• M$ Publisher

    From Jim the Geordie@jim@geordieland.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 12:31:43 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this
    year (2026).
    I have genuine copies of Office 2010 and 2021.
    Does this mean that I will not be able to use these on my Windows 10
    even when not connected to the web?

    If this is true what are the alternatives?
    Obviously I have Powerpoint installed, but I have never used it. Is that
    an alternatve and if so is it as easy to use as Publisher?

    I am an old dog, so new tricks come hard. :)
    --
    Jim the Geordie
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul@nospam@needed.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 08:33:32 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On Thu, 1/8/2026 7:31 AM, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this
    year (2026).
    I have genuine copies of Office 2010 and 2021.
    Does this mean that I will not be able to use these on my Windows 10
    even when not connected to the web?

    If this is true what are the alternatives?
    Obviously I have Powerpoint installed, but I have never used it. Is that
    an alternatve and if so is it as easy to use as Publisher?

    I am an old dog, so new tricks come hard. :)


    This might be related to some certificate chain problem.

    I certainly hope, on the tin this software came in, it said

    "we stupidly decided to sign this software with a limited duration certificate
    and it won't work after xx years"

    because otherwise, some large corporation could be in for a
    class action lawsuit.

    Do Properties on one of the EXE files and see if it is signed.
    Use whatever Detail buttons are there, until you see some
    date strings.

    On the one hand, short duration certificates are a "pretense of security",
    but your crypto-expert could make a signing scheme that would be quantum-computer-proof and then we could do long long signing (up
    until the next Y2K problem perhaps).

    *******

    You can make posters with images with almost anything.

    What would be missing, is familiarity with the menus and so on,
    and a lot of learning to do. And the quality might not be there (fonts), depending on the output format.

    Sample discussion:

    https://ask.libreoffice.org/t/does-libreoffice-have-an-equivalent-to-publisher-please/52432/5

    Maybe there is a softoffice equivalent. Besides LibreOffice, there are likely
    a couple commercial "equivalents" to Office.

    *******

    One way to search in Google for this is:

    alternativeto Microsoft Publisher

    and that gives you everything from "crusty" to "expensive (rental software)".

    https://alternativeto.net/software/microsoft-publisher/

    Paul
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Alan K.@alan@invalid.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 09:28:30 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 1/8/26 7:31 AM, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this
    year (2026).
    I have genuine copies of Office 2010 and 2021.
    Does this mean that I will not be able to use these on my Windows 10
    even when not connected to the web?

    If this is true what are the alternatives?
    Obviously I have Powerpoint installed, but I have never used it. Is that
    an alternatve and if so is it as easy to use as Publisher?

    I am an old dog, so new tricks come hard. :)

    My wife make posters for the condominium here with Word. Even rotating text. --
    Linux Mint 22.2, Mozilla Thunderbird 140.6.0esr, Mozilla Firefox 146.0.1
    Alan K.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roger Mills@mills37.fslife@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 14:49:58 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 08/01/2026 12:31, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this
    year (2026).
    I have genuine copies of Office 2010 and 2021.
    Does this mean that I will not be able to use these on my Windows 10
    even when not connected to the web?

    If this is true what are the alternatives?
    Obviously I have Powerpoint installed, but I have never used it. Is that
    an alternatve and if so is it as easy to use as Publisher?

    I am an old dog, so new tricks come hard. :)


    I believe that Publisher is no longer included in the latest versions of
    MS Office, but I can't see why a version which you already have should suddenly stop working.

    I'm still using Office 2007(!), and the version of Publisher which came
    with that still works fine on Windows 11.
    --
    Cheers,
    Roger
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 00:23:54 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 8/1/2026 8:31 pm, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this
    year (2026).
    I have genuine copies of Office 2010 and 2021.
    Does this mean that I will not be able to use these on my Windows 10
    even when not connected to the web?
    You can continue to use it, just no more updates and upgrades. Just like
    all versions of "dead" Windows.

    You might wanna Google Search for file format converters, say from
    Publisher to Word! No guarantee on quality of conversion even these
    tools exist.

    microsoft publisher format convert - Google uELo#i <https://www.google.com/search?q=microsoft+publisher+format+convert>

    Anyone here still using Harvard Graphics, Lotus 1-2-3 and WordPerfect in
    DOS? :)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 00:24:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 8/1/2026 10:49 pm, Roger Mills wrote:

    I'm still using Office 2007(!), and the version of Publisher which came
    with that still works fine on Windows 11.

    Same here. Sometimes 2010. :)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 00:25:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 8/1/2026 10:49 pm, Roger Mills wrote:

    I'm still using Office 2007(!), and the version of Publisher which came
    with that still works fine on Windows 11.

    BTW, I think Office 2000 and Office 2003 can still work in Windows 10.
    But the fonts of the menu bar will become fine-print. :)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 00:28:12 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 9/1/2026 12:25 am, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    On 8/1/2026 10:49 pm, Roger Mills wrote:

    I'm still using Office 2007(!), and the version of Publisher which came
    with that still works fine on Windows 11.

    BTW, I think Office 2000 and Office 2003 can still work in Windows 10.
    But the fonts of the menu bar will become fine-print. :)


    You can play with screen resolution like games, of course!
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From croy@croy@spam.invalid.net to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 08:36:12 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On Thu, 8 Jan 2026 12:31:43 -0000, Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com>
    wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters >with images.

    I still miss Ventura Publisher.
    --
    croy
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Frank Slootweg@this@ddress.is.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 16:40:59 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Mr. Man-wai Chang <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 8/1/2026 10:49 pm, Roger Mills wrote:

    I'm still using Office 2007(!), and the version of Publisher which came with that still works fine on Windows 11.

    Same here. Sometimes 2010. :)

    So you're using that new-fangled stuff!? :-) My main software (not
    Office) is from 2003!
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 00:53:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 9/1/2026 12:40 am, Frank Slootweg wrote:

    So you're using that new-fangled stuff!? :-) My main software (not
    Office) is from 2003!

    It's hard to resist sexy young upgrades! :)

    I have some older silly, little programs I wrote. But the compilers and interpreters have been upgraded.
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 00:54:24 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 9/1/2026 12:36 am, croy wrote:
    On Thu, 8 Jan 2026 12:31:43 -0000, Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.

    I still miss Ventura Publisher.


    Frame-based editing? :)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From J. P. Gilliver@G6JPG@255soft.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 18:22:37 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026/1/8 14:49:58, Roger Mills wrote:
    On 08/01/2026 12:31, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this
    year (2026).
    In what form did this "tell" come? A message apparently from Publisher
    itself, something you've read somewhere, or what? It would be
    informative to hear exactly how and what was said.
    I have genuine copies of Office 2010 and 2021.
    Does this mean that I will not be able to use these on my Windows 10
    even when not connected to the web?

    If this is true what are the alternatives?
    []
    I believe that Publisher is no longer included in the latest versions of
    MS Office, but I can't see why a version which you already have should > suddenly stop working.

    I'm still using Office 2007(!), and the version of Publisher which came
    with that still works fine on Windows 11.
    I have Office 2003; I've never actually used the Publisher part, but I
    just tried it, and it opened. (I'm on Windows 10.)
    As for the alternatives - as others have said, almost anything should be
    able to make posters; of the things you've already got, Word and
    Powerpoint should be fine - it's just a matter of familiarity. I think
    if I was doing a poster I might do a table in Word (with the lines
    turned off), as that might make positioning easier - but then, I know my
    way round tables in Word.
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From J. P. Gilliver@G6JPG@255soft.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 18:23:47 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026/1/8 16:25:56, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    On 8/1/2026 10:49 pm, Roger Mills wrote:

    I'm still using Office 2007(!), and the version of Publisher which came
    with that still works fine on Windows 11.

    BTW, I think Office 2000 and Office 2003 can still work in Windows 10. > But the fonts of the menu bar will become fine-print. :)

    I use 2003 (in 10), and have no problem with the menus.
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From J. P. Gilliver@G6JPG@255soft.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 18:27:06 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026/1/8 16:23:54, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:

    []

    Anyone here still using Harvard Graphics, Lotus 1-2-3 and WordPerfect in DOS? :)

    Until - and that was only last year - I had to switch to 64-bit, I was
    still using Xtree Gold's editor (I think it was called 1word) for my
    quotes file. (Would still, but they won't work under OTVDM.)
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    Thay have a saying for it: /Geiz ist geil/, which roughly translates
    as, "It's sexy to be stingy". - Joe Fattorini, RT insert 2016/9/10-16
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Maria Sophia@mariasophia@comprehension.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 14:14:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    I use 2003 (in 10), and have no problem with the menus.

    I have various PCs in the family on 2007 & 2010 and it seems to work fine.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From mick@nospam@junk.mail to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 20:14:18 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Jim the Geordie expressed precisely :
    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this
    year (2026).
    I have genuine copies of Office 2010 and 2021.
    Does this mean that I will not be able to use these on my Windows 10
    even when not connected to the web?

    If this is true what are the alternatives?
    Obviously I have Powerpoint installed, but I have never used it. Is that
    an alternatve and if so is it as easy to use as Publisher?

    I am an old dog, so new tricks come hard. :)

    AFAIK Publisher will continue to work, it will just not be developed
    anymore and there will obviously be no more updates.
    An alternative is Affinity, https://www.affinity.studio/ totally free.
    It was formerly Serif PagePlus then Affinity Publisher, now it is an
    all in one publishing/design/photo product.
    --
    mick
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Dr AI@Dr.AI@invalid.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 22:29:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 08/01/2026 18:22, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    In what form did this "tell" come? A message apparently from Publisher itself, something you've read somewhere, or what? It would be
    informative to hear exactly how and what was said.

    Always treat anything posted by Jim the Geordie with caution. He has
    serious difficulties understanding anything to do with computers. He's
    an elderly man who may be showing signs of dementia.



    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From VanguardLH@V@nguard.LH to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Thu Jan 8 23:29:34 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this
    year (2026).
    I have genuine copies of Office 2010 and 2021.
    Does this mean that I will not be able to use these on my Windows 10
    even when not connected to the web?

    If this is true what are the alternatives?
    Obviously I have Powerpoint installed, but I have never used it. Is that
    an alternatve and if so is it as easy to use as Publisher?

