Daily Tech News 6 January 2026

Top Story

AMD's Ryzen 9850X3D CPU is here, the new fastest gaming CPU. (Tom's Hardware)

It's identical the the previous fastest gaming CPU, the Ryzen 9800X3D, but bumps the clock speed up from 5.2GHz to 5.6GHz.

And that's the most exciting announcement today.
AMD also announced the Ryzen 400 laptop CPU series, which is 2% faster than the 300 series. (Tom's Hardware)

And in certain areas, slower than the equivalent 200 series.

Tech News

Intel announced its Panther Lake "Series 3" - or is that Series 3 "Panther Lake" - laptop CPUs. (Tom's Hardware)

The earlier leaks were correct in every detail.

Only four performance cores on even the fastest models, but up to eight efficiency cores and eight low power cores. Plus up to twelve graphics cores - but only if you sacrifice expandable memory.
OWC announced a Thunderbolt 5 desktop storage array that can hold 192TB of SSD and deliver data at 6.6GB per second. (Tom's Hardware)

Which is actually not that fast; a singe PCIe 5.0 SSD can do double that.

As for the 192TB model, keep dreaming: No price and the 96TB model is already $15,500.
Stack Overflow's demise in a single picture. (Stack Exchange)

The founders sold the company a few years ago for $1.9 billion. Now it is dead.
HP's Eliteboard G1a features an eight core Ryzen 350 CPU, up to 64GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD. (Hot Hardware)

There's just one strange thing: It's a keyboard.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: No need to do the dishes when you have a window.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at January 06, 2026 04:00 AM (Ia/+0)

2 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at January 06, 2026 04:00 AM (sAmhv)

3 woot

Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 04:01 AM (RuTUS)

4 Handle on my double door just broke, take it apart tonight to see what went on it

Posted by: Skip at January 06, 2026 04:01 AM (Ia/+0)

5 Top of the early morning Guvnor

Posted by: Pete Bog at January 06, 2026 04:02 AM (k9h1C)

6 Been up since 2am, going to be a long day

Posted by: Skip at January 06, 2026 04:08 AM (Ia/+0)

7 Morning all.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at January 06, 2026 04:08 AM (BLOW1)

8 There's just one strange thing: It's a keyboard.

Does that count as "retrocomputing?"

My old Apple ][+ had a built in keyboard.

The //c had a built in disk drive, too. And a handle to make it portable. Shame about the CRT monitor it needed.....

Posted by: mikeski at January 06, 2026 04:16 AM (nhCoE)

9 Thunderbolt 5 desktop storage array ....and the 96TB model is already $15,500.

yikes

Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 04:27 AM (RuTUS)

10 BOING!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 04:35 AM (KSR/Y)

11 G'morning, all!

Gotta take my MiL to the Amtrak station for shipment back to Baltimore this morning.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 06, 2026 04:43 AM (iMotb)

12 Coffee is gone

Posted by: Skip at January 06, 2026 04:43 AM (Ia/+0)

13 >>>There's just one strange thing: It's a keyboard.

Does it come in a C64 flavor?

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon, on a beach, earning 20% at January 06, 2026 04:45 AM (MGq0Q)

14 Coffee is gone

Posted by: Skip at January 06, 2026 04:43 AM (Ia/+0)
-

The Columbians are up to something.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 04:46 AM (w9A/e)

15 "The Columbians are up to something."

I'm not sharing my stash with any of you gringos.

Posted by: Juan Valdez at January 06, 2026 04:48 AM (G+z4C)

16 11 G'morning, all!

Gotta take my MiL to the Amtrak station for shipment back to Baltimore this morning.
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 06, 2026 04:43 AM (iMotb)

Shipping up to Bal'mer!

Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 04:49 AM (RuTUS)

17 To round out the AMD and Intel CES news, Qualcomm announced their X2 Plus CPUs. These will target mainstream computing needs and round out the series which also included the X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme.

