Story Ideas for Paul and Brad

I wanted to pitch a few story ideas to Paul and Brad with this tread:

1. I’m hearing from a number of people trying to pull Windows 7 PCs out of closets for use as VPN work stations. This is bad and they need to be told NO. However, is it possible for Microsoft to turn the free Windows 10 upgrade path back on to help? Announce it!

2. I’m currently imaging an old spare PC for use a a home VPN station for a  co-worker. It might be a good article for how to do this or at least encourage IT professionals to do this.

3. Microsoft and other vendors should stop pushing all feature updates during this period to reduce the risk of breaking things.

4. Cell phones are super critical communications devices right now. Apple should re-open their stores immediately for repair and replacement of broken devices only. Everyone in this country is just one phone drop away from an unfixable catastrophic problem. Limited hours would be appropriate as well. Another story angle would be to write a what to do if your phone breaks article.

5. Telecom companies should be encouraged to light up dark fiber.

6. I’m seeing tons of adds on the web from people “scalping” medical face masks. What will it take for someone at the FBI to click on these adds and investigate them. Why are the Internet add networks not shutting this down?

Conversation 12 comments

  • Tiny

    Premium Member
    20 March, 2020 - 9:20 pm

    <p>Ed Bott tells us that the upgrade was never turned off.</p><h1><a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-how-you-can-still-get-a-free-windows-10-upgrade/&quot; target="_blank">Here's how you can still get a free Windows 10 upgrade</a></h1><p><br></p>

    • sherlockholmes

      Premium Member
      20 March, 2020 - 11:00 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#532757">In reply to Tiny:</a></em></blockquote><p>Paul and Mary Jo discussed this many times on Windows Weekly. </p>

      • Paul Thurrott

        Premium Member
        21 March, 2020 - 9:34 am

        Yes. Pretty sure that’s where he got the idea.

        • lwetzel

          Premium Member
          21 March, 2020 - 9:59 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#532855">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>;)</p><p><br></p>

        • ngc224

          21 March, 2020 - 1:10 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#532855">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>Here’s a story idea: How about an article on how Big Tech and the sites that cover them work in collusion. Gaming the online comments with fake accounts is just one example.</p>

        • madthinus

          Premium Member
          02 June, 2020 - 9:22 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#532855">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>Still works with Windows 10 2004</p>

        • BruceR

          02 June, 2020 - 2:13 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#532855">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>More than three years ago?</p><p>(<strong style="color: rgb(8, 14, 20);"><em>Note:&nbsp;</em></strong><em style="color: rgb(8, 14, 20);">This article was originally published in January 2017.)</em></p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      23 March, 2020 - 8:10 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#532757">In reply to Tiny:</a></em></blockquote><p>The problem is, it still works, but there is no definite word from Microsoft if the upgrade is properly licensed – it upgrades, it works, but is it actually validly licensed? For most home users, this isn't much of a problem, but it could cause problems down the line.</p>

  • gvan

    21 March, 2020 - 11:55 pm

    <p>Another story idea,</p><p><br></p><p>1. Is Net Neutrality having unintended consequences in Europe? The EU recently had to beg Netflix and other streamng services to turn down their video quality because it was interfering with more important traffic. Is this a violation of Net Neutrality principals by the EU government?</p><p><br></p><p>2. Do you expect a surge in PC sales because of work from home requirements? My work was talking about buying a big order of Chrome Books for use as VPN terminals. I'm not sure the status, just over heard it near the water cooler.</p><p><br></p><p>Also, Microsoft Teams and VPN are the Big Tech story's right now. We are rolling Teams out as fast as possible at my work right now (County Government). I know you have been covering this already but it's a big deal.</p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      23 March, 2020 - 8:13 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#533011">In reply to gvan:</a></em></blockquote><ol><li>No, it isn't a breach of net neutrality, they decided to throttle it themselves, because the network was getting overloaded – people working from home and streaming at the same time.</li><li>Laptop sales have shot up. Our "normal" (Latitude/ThinkPad level) laptops are saying delivery in late May or June. We managed to get a few low-end Vostros with 3 week delivery last week.</li></ol>

  • gvan

    23 March, 2020 - 3:16 pm

    <p>Note, I'm trying to focus this thread on tech story ideas that are at least somewhat related to the Wuhan Flu shutdown. Obviously it's up to Paul and Brad to vet and research and write these ideas up. I just want throw some interesting and hopefully unique ideas out for them to pick through. Greg</p>

  • gvan

    23 March, 2020 - 10:34 pm

    <p>I just saw an add for Microsoft Teams on CNBC. I have never seen an add for Teams before. It looked like it was filmed a while ago because it showed people working at a coffee shop and other crowded places. I'm guessing they rushed out an add buy in response to the HUGE increase in Teams usage.</p>

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Thurrott © 2024 Thurrott LLC