    I am an old dog, so new tricks come hard. :)

    Microsoft sent you an e-mail? Not typical of Microsoft, but typical of scammers pretending to be Microsoft. How were you informed that
    Publisher(*) "will no longer work"?

    (*) You mention Office 2010 and 2021, but not which editions of each.
    The edition dictates what components are included, and Publisher
    is not in all editions of Office.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7

    Support is ending. The the product does not self-destructs. "No longer supported" is not the same as "no longer work". After all, you mention
    you're still using Windows 10, but that didn't self-destruct, either.

    Office 2010 support got dropped back in October 2020. 5 years ago.
    Windows 10 support got dropped October 2025 unless you enrolled in ESU (Extended Support Updates) which ends in October 2026.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/end-of-support-for-office-2010-3a3e45de-51ac-4944-b2ba-c2e415432789

    You mention 2 versions of Office, but that doesn't mean you got
    Publisher in whatever edition of Office 2021 you got.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Office_2021
    Office 2021
    Home & Student: Core applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and
    OneNote.
    Home & Business: Core applications and Outlook.
    Professional: Core applications, and Outlook, Publisher, and
    Access.
    Professional Plus: Core applications, and Outlook, Publisher, Access,
    and Teams.

    Unless you got Office 2021 Pro [Plus], the Publisher you're using is
    from Office 2010, and that had support dropped 5 years ago.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 13:53:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 9/1/2026 2:23 am, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    BTW, I think Office 2000 and Office 2003 can still work in Windows 10.
    But the fonts of the menu bar will become fine-print. :)

    I use 2003 (in 10), and have no problem with the menus.


    You still got good eyes, young(?) fellow! I now need to wear old-man
    glasses to see fine-print when going to banks. :)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 13:55:59 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 9/1/2026 2:27 am, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    Until - and that was only last year - I had to switch to 64-bit, I was
    still using Xtree Gold's editor (I think it was called 1word) for my
    quotes file. (Would still, but they won't work under OTVDM.)

    If you don't mind CONSTANTLY transfering files between old and new
    worlds, you can keep using Xtree in whatever legacy OSs. It's
    time-consuming though.

    BUT, version control websites like GitHub might help. ;)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From wasbit@wasbit@REMOVEhotmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 09:29:58 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 08/01/2026 12:31, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this
    year (2026).
    I have genuine copies of Office 2010 and 2021.
    Does this mean that I will not be able to use these on my Windows 10
    even when not connected to the web?

    If this is true what are the alternatives?
    Obviously I have Powerpoint installed, but I have never used it. Is that
    an alternatve and if so is it as easy to use as Publisher?

    I am an old dog, so new tricks come hard. :)


    If you have to change, & I don't think that you do, Scribus is free &
    open source
    - http://www.scribus.net
    --
    Regards
    wasbit
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jim the Geordie@jim@geordieland.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 11:23:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    In article <6znfywltn2sm$.dlg@v.nguard.lh>, V@nguard.LH says...

    Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this year (2026).
    I have genuine copies of Office 2010 and 2021.
    Does this mean that I will not be able to use these on my Windows 10
    even when not connected to the web?

    If this is true what are the alternatives?
    Obviously I have Powerpoint installed, but I have never used it. Is that an alternatve and if so is it as easy to use as Publisher?

    I am an old dog, so new tricks come hard. :)

    Microsoft sent you an e-mail? Not typical of Microsoft, but typical of scammers pretending to be Microsoft. How were you informed that
    Publisher(*) "will no longer work"?

    I never said that Microsoft sent me an email! Don't put words in my
    mouth.
    In fact, when I opened Publisher, for the first time in months a red
    box, with white text, appeared at the top right of the screen. The gist
    was that I *would not be able to use* Publisher (no version mentioned)
    after October 2026. There was no reason given and the message
    disappeared and did not appear again, either during that use of
    Publisher or when opened later. I am pretty sure that it said 'Will be
    unable to use' rather than 'Will no longer be supported', because as a
    user if Windows 10, that later phrase would not have bothered me and I
    would not have asked the question.

    (*) You mention Office 2010 and 2021, but not which editions of each.
    The edition dictates what components are included, and Publisher
    is not in all editions of Office.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7

    Support is ending. The the product does not self-destructs. "No longer supported" is not the same as "no longer work". After all, you mention you're still using Windows 10, but that didn't self-destruct, either.

    Office 2010 support got dropped back in October 2020. 5 years ago.
    Windows 10 support got dropped October 2025 unless you enrolled in ESU (Extended Support Updates) which ends in October 2026.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/end-of-support-for-office-2010-3a3e45de-51ac-4944-b2ba-c2e415432789

    You mention 2 versions of Office, but that doesn't mean you got
    Publisher in whatever edition of Office 2021 you got.

    I did. The 2021 version expects file to be saved to Onedrive, rather
    than the computer being used.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Office_2021
    Office 2021
    Home & Student: Core applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and
    OneNote.
    Home & Business: Core applications and Outlook.
    Professional: Core applications, and Outlook, Publisher, and
    Access.
    Professional Plus: Core applications, and Outlook, Publisher, Access,
    and Teams.

    It would seem I have the Professional version. I would not have
    downloaded it without Publisher. I don't recollect having Teams.
    --
    Jim the Geordie
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Philip Herlihy@nothing@invalid.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 12:39:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    In article <10jp36r$1qe0n$1@dont-email.me>, nospam@junk.mail says...


    AFAIK Publisher will continue to work, it will just not be developed
    anymore and there will obviously be no more updates.
    An alternative is Affinity, https://www.affinity.studio/ totally free.
    It was formerly Serif PagePlus then Affinity Publisher, now it is an
    all in one publishing/design/photo product.

    +1 for Affinity - it's excellent.
    --
    --
    Phil, London
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jim the Geordie@Jim@geordieland.co.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 13:48:30 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 09/01/2026 09:29, wasbit wrote:
    On 08/01/2026 12:31, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this
    year (2026).
    I have genuine copies of Office 2010 and 2021.
    Does this mean that I will not be able to use these on my Windows 10
    even when not connected to the web?

    If this is true what are the alternatives?
    Obviously I have Powerpoint installed, but I have never used it. Is that
    an alternatve and if so is it as easy to use as Publisher?

    I am an old dog, so new tricks come hard. :)


    If you have to change, & I don't think that you do, Scribus is free &
    open source
    -a- http://www.scribus.net


    Thx.
    --
    Jim the Geordie
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From J. P. Gilliver@G6JPG@255soft.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 14:08:38 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026/1/9 5:53:55, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    On 9/1/2026 2:23 am, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    BTW, I think Office 2000 and Office 2003 can still work in Windows 10.
    But the fonts of the menu bar will become fine-print. :)

    I use 2003 (in 10), and have no problem with the menus.


    You still got good eyes, young(?) fellow! I now need to wear old-man
    glasses to see fine-print when going to banks. :)

    I'm 65-+, and even my short-focus eye can't focus at much less than a
    foot without help these days!

    I just opened word 2003 (in my windows 10), and the menus are the same
    size as in Thunderbird, Edge, File Manager, Everything, ... - basically, they're not smaller than in anything else.

    I do tend to use 12 point text in documents these days rather than the
    10 point which I think was the default in 2003 or maybe earlier, but I
    think that's becoming common across all word processors nowadays, with
    an ageing population and more people inclined to invoke legislation.
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    At my funeral take the bouquet off my casket and throw it in the crowd
    to see who's next
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From J. P. Gilliver@G6JPG@255soft.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 14:17:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026/1/9 5:55:59, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    On 9/1/2026 2:27 am, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    Until - and that was only last year - I had to switch to 64-bit, I was
    still using Xtree Gold's editor (I think it was called 1word) for my
    quotes file. (Would still, but they won't work under OTVDM.)

    If you don't mind CONSTANTLY transfering files between old and new
    worlds, you can keep using Xtree in whatever legacy OSs. It's time-consuming though.

    I don't _really_ miss Xtree - though it was sometimes useful in seeing
    what was _really_ going on, where the OS hides certain things (like
    making files appear to be in different directories than they really are!).

    But - for that one particular file - I'd developed "muscle memory" for
    the editor. Also, its file size limit - somewhat below 64K - encouraged
    me to keep the quotes file fresh, as I'd reached the limit, so had to
    delete something to add anything.

    BUT, version control websites like GitHub might help. ;)

    I've always found GitHub rather hard to understand, but I'm not sure how
    it would in this case anyway - Xtree (and I presumw 1word) were
    commercial products, not private/group projects.
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    At my funeral take the bouquet off my casket and throw it in the crowd
    to see who's next
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From J. P. Gilliver@G6JPG@255soft.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 14:30:23 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026/1/9 11:23:55, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    In article <6znfywltn2sm$.dlg@v.nguard.lh>, V@nguard.LH says...

    Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters >>> with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this >>> year (2026).

    []

    In fact, when I opened Publisher, for the first time in months a red
    box, with white text, appeared at the top right of the screen. The gist
    was that I *would not be able to use* Publisher (no version mentioned)
    after October 2026. There was no reason given and the message
    disappeared and did not appear again, either during that use of
    Publisher or when opened later. I am pretty sure that it said 'Will be

    That sounds very odd! Particularly it not appearing again.

    unable to use' rather than 'Will no longer be supported', because as a
    user if Windows 10, that later phrase would not have bothered me and I
    would not have asked the question.

    Agreed. (Though I _think_ I have seen the scaremongering "not be able to
    use" phrase used to _mean_ the "will no longer be supported" one, by
    some - not sure whether that includes Microsoft.)

    Anyone else recognise the red box with white text?

    []

    Office 2021
    Home & Student: Core applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and
    OneNote.
    Home & Business: Core applications and Outlook.
    Professional: Core applications, and Outlook, Publisher, and
    Access.
    Professional Plus: Core applications, and Outlook, Publisher, Access,
    and Teams.

    It would seem I have the Professional version. I would not have
    downloaded it without Publisher. I don't recollect having Teams.