A couple perspectives.

Tom's Hardware
https://is.gd/jkZjjJ

Windows Central
https://is.gd/gZh4oP

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at January 06, 2026 04:53 AM (HTCU3)

18 16 11 G'morning, all!

Gotta take my MiL to the Amtrak station for shipment back to Baltimore this morning.
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 06, 2026 04:43 AM (iMotb)

Shipping up to Bal'mer!
Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 04:49 AM (RuTUS)

Wait... she took the TRAIN?

Posted by: Yellowstone Ranch at January 06, 2026 04:55 AM (mP0Kj)

19 And..... it's gone!

https://tinyurl.com/zbdccuja

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 04:56 AM (w9A/e)

20 And..... it's back! But a different topic:

https://tinyurl.com/2pjksrmw

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 04:59 AM (w9A/e)

21 In the Pixy hemisphere:

USA!

USA!

OUCH!

https://tinyurl.com/3rct883v

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 05:05 AM (w9A/e)

22 And..... it's gone!

https://tinyurl.com/zbdccuja

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 04:56 AM (w9A/e)

It's another Trumpmas miracle!

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon, on a beach, earning 20% at January 06, 2026 05:07 AM (MGq0Q)

23 "Wait... she took the TRAIN?"

We sit right on the north south route from Florida to NY, so it's a straight shot for her.

She hates to fly, and it costs more to drive up and back to get her.

And......she enjoys the train.

So that's what we do.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 06, 2026 05:10 AM (iMotb)

24 Exodus 1:8-Don't limit your gratitude. Devotional From the International Fellowship of Christian's and Jews:

https://tinyurl.com/bdmhwcmv

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 06, 2026 05:11 AM (rZCVI)

25 "AMD's Ryzen 9850X3D CPU is here, the new fastest gaming CPU."

But you can't buy memory to pair with it.

"AMD also announced the Ryzen 400 laptop CPU series, which is 2% faster than the 300 series."

Can't buy memory to pair with it either.

"Intel announced its Panther Lake "Series 3" - or is that Series 3 "Panther Lake" - laptop CPUs."

The local computer store announced its new line of out-of-stock memory that it can't sell you, and you can't buy.

"OWC announced a Thunderbolt 5 desktop storage array that can hold 192TB of SSD and deliver data at 6.6GB per second."

On backorder until... No wait, don't look at that date. Hey, customer, where are you going?

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 06, 2026 05:11 AM (O7YUW)

26 Also, g'morning Horde.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 06, 2026 05:11 AM (O7YUW)

27 Now you, too, can be a multi-millionaire and make more money than Nancy Pelosi:

https://tinyurl.com/34v43pa3

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 05:11 AM (w9A/e)

28
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at January 06, 2026 05:12 AM (tljrc)

29 19 And..... it's gone!

https://tinyurl.com/zbdccuja
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 04:56 AM (w9A/e)

Good news! He's a treasure.

Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 05:13 AM (RuTUS)

30 Haven't been following the goings-on at stack overflow.
Did so-called "AI" drain it dry like a somali daycare, or did the new owners institute stupid greedy policies and drive away users? Or some combination thereof?

Posted by: Drink Like Vikings at January 06, 2026 05:13 AM (PMQ7P)

31 Coffee is gone

Posted by: Skip at January 06, 2026 04:43 AM (Ia/+0)

We've secretly replaced Skip's coffee with air that identifies as coffee. Let's see if anyone notices.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon, on a beach, earning 20% at January 06, 2026 05:15 AM (MGq0Q)

32 We've secretly replaced Skip's coffee with air that identifies as coffee.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon, on a beach, earning 20% at January 06, 2026 05:15 AM (MGq0Q)
-

I'm soaking in it!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 05:18 AM (w9A/e)

33 21 In the Pixy hemisphere:

USA!

USA!

