vendors, the company says you own and control your data. They ensure service availability, but you need to set up your own data backup in case of a hack, employee error, or failing to install a security patch.

What does Microsoft 365 Backup?

Reducing downtime is a big reason to backup data. Resilience in the wake of a data breach helps establish credibility with customers, investors, and employees. You may also need backups for compliance with legal guidelines and industry standards.

Yes, you can restore some data within Microsoft 365, but only in the short term. For instance, you can recover information from your deleted-items folder. When something is deleted from that folder, an administrator can often recover it from a system-wide recycling bin.

The thing is, Microsoft 365 doesn’t hold data for that long. It can range from two weeks to a month, depending on your configuration. Plus, you’re not in control of when data is purged, from which there is no recovery.

Microsoft's datacenter redundancy and data replication efforts support service uptime. It won’t matter if your data is breached, encrypted, or irretrievable due to a hardware failure, flood, or fire.

You need your own data backup. We recommend that you have "snapshots" of your data in three places: one is on-site on a local, protected computer or device; another would be on a remote device; and the third would be in the cloud with a reputable third-party backup provider.

Test Your Backup

Having a backup of Microsoft 365 data offers reassurance that your business can bounce back. Still, don’t get complacent just yet. Along with having a process in place to back up your data, also plan on testing backups.

Testing helps you learn how effectively you can recover following data loss. Plus, testing backups saves you from finding out in a crisis that something has been wrong all along.
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Protect your business from data loss and lengthy downtime with your own data backup. We can offer you backup services and help get your company up and running again if the worst does happen. Contact us at (888) 234-WDIT(9348) for help today!

All good things must come to an end – it’s inevitable with computer software. If you’re using Adobe Flash, the day has arrived. It’s time to uninstall Adobe Flash Player.

Adobe stopped supporting Flash Player on December 31, 2020. What does this mean?

Adobe is no longer issuing Flash Player updates or security patches. The company “strongly recommends immediately uninstalling Flash Player.” The company announced the decision to bring Flash Player to end of life (EOL) in 2017.

To help secure user systems, Adobe began blocking Flash content from running in Flash Player on January 12, 2021. Major browser vendors have also disabled Flash Player from running: Safari, Firefox, Chrome, and Microsoft Edge have all stopped supporting the technology.

This renders Flash Player pretty useless. Flash was key to early Web browsing, powering interactive website elements such as animations and forms. Web developers loved it, because it saved them from offering users dull, static pages. However, open standards have matured to provide a viable alternative to Flash content. The HTML 5 standard has replaced Flash in many cases.

Adobe Flash is old, unsupported, and has unfixed security issues. It’s actively used for malware. Fake Flash Player installers have long been an effective way to deliver malware. As recently as 2020, three years after the EOL announcement, it was found that 1 in 10 Macs were infected by one prolific piece of Flash malware.

Don’t keep it on your system, and definitely don’t download versions of the Flash Play-er from third-party sites.

Uninstalling Adobe Flash Player

If you’re an iPhone or iPad user, you don’t need to worry. Flash was never supported on iOS devices. Otherwise, it’s worth checking if you have Adobe Flash Player in-stalled. You may not even remember downloading it, but don’t just let it sit there.

To check if Flash Player is installed, navigate to https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player.html. Under Install Flash Player in five steps, the first step is to check installation. Click on “Check Now.” If it tells you “Sorry, Flash Player is either not installed or not enabled,” you’re in good shape.

To uninstall from a Windows computer, you will need to download the uninstaller found here ( https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/uninstall-flash-player-windows.html ) to your desktop. Then, exit all browser and other programs that use Flash. Run the uninstaller to delete all Flash Player files and folders. Restart your computer, open your browser, and verify uninstallation is complete.

Mac users will download the uninstaller (https://helpx.adobe.com/au/flash-player/kb/uninstall-flash-player-mac-os.html) suited to their OS Version. You can determine your version by clicking on the Apple icon and choosing About This Mac. You then run the applicable uninstaller. After restarting your computer, verify the uninstallation is complete.

Without updates or security patches, hackers could access your system using Flash Player vulnerabilities. It can be frustrating when software reaches EOL. Even so, it’s important to be proactive. Take the precautions to keep your system safe.

Worried about downloading and uninstalling safely? We can help. Not sure what other legacy software you might have on your computer that is putting you at risk? We can help there, too. Contact us today at (888) 234-WDIT(9348). We can review your computers to secure your confidential data and important info.