    Assuming it's the same thing (which is probably an invalid assumption -
    MS are infamous for using the same names for different things, and
    multiple names for the same thing): I had Skype (free). A few months
    ago, it told me it was ceasing to exist, and downloaded something to
    replace itself - and I'm pretty sure that was called Teams. (I haven't
    used it since, though when it opened, it showed the last conversation
    I'd been having in Skype.) [I'd probably use - or have my interlocutor
    use, if I'm honest! - Zoom these days, if I wanted that sort of tool.]
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    At my funeral take the bouquet off my casket and throw it in the crowd
    to see who's next
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul@nospam@needed.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 11:55:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On Fri, 1/9/2026 9:30 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    On 2026/1/9 11:23:55, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    In article <6znfywltn2sm$.dlg@v.nguard.lh>, V@nguard.LH says...

    Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters >>>> with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this >>>> year (2026).

    []

    In fact, when I opened Publisher, for the first time in months a red
    box, with white text, appeared at the top right of the screen. The gist
    was that I *would not be able to use* Publisher (no version mentioned)
    after October 2026. There was no reason given and the message
    disappeared and did not appear again, either during that use of
    Publisher or when opened later. I am pretty sure that it said 'Will be

    That sounds very odd! Particularly it not appearing again.


    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7

    "Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher"

    It's possible other perpetual (bought) versions would still work,
    as that article looks like it is about the [modern] version.

    Paul

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From J. P. Gilliver@G6JPG@255soft.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 17:25:07 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026/1/9 16:55:14, Paul wrote:
    On Fri, 1/9/2026 9:30 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    On 2026/1/9 11:23:55, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    In article <6znfywltn2sm$.dlg@v.nguard.lh>, V@nguard.LH says...

    Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters >>>>> with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this >>>>> year (2026).

    []

    In fact, when I opened Publisher, for the first time in months a red
    box, with white text, appeared at the top right of the screen. The gist >>> was that I *would not be able to use* Publisher (no version mentioned)
    after October 2026. There was no reason given and the message
    disappeared and did not appear again, either during that use of
    Publisher or when opened later. I am pretty sure that it said 'Will be

    That sounds very odd! Particularly it not appearing again.


    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7

    "Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher"

    It's possible other perpetual (bought) versions would still work,
    as that article looks like it is about the [modern] version.

    Paul

    Yes, the "365" is obviously the key point here. You don't buy 365, you
    rent it; as such, M$ can do what they like, as long as they keep it
    working as described when you rented it, for the period you've paid for.
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.
    -Ellen Glasgow, novelist (1874-1945)
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jim the Geordie@jim@geordieland.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 19:06:40 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    In article <10jrbtl$2h7ue$1@dont-email.me>, nospam@needed.invalid
    says...

    On Fri, 1/9/2026 9:30 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    On 2026/1/9 11:23:55, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    In article <6znfywltn2sm$.dlg@v.nguard.lh>, V@nguard.LH says...

    Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this >>>> year (2026).

    []

    In fact, when I opened Publisher, for the first time in months a red
    box, with white text, appeared at the top right of the screen. The gist >> was that I *would not be able to use* Publisher (no version mentioned)
    after October 2026. There was no reason given and the message
    disappeared and did not appear again, either during that use of
    Publisher or when opened later. I am pretty sure that it said 'Will be

    That sounds very odd! Particularly it not appearing again.


    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7

    "Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher"

    It's possible other perpetual (bought) versions would still work,
    as that article looks like it is about the [modern] version.

    Paul

    Thanks for clarifying that. Obviously I was not aware of the difference
    and glad now that paid for my versions when I did, although the only difference I have noticed is the saving to OneDrive that occurs in
    v2021. As a consequence I find I prefer v2010 so I can find my files
    easier (and open and save files while offline)
    FWIW I had a brief look at Affinity and Scribus. Scribus seems to be
    much nearer to Publisher. Since I am very familiar with Publisher, I
    shall stick with it; until I can't.
    --
    Jim the Geordie
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul@nospam@needed.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 14:49:52 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On Fri, 1/9/2026 2:06 PM, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    In article <10jrbtl$2h7ue$1@dont-email.me>, nospam@needed.invalid
    says...

    On Fri, 1/9/2026 9:30 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    On 2026/1/9 11:23:55, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    In article <6znfywltn2sm$.dlg@v.nguard.lh>, V@nguard.LH says...

    Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this >>>>>> year (2026).

    []

    In fact, when I opened Publisher, for the first time in months a red
    box, with white text, appeared at the top right of the screen. The gist >>>> was that I *would not be able to use* Publisher (no version mentioned) >>>> after October 2026. There was no reason given and the message
    disappeared and did not appear again, either during that use of
    Publisher or when opened later. I am pretty sure that it said 'Will be >>>
    That sounds very odd! Particularly it not appearing again.


    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7

    "Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher"

    It's possible other perpetual (bought) versions would still work,
    as that article looks like it is about the [modern] version.

    Paul

    Thanks for clarifying that. Obviously I was not aware of the difference
    and glad now that paid for my versions when I did, although the only difference I have noticed is the saving to OneDrive that occurs in
    v2021. As a consequence I find I prefer v2010 so I can find my files
    easier (and open and save files while offline)
    FWIW I had a brief look at Affinity and Scribus. Scribus seems to be
    much nearer to Publisher. Since I am very familiar with Publisher, I
    shall stick with it; until I can't.


    Depending on whether the alternative offerings are freeware or paid
    products, you should consider acquiring a copy of the free one...
    in case it disappears at a later date.

    Scribus is supposed to be a lot more complicated, and may not be
    everyones cup of tea.

    In some cases, when companies have dropped out of a market, wonderful
    pieces of software were made available just for the downloading,
    and today... only archive.org has a copy :-) (And that's not via an
    official request to archive it, it's the elves who hang around
    archive.org, who "upload stuff" who do things like that.)

    The instructions Microsoft offers for "translating" the works, are just
    silly. The Print To PDF which comes standard with the OS, only
    offers Letter and Tabloid, and is not nearly rich enough to prepare
    media for all printing devices (like the 36" wide inkjet we had at work).

    The largest media we could make at work, was 10 feet by 10 feet,
    and typically it was run at 6 feet by 6 feet (so a plot could
    hang in a hallway for random people to analyze as they walked by).
    I've worked a couple places, that had the same machine. That machine
    is dangerous, as the print head is a chunk of metal, with considerable acceleration, and we were warned "stick your hand in there, it'll break
    the bones in your hand". Which seemed fair enough as a warning. No
    guard rails to keep you from doing that.

    I used to keep a driver here for making large media, but I don't think
    that would work any more on W10/W11, so my options here for large scale
    plots are pretty limited. The more modern drivers, resort to using an
    image instead of a vector representation, meaning that large format PDF
    cannot be repurposed (as part of a workflow). I like my artworks to be digestible by other tools, later. Dead end artworks are dead end.

    When the WinXP machined died, I lost a lot of weird options for doing
    stuff. The replacements just aren't the same.

    Paul

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jim the Geordie@jim@geordieland.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 20:41:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    In article <10jrm51$2kop8$1@dont-email.me>, nospam@needed.invalid
    says...

    On Fri, 1/9/2026 2:06 PM, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    In article <10jrbtl$2h7ue$1@dont-email.me>, nospam@needed.invalid
    says...

    On Fri, 1/9/2026 9:30 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    On 2026/1/9 11:23:55, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    In article <6znfywltn2sm$.dlg@v.nguard.lh>, V@nguard.LH says...

    Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this
    year (2026).

    []

    In fact, when I opened Publisher, for the first time in months a red >>>> box, with white text, appeared at the top right of the screen. The gist >>>> was that I *would not be able to use* Publisher (no version mentioned) >>>> after October 2026. There was no reason given and the message
    disappeared and did not appear again, either during that use of
    Publisher or when opened later. I am pretty sure that it said 'Will be >>>
    That sounds very odd! Particularly it not appearing again.


    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7

    "Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher"

    It's possible other perpetual (bought) versions would still work,
    as that article looks like it is about the [modern] version.

    Paul

    Thanks for clarifying that. Obviously I was not aware of the difference and glad now that paid for my versions when I did, although the only difference I have noticed is the saving to OneDrive that occurs in
    v2021. As a consequence I find I prefer v2010 so I can find my files easier (and open and save files while offline)
    FWIW I had a brief look at Affinity and Scribus. Scribus seems to be
    much nearer to Publisher. Since I am very familiar with Publisher, I
    shall stick with it; until I can't.


    Depending on whether the alternative offerings are freeware or paid
    products, you should consider acquiring a copy of the free one...
    in case it disappears at a later date.

    I have saved both Affinity and Scribus. With Publisher I have created a
    number of my own 'templates' for posters advertising a local music group
    with several venues. The joy being that I can just change the dates,
    colours and names. If I use either of the above applications on my
    existing .pub files, they are altered on loading so I would have to
    learn how to adapt or just forget and start from scratch.
    If publisher becomes unusable, which I now doubt (after what everybody
    here has said) then I would probably re-learn how to use Word. The
    advantage being that most folk can use Word and can edit their own copy. Currently I have to send them a pdf file for them to print as they are
    unlikly to have Publisher.
    Thanks to all who have replied to my original question. If I see the
    'red square' again, I'll take a screen shot.
    --
    Jim the Geordie
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From sticks@wolverine01@charter.net to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Fri Jan 9 15:31:08 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10



    On 1/9/2026 1:06 PM, Jim the Geordie wrote:

    Thanks for clarifying that. Obviously I was not aware of the difference
    and glad now that paid for my versions when I did, although the only difference I have noticed is the saving to OneDrive that occurs in
    v2021. As a consequence I find I prefer v2010 so I can find my files
    easier (and open and save files while offline)

    2021 default save location is C:\Users\JimTheGeordie\OneDrive\Documents
    but you can change that and save it anywhere you wish. I don't save
    most things to OneDrive.
    --
    Science Doesn't Support Darwin. Scientists Do.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From J. P. Gilliver@G6JPG@255soft.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sat Jan 10 00:27:42 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026/1/9 19:49:52, Paul wrote:

    []

    Depending on whether the alternative offerings are freeware or paid
    products, you should consider acquiring a copy of the free one...
    in case it disappears at a later date.

    Good advice.


    Scribus is supposed to be a lot more complicated, and may not be
    everyones cup of tea.

    In some cases, when companies have dropped out of a market, wonderful
    pieces of software were made available just for the downloading,
    and today... only archive.org has a copy :-) (And that's not via an
    official request to archive it, it's the elves who hang around
    archive.org, who "upload stuff" who do things like that.)

    There was a major suite (not so by modern standards, but I think it cost hundreds originally) like that; officially, the company that gave it
    away (was it Adobe?) said it was only supposed to be for those who'd
    bought previous versions and they didn't want the hassle of doing the authentication checks or something like that, but of course everyone
    downloaded it. Including me - I don't think I ever installed it. (IIRR,
    it was about three CDs worth.)


    The instructions Microsoft offers for "translating" the works, are just

    I presume you are _not_ referring to Works, a somewhat maligned office
    suite that MS at one time released - a lot cheaper than Word (this was
    in Windows 3 days, when Word and the other parts of Office were still
    being sold separately); as well as lower price, it was also less
    demanding hardware-wise. I'm convinced they killed it off because it was
    eating into the sales of Office/Word, since it was more than adequate
    for what a lot of people needed (and better than Write, though even that
    was better than many claimed).

    silly. The Print To PDF which comes standard with the OS, only
    offers Letter and Tabloid, and is not nearly rich enough to prepare
    media for all printing devices (like the 36" wide inkjet we had at work).

    Oh, that's standard with the OS, is it? I'd sort of assumed it came with
    (some versions of) Office. I have continued using pdf995, since that's
    what I've been using since the year dot - mainly with my genealogy
    software, Brother's Keeper (John Steed, BK's author, also uses pdf995).
    I haven't found a size limit on it yet. I didn't know the MS one was
    limited to two paper sizes. (Genealogy needs big - and, often,
    oddly-shaped, if you're not going to have acres of unused paper - sizes,
    for the assorted charts it can produce.)


    The largest media we could make at work, was 10 feet by 10 feet,
    and typically it was run at 6 feet by 6 feet (so a plot could
    hang in a hallway for random people to analyze as they walked by).
    I've worked a couple places, that had the same machine. That machine
    is dangerous, as the print head is a chunk of metal, with considerable

    Inkjet is it?

    acceleration, and we were warned "stick your hand in there, it'll break
    the bones in your hand". Which seemed fair enough as a warning. No
    guard rails to keep you from doing that.

    I used to keep a driver here for making large media, but I don't think
    that would work any more on W10/W11, so my options here for large scale
    plots are pretty limited. The more modern drivers, resort to using an

    PDF995 as I say can do arbitrary sizes (you select I think it's called "postscript custom size", and set the size - in inches, mm, or something
    else - points maybe?).

    image instead of a vector representation, meaning that large format PDF cannot be repurposed (as part of a workflow). I like my artworks to be digestible by other tools, later. Dead end artworks are dead end.

    Of course, I don't have anything that can actually _print_ that big (at
    present I only have an A4 [or possibly letter] size printer, though it
    can do both sides]. For printing large sheets, I use a relatively recent version of Adobe Acrobat reader - I'm not keen on it for general PDF
    use, but its printing functions are very good - it can scale more or
    less any way you want, and split into individual sheets to be put
    together - I think even with specifiable overlap - or, force big sheets
    to print on one sheet of A4. It can also do booklets (printing sides 1
    and 4 on one side of a sheet, 2 and 3 on the other - including more
    complicated versions if your document has more than 4 sides).


    When the WinXP machined died, I lost a lot of weird options for doing
    stuff. The replacements just aren't the same.

    Paul

    I miss things with each "up"grade. Though to be honest I can't usually
    remember what they were, once a year or two has passed. :-)
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    "Bother," said Pooh, as Windows crashed into piglet.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul@nospam@needed.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sat Jan 10 04:20:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On Fri, 1/9/2026 7:27 PM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    On 2026/1/9 19:49:52, Paul wrote:


    The largest media we could make at work, was 10 feet by 10 feet,
    and typically it was run at 6 feet by 6 feet (so a plot could
    hang in a hallway for random people to analyze as they walked by).
    I've worked a couple places, that had the same machine. That machine
    is dangerous, as the print head is a chunk of metal, with considerable

    Inkjet is it?

    acceleration, and we were warned "stick your hand in there, it'll break
    the bones in your hand". Which seemed fair enough as a warning. No
    guard rails to keep you from doing that.


    It's actually a pen plotter. Ten feet by ten feet by
    about four foot high (so it is at a convenient level
    when you load paper into it). Not one bit of it is
    conventional design (there is no steel rod with something
    sliding along it to make flatbed plots).

    I've tried to find it in Google, but it isn't there.

    It really needs some pictures.

    Paul
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Frank Slootweg@this@ddress.is.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sat Jan 10 11:13:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
    On 2026/1/9 19:49:52, Paul wrote:
    [...]
    silly. The Print To PDF which comes standard with the OS, only
    offers Letter and Tabloid, and is not nearly rich enough to prepare
    media for all printing devices (like the 36" wide inkjet we had at work).

    Oh, that's standard with the OS, is it? I'd sort of assumed it came with (some versions of) Office. I have continued using pdf995, since that's
    what I've been using since the year dot - mainly with my genealogy
    software, Brother's Keeper (John Steed, BK's author, also uses pdf995).

    It's not actually called "Print To PDF", but the "Microsoft Print to
    PDF" 'printer', which for example is visible in Notepad's 'Print'
    function. It's standard on Windows 10 (and of course 11) and IIRC also
    already on Windows 8[.1]. Also most browsers can 'Save to PDF' for any
    document they can render.

    [...]
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Sat Jan 10 20:11:52 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 9/1/2026 10:17 pm, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    But - for that one particular file - I'd developed "muscle memory" for
    the editor. Also, its file size limit - somewhat below 64K - encouraged
    me to keep the quotes file fresh, as I'd reached the limit, so had to
    delete something to add anything.

    ""muscle memory"??? Maybe your brain might have been cursed!! :)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From J. P. Gilliver@G6JPG@255soft.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Sat Jan 10 15:04:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026/1/10 12:11:52, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    On 9/1/2026 10:17 pm, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    But - for that one particular file - I'd developed "muscle memory" for>> the editor. Also, its file size limit - somewhat below 64K - encouraged
    me to keep the quotes file fresh, as I'd reached the limit, so had to
    delete something to add anything.

    ""muscle memory"??? Maybe your brain might have been cursed!! :)

    I'm guessing from your name that you may not be a native speaker and
    thus not familiar with the expression: it means something you are so
    familiar with that you repeat the actions without thinking about them.
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Maria Sophia@mariasophia@comprehension.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Sat Jan 10 15:34:22 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    On 2026/1/10 12:11:52, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    On 9/1/2026 10:17 pm, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    But - for that one particular file - I'd developed "muscle memory" for
    the editor. Also, its file size limit - somewhat below 64K - encouraged
    me to keep the quotes file fresh, as I'd reached the limit, so had to
    delete something to add anything.

    ""muscle memory"??? Maybe your brain might have been cursed!! :)

    I'm guessing from your name that you may not be a native speaker and
    thus not familiar with the expression: it means something you are so
    familiar with that you repeat the actions without thinking about them.

    I started with computers in the 1960s, so I used "vi" (maybe even 'ed' in
    the very beginning) and have been using gVim for decades on Windows where
    your fingers DEFINITELY have muscle memory.

    I can do things with the editor that I can't remember how it do them.
    But my fingers know it automatically.

    An example though, even for non-gVIM users, is the QWERTY keyboard.

    If you took typing those days like I did, then you learned on those heavy
    green IBM Selectrics with the rotating ball and your fingers know where all
    the keys are, but if you asked me where any one key is, I wouldn't be able
    to tell you.

    That's muscle memory!
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From =?UTF-8?B?Li4ud8Khw7HCp8KxwqTDsSA=?=@winstonmvp@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sat Jan 10 13:37:08 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Jim the Geordie wrote on 1/9/2026 12:06 PM:
    In article <10jrbtl$2h7ue$1@dont-email.me>, nospam@needed.invalid
    says...

    On Fri, 1/9/2026 9:30 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    On 2026/1/9 11:23:55, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    In article <6znfywltn2sm$.dlg@v.nguard.lh>, V@nguard.LH says...

    Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters >>>>>> with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this >>>>>> year (2026).

    []

    In fact, when I opened Publisher, for the first time in months a red
    box, with white text, appeared at the top right of the screen. The gist >>>> was that I *would not be able to use* Publisher (no version mentioned) >>>> after October 2026. There was no reason given and the message
    disappeared and did not appear again, either during that use of
    Publisher or when opened later. I am pretty sure that it said 'Will be

    That sounds very odd! Particularly it not appearing again.


    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7

    "Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher"

    It's possible other perpetual (bought) versions would still work,
    as that article looks like it is about the [modern] version.

    Paul

    Thanks for clarifying that. Obviously I was not aware of the difference
    and glad now that paid for my versions when I did, although the only difference I have noticed is the saving to OneDrive that occurs in
    v2021. As a consequence I find I prefer v2010 so I can find my files
    easier (and open and save files while offline)
    FWIW I had a brief look at Affinity and Scribus. Scribus seems to be
    much nearer to Publisher. Since I am very familiar with Publisher, I
    shall stick with it; until I can't.


    As Paul noted, it's possible perpetual versions(unlike subscription e.g.
    M365 versions) would still work...it's already known that perpetual
    versions will continue to function/work after Oct. 2026 per Microsoft documentation.


    cf. Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 <https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7>
    Scroll down, click on FAQ.
    - you'll find MSFT's official notice regarding perpetual version
    continued functionality [copied and quoted below, I've added asterisks
    for emphasis in the quoted content]


    Can I still install Publisher after October 2026? If you have a Microsoft
    365 subscription, Microsoft Publisher will no longer be available for installation or download after October 2026.
    ****However, if you have the Perpetual version of Publisher, although
    support will end, you will still be able to install and use the app
    beyond this date.****

    What happens to my existing Publisher files after the end of support? If
    you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you will no longer be able to open
    or edit your Publisher files using Microsoft Publisher. It is recommended
    to convert your existing files to PDF or Word format before this date.
    ****If you have the Perpetual version of Publisher, you will still be
    able to access and edit your files.****
    --
    ...w-i|#-o-#-n|#
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From VanguardLH@V@nguard.LH to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sat Jan 10 15:04:43 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    "...w-i|#-o-#-n|# " <winstonmvp@gmail.com> wrote:

    Jim the Geordie wrote on 1/9/2026 12:06 PM:
    In article <10jrbtl$2h7ue$1@dont-email.me>, nospam@needed.invalid
    says...

    On Fri, 1/9/2026 9:30 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    On 2026/1/9 11:23:55, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    In article <6znfywltn2sm$.dlg@v.nguard.lh>, V@nguard.LH says...

    Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this >>>>>>> year (2026).

    []

    In fact, when I opened Publisher, for the first time in months a red >>>>> box, with white text, appeared at the top right of the screen. The gist >>>>> was that I *would not be able to use* Publisher (no version mentioned) >>>>> after October 2026. There was no reason given and the message
    disappeared and did not appear again, either during that use of
    Publisher or when opened later. I am pretty sure that it said 'Will be >>>>
    That sounds very odd! Particularly it not appearing again.


    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7

    "Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher"

    It's possible other perpetual (bought) versions would still work,
    as that article looks like it is about the [modern] version.

    Paul

    Thanks for clarifying that. Obviously I was not aware of the difference
    and glad now that paid for my versions when I did, although the only
    difference I have noticed is the saving to OneDrive that occurs in
    v2021. As a consequence I find I prefer v2010 so I can find my files
    easier (and open and save files while offline)
    FWIW I had a brief look at Affinity and Scribus. Scribus seems to be
    much nearer to Publisher. Since I am very familiar with Publisher, I
    shall stick with it; until I can't.


    As Paul noted, it's possible perpetual versions(unlike subscription e.g. M365 versions) would still work...it's already known that perpetual
    versions will continue to function/work after Oct. 2026 per Microsoft documentation.

    cf. Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 <https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7>
    Scroll down, click on FAQ.
    - you'll find MSFT's official notice regarding perpetual version
    continued functionality [copied and quoted below, I've added asterisks
    for emphasis in the quoted content]


    Can I still install Publisher after October 2026? If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, Microsoft Publisher will no longer be available for installation or download after October 2026.
    ****However, if you have the Perpetual version of Publisher, although support will end, you will still be able to install and use the app
    beyond this date.****

    What happens to my existing Publisher files after the end of support? If
    you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you will no longer be able to open
    or edit your Publisher files using Microsoft Publisher. It is recommended
    to convert your existing files to PDF or Word format before this date.
    ****If you have the Perpetual version of Publisher, you will still be
    able to access and edit your files.****

    Rental software that self-destructs to cripple to worse than the
    perpetual versions. Just wonderful. Of course, Microsoft doesn't have
    to support the expired perpetual versions, either.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Sun Jan 11 13:47:13 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 10/1/2026 11:04 pm, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    I'm guessing from your name that you may not be a native speaker and
    thus not familiar with the expression: it means something you are so
    familiar with that you repeat the actions without thinking about them.


    Then it's just memory! There is no need to attach the word "muscle"!

    Why didn't you call it "action memory" or "finger memory"? Why the word "muscle"??? :)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Sun Jan 11 13:47:38 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 11/1/2026 4:34 am, Maria Sophia wrote:

    I started with computers in the 1960s, so I used "vi" (maybe even 'ed' in
    the very beginning) and have been using gVim for decades on Windows where your fingers DEFINITELY have muscle memory.

    I can do things with the editor that I can't remember how it do them.
    But my fingers know it automatically.

    An example though, even for non-gVIM users, is the QWERTY keyboard.

    If you took typing those days like I did, then you learned on those heavy green IBM Selectrics with the rotating ball and your fingers know where all the keys are, but if you asked me where any one key is, I wouldn't be able
    to tell you.

    That's muscle memory!


    Then it's just memory! There is no need to attach the word "muscle"!

    Why didn't you call it "action memory" or "finger memory"? Why the word "muscle"??? :)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul@nospam@needed.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Sun Jan 11 01:42:19 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On Sun, 1/11/2026 12:47 AM, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    On 10/1/2026 11:04 pm, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    I'm guessing from your name that you may not be a native speaker and
    thus not familiar with the expression: it means something you are so
    familiar with that you repeat the actions without thinking about them.


    Then it's just memory! There is no need to attach the word "muscle"!

    Why didn't you call it "action memory" or "finger memory"? Why the word "muscle"??? :)


    Because it can be done without conscious thought.

    The term is meant to imply a shortened path through
    the brain, *as if* the response was produced directly
    by the muscle itself. Maybe the response only takes
    half the time of a more "thought-provoking" kind
    of response.

    There is an article in English Wikipedia for "muscle memory",
    which names the various brain centers.

    Paul
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From =?UTF-8?B?Li4ud8Khw7HCp8KxwqTDsSA=?=@winstonmvp@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sun Jan 11 01:38:42 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    VanguardLH wrote on 1/10/2026 2:04 PM:
    "...w-i|#-o-#-n|# " <winstonmvp@gmail.com> wrote:

    Jim the Geordie wrote on 1/9/2026 12:06 PM:
    In article <10jrbtl$2h7ue$1@dont-email.me>, nospam@needed.invalid
    says...

    On Fri, 1/9/2026 9:30 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    On 2026/1/9 11:23:55, Jim the Geordie wrote:
    In article <6znfywltn2sm$.dlg@v.nguard.lh>, V@nguard.LH says...

    Jim the Geordie <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

    I have used Microsoft Publisher 'for ever' to produce items like posters
    with images.
    M$ tell me that Publisher will no longer work after sometime later this
    year (2026).

    []

    In fact, when I opened Publisher, for the first time in months a red >>>>>> box, with white text, appeared at the top right of the screen. The gist >>>>>> was that I *would not be able to use* Publisher (no version mentioned) >>>>>> after October 2026. There was no reason given and the message
    disappeared and did not appear again, either during that use of
    Publisher or when opened later. I am pretty sure that it said 'Will be >>>>>
    That sounds very odd! Particularly it not appearing again.


    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7

    "Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher"

    It's possible other perpetual (bought) versions would still work,
    as that article looks like it is about the [modern] version.

    Paul

    Thanks for clarifying that. Obviously I was not aware of the difference
    and glad now that paid for my versions when I did, although the only
    difference I have noticed is the saving to OneDrive that occurs in
    v2021. As a consequence I find I prefer v2010 so I can find my files
    easier (and open and save files while offline)
    FWIW I had a brief look at Affinity and Scribus. Scribus seems to be
    much nearer to Publisher. Since I am very familiar with Publisher, I
    shall stick with it; until I can't.


    As Paul noted, it's possible perpetual versions(unlike subscription e.g.
    M365 versions) would still work...it's already known that perpetual
    versions will continue to function/work after Oct. 2026 per Microsoft
    documentation.

    cf. Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026
    <https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7>
    Scroll down, click on FAQ.
    - you'll find MSFT's official notice regarding perpetual version
    continued functionality [copied and quoted below, I've added asterisks
    for emphasis in the quoted content]

    <qp>
    Can I still install Publisher after October 2026? If you have a Microsoft
    365 subscription, Microsoft Publisher will no longer be available for
    installation or download after October 2026.
    ****However, if you have the Perpetual version of Publisher, although
    support will end, you will still be able to install and use the app
    beyond this date.****

    What happens to my existing Publisher files after the end of support? If
    you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you will no longer be able to open
    or edit your Publisher files using Microsoft Publisher. It is recommended
    to convert your existing files to PDF or Word format before this date.
    ****If you have the Perpetual version of Publisher, you will still be
    able to access and edit your files.****

    Rental software that self-destructs to cripple to worse than the
    perpetual versions. Just wonderful. Of course, Microsoft doesn't have
    to support the expired perpetual versions, either.

    The subscription software removal was previously covered earlier in this thread.
    Support(updates program/security to the perpetual version follow EOL
    support life-cycle guidelines - 2016/2019 ended Oct 2025, 2021 ends Oct
    2026 - 5 yrs support for perpetual versions).

    The only significance with respect to the Op's query is that Publisher
    won't be removed from perpetual versions and remains functional when the perpetual version is licensed/activated(requires MSFT account) and installed. --
    ...w-i|#-o-#-n|#
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Sun Jan 11 17:26:00 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 11/1/2026 2:42 pm, Paul wrote:

    Because it can be done without conscious thought.
    ....
    There is an article in English Wikipedia for "muscle memory",
    which names the various brain centers.


    I knew the origin of the phrase. But... one should be more specific.
    There are many sets of muscles according to human anatomy. ;)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From J. P. Gilliver@G6JPG@255soft.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Sun Jan 11 11:48:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026/1/11 9:26:0, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    On 11/1/2026 2:42 pm, Paul wrote:

    Because it can be done without conscious thought.
    ....
    There is an article in English Wikipedia for "muscle memory",
    which names the various brain centers.

    (Thanks Paul!)

    I knew the origin of the phrase. But... one should be more specific.
    There are many sets of muscles according to human anatomy. ;)

    (Including one which, despite much popular literature, doesn't actually
    contain any!) One can be _too_ specific. I used the phrase "muscle
    memory" as it's widely understood - particularly in the context of using
    old software; had I just said "memory", it would not have conveyed what
    I meant.
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From J. P. Gilliver@G6JPG@255soft.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sun Jan 11 11:54:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026/1/11 8:38:42, ...w-i|#-o-#-n|# wrote:
    VanguardLH wrote on 1/10/2026 2:04 PM:

    []

    Rental software that self-destructs to cripple to worse than the

    (VLH shares my aversion to rental software, though more forcefully!)

    perpetual versions. Just wonderful. Of course, Microsoft doesn't have
    to support the expired perpetual versions, either.

    The subscription software removal was previously covered earlier in this thread.
    Support(updates program/security to the perpetual version follow EOL
    support life-cycle guidelines - 2016/2019 ended Oct 2025, 2021 ends Oct
    2026 - 5 yrs support for perpetual versions).

    The only significance with respect to the Op's query is that Publisher
    won't be removed from perpetual versions and remains functional when the perpetual version is licensed/activated(requires MSFT account) and installed.


    For older versions, don't even require such an account. (I think, for
    Office, 2003 or 2007 was the last one that didn't require online
    activation; not sure when the need for an actual account came in.)
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    If it were not for France, the Americans would be speaking English
    right now. - @mrbrown9z on YouTube, about June 2025
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Maria Sophia@mariasophia@comprehension.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Sun Jan 11 06:57:20 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    If you took typing those days like I did, then you learned on those heavy
    green IBM Selectrics with the rotating ball and your fingers know where all >> the keys are, but if you asked me where any one key is, I wouldn't be able >> to tell you.

    That's muscle memory!


    Then it's just memory! There is no need to attach the word "muscle"!

    Why didn't you call it "action memory" or "finger memory"? Why the word "muscle"??? :)

    Well, think about it this way.

    I can easily type 80 words per minute with my "finger memory" right?
    So can others on this newsgroup most likely, and probably much faster.

    But if you asked me where every key is, I'd never be able to tell you.

    What kind of "memory" would you call it then where the fingers always know EXACTLY where to find every single letter, but not the full thinking brain?
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Sun Jan 11 22:58:03 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 11/1/2026 7:57 pm, Maria Sophia wrote:

    I can easily type 80 words per minute with my "finger memory" right?
    So can others on this newsgroup most likely, and probably much faster.

    But if you asked me where every key is, I'd never be able to tell you.

    What kind of "memory" would you call it then where the fingers always know EXACTLY where to find every single letter, but not the full thinking brain?


    Just good memory. Plain and simple! :)

    The muscles are just responding to good memory!
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Sun Jan 11 22:59:29 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 11/1/2026 7:48 pm, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    (Including one which, despite much popular literature, doesn't actually contain any!) One can be _too_ specific. I used the phrase "muscle
    memory" as it's widely understood - particularly in the context of using
    old software; had I just said "memory", it would not have conveyed what
    I meant.

    I think I heard this term in Hollywood movies. Well... is "muscle" so important in United States of America?

    Anyway, good memory is just good memory! :)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sun Jan 11 23:39:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 10/1/2026 5:31 am, sticks wrote:

    2021 default save location is C:\Users\JimTheGeordie\OneDrive\Documents
    but you can change that and save it anywhere you wish. I don't save
    most things to OneDrive.


    I don't save anything in recommended folders of Windows (e.g. C:\users). :)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Frank Slootweg@this@ddress.is.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sun Jan 11 16:32:01 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Mr. Man-wai Chang <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 10/1/2026 5:31 am, sticks wrote:

    2021 default save location is C:\Users\JimTheGeordie\OneDrive\Documents but you can change that and save it anywhere you wish. I don't save
    most things to OneDrive.

    I don't save anything in recommended folders of Windows (e.g. C:\users). :)

    Doesn't matter. Everything can always find anything! :-)

    BTW, my main folder######directory is \home\franks. Guess why *that*
    is!?
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From J. P. Gilliver@G6JPG@255soft.uk to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sun Jan 11 16:59:17 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 2026/1/11 16:32:1, Frank Slootweg wrote:
    Mr. Man-wai Chang <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 10/1/2026 5:31 am, sticks wrote:

    2021 default save location is C:\Users\JimTheGeordie\OneDrive\Documents >>> but you can change that and save it anywhere you wish. I don't save
    most things to OneDrive.
    Oh, they've started _defaulting_ to there, have they? I'm not surprised
    - they want your data (files).

    I don't save anything in recommended folders of Windows (e.g. C:\users). :) Nor do I - partly because of the above, and partly because I don't like
    to have such things preset for me (and it's where black hats will look
    for things first, also). And, I _really_ didn't like the "My" they put
    on such places initially - made me think they were thinking of me as a
    little child, as in "my little pony" or "my first Sony". I think this
    finally got through to someone at M$, as they seemed to drop the "My"s,
    but by then the damage had been done.

    Doesn't matter. Everything can always find anything! :-)
    Agreed - one of the most useful utilities ever released! (And free!) I
    have slightly tended to start including things in filenames (especially downloaded audio and video), so I can find them again with Everything.
    (Oh, and it tends to use the real names of directories, not the fake
    ones Windows uses.)

    BTW, my main folder######directory is \home\franks. Guess why *that*
    is!?
    Well, you've always been very Frank with us ... :-)
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From sticks@wolverine01@charter.net to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sun Jan 11 11:21:01 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 1/11/2026 9:39 AM, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    On 10/1/2026 5:31 am, sticks wrote:

    2021 default save location is-a C:\Users\JimTheGeordie\OneDrive\Documents
    but you can change that and save it anywhere you wish.-a I don't save
    most things to OneDrive.


    I don't save anything in recommended folders of Windows (e.g. C:\users). :)

    The point I was trying to make was that Jim was using an older version
    because the default was to a onedrive folder. Every program has to have
    an initial save to location, and Word 2021 does so too. But, like most programs that save to location is easily adjusted to the user preference.
    --
    Science Doesn't Support Darwin. Scientists Do.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Frank Slootweg@this@ddress.is.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sun Jan 11 18:25:01 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
    On 2026/1/11 16:32:1, Frank Slootweg wrote:
    [...]
    BTW, my main folder######directory is \home\franks. Guess why *that*
    is!?

    Well, you've always been very Frank with us ... :-)

    Yes, I try to be!

    Continuing to be [f|F]rank: My main directory's name stems from my
    Unix/UNIX background. Over time, the slashes got tired and fell over
    backwards.
    --
    ...!hplabs!mcvax!hpuamsa![frank|franks|root|news]
    and later, just because I could, frank@hp.com, in a company of 150K people!
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From =?UTF-8?B?Li4ud8Khw7HCp8KxwqTDsSA=?=@winstonmvp@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Sun Jan 11 11:35:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    J. P. Gilliver wrote on 1/11/2026 4:54 AM:
    On 2026/1/11 8:38:42, ...w-i|#-o-#-n|# wrote:


    The only significance with respect to the Op's query is that Publisher
    won't be removed from perpetual versions and remains functional when the
    perpetual version is licensed/activated(requires MSFT account) and installed.


    For older versions, don't even require such an account. (I think, for
    Office, 2003 or 2007 was the last one that didn't require online
    activation; not sure when the need for an actual account came in.)


    Office 2010 => last version without a MSFT account. Online activation
    applies for 2010 and earlier versions.
    => product key entry required for begin activation
    Two methods to activate 2010 and earlier (internet, telephone)

    1.Internet
    - activation like Windows is through the Microsoft server
    > Product key entry
    >Product ID derived from product key sent to Microsoft activation server
    >Confirmation id sent back to the device
    > Activation enabled

    2. Telephone
    > Choose telephone option when first used to obtain the product
    installation ID and phone number
    > call number provided
    > Enter ID
    > Confirmation id provided
    > Enter confirmation id to activate
    Optionally, the same/similar route for telephone can be accomplished
    with an activation agent.


    The first(for 2010 and earlier) - contacts the MSFT server; the second
    the agent(auto or person) has receives the confirmation id from the MSFT server.
    - both are **online** processes
    --
    ...w-i|#-o-#-n|#
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Maria Sophia@mariasophia@comprehension.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Sun Jan 11 15:58:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    Anyway, good memory is just good memory! :)

    I bought a computer from Costco for Christmas for a kid and it had 32GB
    DDR5 MB memory & 16GB DDR7 GPU memory, so good memory is not only just good memory, but it seems to be getting better, faster & cheaper over time!

    :)
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul@nospam@needed.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Mon Jan 12 03:29:01 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On Sun, 1/11/2026 3:58 PM, Maria Sophia wrote:
    Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    Anyway, good memory is just good memory! :)

    I bought a computer from Costco for Christmas for a kid and it had 32GB
    DDR5 MB memory & 16GB DDR7 GPU memory, so good memory is not only just good memory, but it seems to be getting better, faster & cheaper over time!

    :)


    Surely you jest.

    We're in shortage now, for RAM and NAND flash, as far
    as consumer purchasing goes. By August this year, you should
    see a pretty significant price increase, plus the computers
    will have "weird configurations" inside them (older processors).

    Paul
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Mon Jan 12 21:46:24 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 12/1/2026 4:58 am, Maria Sophia wrote:
    Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    Anyway, good memory is just good memory! :)

    I bought a computer from Costco for Christmas for a kid and it had 32GB
    DDR5 MB memory & 16GB DDR7 GPU memory, so good memory is not only just good memory, but it seems to be getting better, faster & cheaper over time!


    Per Paul said, everything is a bit expensive now.
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Mon Jan 12 21:47:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 12/1/2026 12:32 am, Frank Slootweg wrote:

    Doesn't matter. Everything can always find anything! :-)

    BTW, my main folder######directory is \home\franks. Guess why *that*
    is!?

    You should NOT have revealed the exact name of the folder, for the sake
    of security. :)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Mon Jan 12 21:48:29 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 12/1/2026 1:21 am, sticks wrote:

    The point I was trying to make was that Jim was using an older version because the default was to a onedrive folder. Every program has to have
    an initial save to location, and Word 2021 does so too. But, like most programs that save to location is easily adjusted to the user preference.

    I understand. So I moved them to somewhere else, to avoid any form of
    default and *automatic* folder sync. :)
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From VanguardLH@V@nguard.LH to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Mon Jan 12 09:48:21 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:

    The point I was trying to make was that Jim was using an older version because the default was to a onedrive folder. Every program has to
    have an initial save to location, and Word 2021 does so too. But,
    like most programs that save to location is easily adjusted to the
    user preference.

    I ran into programs that had a fixed save location, and no option to
    change. Sometimes their fixed path was in a config file, or in the
    registry, so you edited the config file or registry. Sometimes their
    code expected a fixed location (no config file or registry entry) for
    which the workaround was to use a junction.

    All those old "My Documents", "My Videos", "My Pictures", and so on
    still exist, but as junctions. Microsoft wanted to change the paths of
    many common folders (not sure it was just to eliminate spaces), but
    doing so would break many programs, so they used junctions. Windows is
    rife with junctions. Microsoft even defined junctions that point to
    folders that don't exist.

    Then came OneDrive that changed locations again. Instead of going to:

    c:\users\<acct>\[My ]Documents

    you now go to

    c:\users\<acct>\OneDrive\Documents

    OneDrive changed some common user paths, like Documents moved to %onedrive%\Documents. Same for the Pictures, but not for Videos.

    Programs really shouldn't be using fixed locations for default paths for
    common user folders, like Documents. They should get the paths defined
    in the registry under:

    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

    You'll see there how OneDrive putzed with paths. Instead of using:

    %userprofile%\Documents

    the path for "Personal" got changed to:

    c:\users\<acct>\OneDrive\Documents

    I never tried using junctions inside %userprofile%\OneDrive to fool
    programs into trying to go there, but get redirected elsewhere. Neither
    has Microsoft, so maybe there's a gotcha in having junctions inside the OneDrive folder pointing elsewhere.

    You could use an option inside a program to change save location, if it
    has the option. If not, edit a config file, edit the registry for the program's entries on save location, edit the user shell folders in the registry, or use junctions. All of which are beyond typical users.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From sticks@wolverine01@charter.net to alt.comp.os.windows-10 on Mon Jan 12 10:55:50 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10



    On 1/12/2026 9:48 AM, VanguardLH wrote:
    sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:

    The point I was trying to make was that Jim was using an older version
    because the default was to a onedrive folder. Every program has to
    have an initial save to location, and Word 2021 does so too. But,
    like most programs that save to location is easily adjusted to the
    user preference.

    I ran into programs that had a fixed save location, and no option to
    change. Sometimes their fixed path was in a config file, or in the
    registry, so you edited the config file or registry. Sometimes their
    code expected a fixed location (no config file or registry entry) for
    which the workaround was to use a junction.

    All those old "My Documents", "My Videos", "My Pictures", and so on
    still exist, but as junctions. Microsoft wanted to change the paths of
    many common folders (not sure it was just to eliminate spaces), but
    doing so would break many programs, so they used junctions. Windows is
    rife with junctions. Microsoft even defined junctions that point to
    folders that don't exist.

    Then came OneDrive that changed locations again. Instead of going to:

    c:\users\<acct>\[My ]Documents

    you now go to

    c:\users\<acct>\OneDrive\Documents

    OneDrive changed some common user paths, like Documents moved to %onedrive%\Documents. Same for the Pictures, but not for Videos.

    Programs really shouldn't be using fixed locations for default paths for common user folders, like Documents. They should get the paths defined
    in the registry under:

    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

    You'll see there how OneDrive putzed with paths. Instead of using:

    %userprofile%\Documents

    the path for "Personal" got changed to:

    c:\users\<acct>\OneDrive\Documents

    I never tried using junctions inside %userprofile%\OneDrive to fool
    programs into trying to go there, but get redirected elsewhere. Neither
    has Microsoft, so maybe there's a gotcha in having junctions inside the OneDrive folder pointing elsewhere.

    You could use an option inside a program to change save location, if it
    has the option. If not, edit a config file, edit the registry for the program's entries on save location, edit the user shell folders in the registry, or use junctions. All of which are beyond typical users.

    Agree completely, and your last sentence says it all. I consider myself
    to be just an "average" user in computer related things. The difference between myself and most of the people I know is that I attempt to find
    answers to things I don't understand, and even enjoy the process when
    most of it is over my pay grade. What people who come here often forget
    is that just by being here you have raised yourself above the "average"
    or typical user. Most of the people I know never try and understand how things work at all. They have no idea where their work is saved, and
    often how to even look for it.

    Thus we have the problem designers like the MS people have to deal with.
    Creating software the average person can jump in and use for some task
    they just want completed. They are totally uninterested in how all it
    works, they just want it to work. It is a nearly impossible job, yet
    here we are with most of the world oblivious to what it takes to give us
    these tools. Makes me glad to be an end user and not a designer.
    --
    Science Doesn't Support Darwin. Scientists Do.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Maria Sophia@mariasophia@comprehension.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Mon Jan 12 14:34:25 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Paul wrote:
    I bought a computer from Costco for Christmas for a kid and it had 32GB
    DDR5 MB memory & 16GB DDR7 GPU memory, so good memory is not only just good >> memory, but it seems to be getting better, faster & cheaper over time!

    :)


    Surely you jest.

    We're in shortage now, for RAM and NAND flash, as far
    as consumer purchasing goes. By August this year, you should
    see a pretty significant price increase, plus the computers
    will have "weird configurations" inside them (older processors).

    Well, I wasn't jesting, but I am aware there may be price upticks.

    This is what I bought for the kid for around $1500 (rebates vary).
    <https://www.costco.com/p/-/omen-16l-gaming-desktop-pc-intel-core-ultra-7-265f-nvidia-geforce-rtx-5060-ti-32gb-memory-1tb-ssd-windows-11-home/4000406617>
    OMEN 16L Gaming Desktop PC
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, 20 cores, up to 5.3 GHz boost,
    32GB DDR5 RAM (2x16GB)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti, 16GB GDDR7 dedicated memory
    32GB Memory (16GB GDDR7)
    1TB NVMe SSD
    Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4
    OMEN AI performance tuning, RGB control via OMEN Light Studio (WTF is
    this?)
    Compact 16-liter chassis, which is basically not expandable)
    Windows 11 Home
    Costco Item 1950087 $1,499.99

    Given you mentioned weird configs are in our near future, I checked and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F debuted in January 2025, and the NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti launched in April 2025. These are first-generation Arrow Lake (Intel) and Blackwell (NVIDIA) components, so they're pretty new as such things go.

    The kid runs msi afterburner and he says the CPU gets a bit hotter than the
    GPU does, which, I don't know gaming, may be how such things go 'cuz the
    CPU is smaller and probably has less heat sink, but I'm not opening the
    case as it's only the size of a boot box (it's only a 16 liter size).

    We can happily report that we definitely were able to NOT create an MSA for Windows 11 Home, but, we had to have the secret decoder ring in our hands.
    <https://www.howtogeek.com/836157/how-to-use-windows-11-with-a-local-account/>

    It's impossible to find the "skip" mechanism if you don't know that you
    must go to the command-line interface using <Shift+F10> and then enter
    OOBE\BYPASSNRO

    Only then do you get the option to set up only the local account.
    I have no idea what 'magic' that command does, but it worked.

    So at this point, only iOS requires the mothership tracking account in
    order to work (although Windows 10 extended support also requires it).
    --
    Just one person paying it forward by helping others who later help me.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Maria Sophia@mariasophia@comprehension.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Mon Jan 12 15:34:54 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    I bought a computer from Costco for Christmas for a kid and it had 32GB
    DDR5 MB memory & 16GB DDR7 GPU memory, so good memory is not only just good >> memory, but it seems to be getting better, faster & cheaper over time!


    Per Paul said, everything is a bit expensive now.

    Drat. I was planning on building a PC for a grandkid but Christmas came
    faster than I had expected it to, so I ended up with a Costco compromise.
    Newsgroups: alt.comp.os.windows-11,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.comp.microsoft.windows
    Subject: PSA: I can happily report that my first Win11 Home installed sans a MSA
    Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2026 15:24:16 -0500
    Message-ID: <10k3l9g$2ug$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com>

    I don't like that the motherboard and case and power supply are proprietary because that means the grandchild can't upgrade anything over the years.

    But luckily both the CPU and GPU are born in 2025 so they may last a bit.

    When it comes to RAM though, there are two slots available so RAM prices
    may be important, as I don't know if the kid needs more than 32GB RAM.

    <https://www.howtogeek.com/836157/how-to-use-windows-11-with-a-local-account/>
    OMEN 16L Gaming Desktop PC
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, 20 cores, up to 5.3 GHz boost,
    32GB DDR5 RAM (2x16GB, 2 more slots available)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti, 16GB GDDR7 dedicated memory
    32GB Memory (16GB GDDR7)
    1TB NVMe SSD
    Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4
    OMEN AI performance tuning, RGB control via OMEN Light Studio
    Compact 16-liter chassis, which is basically not expandable)
    Windows 11 Home
    Costco Item 1950087 $1,499.99

    For another grandkid's birthday coming up, I'm hoping to be able to build
    an equivalent homebuilt desktop which will use standard-size components.

    I haven't built a custom PC in decades, so I had to look up cases.
    Full Tower (50-80 liters)
    Fits E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
    Mid Tower (35-50 liters)
    Fits ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
    Micro Tower / Mini Tower (25-35 liters)
    Fits Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
    Small Form Factor (10-20 liters)
    Fits Mini-ITX & custom motherboards
    Ultra-Small / Mini-PC (1-10 liters)
    Intel NUCs, Mac Mini, tiny office PCs

    Not having touched a motherboard in decades, I wonder if the ATX size is
    still the one that is the most standard for now and for future upgrades?

    Looking up how to build an "equivalent" mid-level gamer PC, I found
    the PA Parts Picker web site, which seems to be an excellent resource.
    <https://pcpartpicker.com/>

    There are BILLIONS of choices, but I've narrowed it down for now to
    CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 265K (LGA1851 socket, fits Z890 motherboards)
    GPU: RTX 5070 (12GB GDDR7)
    RAM: 32GB DDR5-6400 (2+16GB) Supported by Z890 motherboards
    MB: ASUS Prime Z890-P WiFi (LGA1851,DDR5,PCIe 5.0x16,M.2 PCIe 4.0/5.0,ATX)
    SSD: 1TB NVMe SSD (PCIe 4.0, 7000 MB/s)
    Power supply: 750W 80+ Gold ATX PSU
    Case: Fractal Pop Air XL, NZXT H7 Flow, Lian Li Lancool 216,
    Phanteks P500A, or Corsair 4000D Airflow
    Cooler: DeepCool AK620 (air) or Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240 (AIO)
    OS: Windows 11 Home (license ~$100)

    Rough prices for those parts are
    CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, Estimated: $420-$500
    GPU: NVIDIA RTX 5070 (12GB GDDR7) Estimated: $550-$650
    RAM: 32GB DDR5-6400 (2+16GB) Estimated: $90-$130
    MB: ASUS Prime Z890-P WiFi Estimated: $230-$280
    SSD: 1TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 (7000 MB/s) Estimated: $60-$90
    PS: 750W 80+ Gold Estimated: $90-$130
    Case: Pop Air XL,H7 Flow,Lancool 216,P500A,4000D Estimated: $90-$150
    Cooler: DeepCool AK620 Estimated: $65-$75
    Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240 Estimated: $95-$110
    Windows 11 Home License Estimated: $100

    The total becomes about $1,695 to $2,140 so the RAM price is roughly about
    5% (give or take) of the total cost, so a price rise would be meaningful.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul@nospam@needed.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Mon Jan 12 19:54:31 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On Mon, 1/12/2026 2:34 PM, Maria Sophia wrote:
    Paul wrote:
    I bought a computer from Costco for Christmas for a kid and it had 32GB
    DDR5 MB memory & 16GB DDR7 GPU memory, so good memory is not only just good >>> memory, but it seems to be getting better, faster & cheaper over time!

    :)


    Surely you jest.

    We're in shortage now, for RAM and NAND flash, as far
    as consumer purchasing goes. By August this year, you should
    see a pretty significant price increase, plus the computers
    will have "weird configurations" inside them (older processors).

    Well, I wasn't jesting, but I am aware there may be price upticks.

    This is what I bought for the kid for around $1500 (rebates vary).
    <https://www.costco.com/p/-/omen-16l-gaming-desktop-pc-intel-core-ultra-7-265f-nvidia-geforce-rtx-5060-ti-32gb-memory-1tb-ssd-windows-11-home/4000406617>
    OMEN 16L Gaming Desktop PC
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, 20 cores, up to 5.3 GHz boost,
    32GB DDR5 RAM (2x16GB)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti, 16GB GDDR7 dedicated memory
    32GB Memory (16GB GDDR7)
    1TB NVMe SSD
    Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4
    OMEN AI performance tuning, RGB control via OMEN Light Studio (WTF is
    this?)
    Compact 16-liter chassis, which is basically not expandable)
    Windows 11 Home
    Costco Item 1950087 $1,499.99

    Given you mentioned weird configs are in our near future, I checked and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F debuted in January 2025, and the NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti launched in April 2025. These are first-generation Arrow Lake (Intel) and Blackwell (NVIDIA) components, so they're pretty new as such things go.

    The kid runs msi afterburner and he says the CPU gets a bit hotter than the GPU does, which, I don't know gaming, may be how such things go 'cuz the
    CPU is smaller and probably has less heat sink, but I'm not opening the
    case as it's only the size of a boot box (it's only a 16 liter size).

    We can happily report that we definitely were able to NOT create an MSA for Windows 11 Home, but, we had to have the secret decoder ring in our hands.
    <https://www.howtogeek.com/836157/how-to-use-windows-11-with-a-local-account/>

    It's impossible to find the "skip" mechanism if you don't know that you
    must go to the command-line interface using <Shift+F10> and then enter
    OOBE\BYPASSNRO

    Only then do you get the option to set up only the local account.
    I have no idea what 'magic' that command does, but it worked.

    So at this point, only iOS requires the mothership tracking account in
    order to work (although Windows 10 extended support also requires it).


    There is no DDR5 at my computer store at all. Or at least, as a scalper,
    you cannot identify a SKU with stock and clean it out for your scalper business.

    And the majority of monitors are "Special Order",
    there are no claims of stock. When I bought a monitor in the middle
    of last year, I found stock of one monitor in the aisle and that's
    what I took home. Most of the other monitors, you would buy the demo
    monitor and they'd put it in a box for you.

    I don't expect there are any 5 series video cards, as those
    are headed to shortage state as well.

    The industry as a whole, wasn't ready for this. Some of the
    companies have longer term contracts for materials, and they
    could continue to ship things. But even that has limits, and
    cannot provide oxygen for much longer. It's going to be interesting
    to see how this shakes out.

    And I don't blame the memory companies for not making their fabs
    bigger. They have been through a series of boom and bust events,
    that makes them wary of overextending themselves (they were previously
    bailed out by their own government giving them grants). Although Micron pretends to be spending $100 billion on a new fab site, it remains
    to be seen when they buy office chairs for the site. The building
    might finish, and some activities might stop at that point.

    We were building a lithium battery plant here, and it got about
    as far as the vertical girders... when it stopped.

    We have a number of skyscrapers here, where the building concrete
    was poured. The floors are all cured and ready for further steps.
    The wind can whistle through the building from one side to the other,
    as there are no walls on it. It stopped. There is nobody to pay for
    walls and internal fitment. The part I cannot figure out ? Why
    isn't their building permit canceled, the building blown to bits
    and converted back into rock :-) It just sits there. As an insult
    to the intelligence.

    Paul
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul@nospam@needed.invalid to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Mon Jan 12 20:22:12 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On Mon, 1/12/2026 3:34 PM, Maria Sophia wrote:
    Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
    I bought a computer from Costco for Christmas for a kid and it had 32GB
    DDR5 MB memory & 16GB DDR7 GPU memory, so good memory is not only just good >>> memory, but it seems to be getting better, faster & cheaper over time!


    Per Paul said, everything is a bit expensive now.

    Drat. I was planning on building a PC for a grandkid but Christmas came faster than I had expected it to, so I ended up with a Costco compromise.
    Newsgroups: alt.comp.os.windows-11,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.comp.microsoft.windows
    Subject: PSA: I can happily report that my first Win11 Home installed sans a MSA
    Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2026 15:24:16 -0500
    Message-ID: <10k3l9g$2ug$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com>

    I don't like that the motherboard and case and power supply are proprietary because that means the grandchild can't upgrade anything over the years.

    But luckily both the CPU and GPU are born in 2025 so they may last a bit.

    When it comes to RAM though, there are two slots available so RAM prices
    may be important, as I don't know if the kid needs more than 32GB RAM.

    <https://www.howtogeek.com/836157/how-to-use-windows-11-with-a-local-account/>
    OMEN 16L Gaming Desktop PC
    Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, 20 cores, up to 5.3 GHz boost,
    32GB DDR5 RAM (2x16GB, 2 more slots available)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti, 16GB GDDR7 dedicated memory
    32GB Memory (16GB GDDR7)
    1TB NVMe SSD
    Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4
    OMEN AI performance tuning, RGB control via OMEN Light Studio
    Compact 16-liter chassis, which is basically not expandable)
    Windows 11 Home
    Costco Item 1950087 $1,499.99

    For another grandkid's birthday coming up, I'm hoping to be able to build
    an equivalent homebuilt desktop which will use standard-size components.

    I haven't built a custom PC in decades, so I had to look up cases.
    Full Tower (50-80 liters)
    Fits E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
    Mid Tower (35-50 liters)
    Fits ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
    Micro Tower / Mini Tower (25-35 liters)
    Fits Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
    Small Form Factor (10-20 liters)
    Fits Mini-ITX & custom motherboards
    Ultra-Small / Mini-PC (1-10 liters)
    Intel NUCs, Mac Mini, tiny office PCs

    Not having touched a motherboard in decades, I wonder if the ATX size is still the one that is the most standard for now and for future upgrades?

    Looking up how to build an "equivalent" mid-level gamer PC, I found
    the PA Parts Picker web site, which seems to be an excellent resource.
    <https://pcpartpicker.com/>

    There are BILLIONS of choices, but I've narrowed it down for now to
    CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 265K (LGA1851 socket, fits Z890 motherboards)
    GPU: RTX 5070 (12GB GDDR7)
    RAM: 32GB DDR5-6400 (2|u16GB) Supported by Z890 motherboards
    MB: ASUS Prime Z890-P WiFi (LGA1851,DDR5,PCIe 5.0x16,M.2 PCIe 4.0/5.0,ATX)
    SSD: 1TB NVMe SSD (PCIe 4.0, 7000 MB/s)
    Power supply: 750W 80+ Gold ATX PSU
    Case: Fractal Pop Air XL, NZXT H7 Flow, Lian Li Lancool 216,
    Phanteks P500A, or Corsair 4000D Airflow
    Cooler: DeepCool AK620 (air) or Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240 (AIO)
    OS: Windows 11 Home (license ~$100)

    Rough prices for those parts are
    CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, Estimated: $420-$500
    GPU: NVIDIA RTX 5070 (12GB GDDR7) Estimated: $550-$650
    RAM: 32GB DDR5-6400 (2|u16GB) Estimated: $90-$130
    MB: ASUS Prime Z890-P WiFi Estimated: $230-$280
    SSD: 1TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 (7000 MB/s) Estimated: $60-$90
    PS: 750W 80+ Gold Estimated: $90-$130
    Case: Pop Air XL,H7 Flow,Lancool 216,P500A,4000D Estimated: $90-$150
    Cooler: DeepCool AK620 Estimated: $65-$75
    Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240 Estimated: $95-$110
    Windows 11 Home License Estimated: $100

    The total becomes about $1,695 to $2,140 so the RAM price is roughly about 5% (give or take) of the total cost, so a price rise would be meaningful.



    The best way to do that, is to place a single order for the key parts together. A retailer will "find" some DDR5, if it means selling a motherboard and
    CPU and so on, at the same time.

    But if you select a random store in the neighborhood and say "I'd like
    to buy two sticks of DDR5 please", they'll tell you they are "completely cleaned out", when in fact what they mean is "we don't want you scalping
    that RAM". My computer store claims to have no stock. At least, electronically, you cannot attempt to clean them out. But if you place a order for a CPU and mobo, then if asked nicely, I bet they can find "that one remaining DDR5
    in the back".

    There was only one brand of 5090 at my computer store, just Asus ones. Presumably Asus offered them some sort of price protection, so they
    would not have stranded inventory. The other companies which didn't make
    the cut, were likely expecting the store to underwrite the deal (take a loss
    on price fluctuation).

    I don't know if you've noticed (maybe you travel in different circles),
    but USB flash NAND sticks have been disappearing too. I don't think
    they are being scalped. I think it's a matter of material cost
    versus retail price, and it's not worth making them any more. Only
    the 1TB and 2TB USB sticks are still around.

    Paul
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mr. Man-wai Chang@toylet.toylet@gmail.com to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.conspiracy on Tue Jan 13 13:55:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-10

    On 13/1/2026 4:34 am, Maria Sophia wrote:

    The total becomes about $1,695 to $2,140 so the RAM price is roughly about
    5% (give or take) of the total cost, so a price rise would be meaningful.

    Things were definitely apar cheaper just a few months ago, at least in
    Hong Kong.
    --
    @~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
    / v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
    /( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
    ^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2