OUCH!

https://tinyurl.com/3rct883v

The little paddywagon (I guess) that they put him in is so scary.

Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 05:19 AM (RuTUS)

34 James O'Keefe has a new plan for 2026:

https://tinyurl.com/ykmx4967

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 05:19 AM (w9A/e)

35 In in the files of "Show me something good today, Lord." it's just a little experience in the supermarket. I was getting a roll from the bakery and there was an older couple standing there and the lady said " smiling "Get a bagel. She just took them out of the oven. They are warm and look delicious and you can take it home and enjoy it." I wasn't intending to get a bagel-but I did, but what a nice thing to say. She must be a blessing in her family-to have such apostove attitude"

Little , kind words can mean a lot.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 06, 2026 05:19 AM (rZCVI)

36 Now you, too, can be a multi-millionaire and make more money than Nancy Pelosi:
https://tinyurl.com/34v43pa3
Posted by: Biden's Dog

It's hard enough running a publicly traded company. It's even harder if that boob notices...

Posted by: Drink Like Vikings at January 06, 2026 05:20 AM (PMQ7P)

37 Have a great day horde

Posted by: Skip at January 06, 2026 05:23 AM (Ia/+0)

38 23 "Wait... she took the TRAIN?"

We sit right on the north south route from Florida to NY, so it's a straight shot for her.

She hates to fly, and it costs more to drive up and back to get her.

And......she enjoys the train.

So that's what we do.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 06, 2026 05:10 AM (iMotb)

Nothing wrong there.

I enjoyed my one time riding Amtrak as a kid with my cousin and Grandma took it up to Florence to stay with her during the summer as my parents couldn't do it for whatever reason.

It was a fun time, took about three hours.
The only drawback was that the entire trip was at night so I couldn't see anything out of the window.

I'd go on a train in heartbeat if I needed to go across the country without driving. Seems a lot less stressful than flying.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at January 06, 2026 05:27 AM (6ydKt)

39
And..... it's gone

Wha...?

Our Sanctified Sanctuary of Sonorous Somnambulent Sonority 's No More?

Say it sin't so! Say it ain't so!
* sobs *

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM} at January 06, 2026 05:28 AM (xG4kz)

40 27 Now you, too, can be a multi-millionaire and make more money than Nancy Pelosi:

https://tinyurl.com/34v43pa3

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 05:11 AM (w9A/e)

How Cramer is considered a stock analyst at this point is beyond me. He's been a meme for over a decade now.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at January 06, 2026 05:30 AM (6ydKt)

41 "I'd go on a train in heartbeat if I needed to go across the country without driving. Seems a lot less stressful than flying."

I would love to do the east coast to west coast trip just for grins and giggles.

But as far as time vs cost, if one can fly, it's far cheaper, and obviously far quicker to go by air.

And the fabled dining car and good food seems to have pretty much gone by the wayside as well.

The actual getting you from point A to point B is still good. But the things that made train travel memorable are pretty much history. Like traveling with Spirit Airlines, without the great service and amenities that one expects from Spirit.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 06, 2026 05:33 AM (iMotb)

42 “ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.”

1 Peter 1:3-4

Posted by: Marcus T at January 06, 2026 05:34 AM (oAqqA)

43 Happy Epiphany to those that celebrate it!

Here is an Epiphany prayer from Alcuin of York who lived in 8th century

Eternal Light, shine into our hearts.
Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil.
Eternal Power, be our support.
Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance .
Eternal Pity, have mercy on us
That with all our heart and mind and soul and strength we may seek your face and be brought by your infinite mercy to your holy presence through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 06, 2026 05:34 AM (rZCVI)

44 How Cramer is considered a stock analyst at this point is beyond me. He's been a meme for over a decade now.
Posted by: SpeakingOf

He fills the roll of a Mexican weather girl. Personally I would have just gone with the Mexican weather girl.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at January 06, 2026 05:34 AM (HTCU3)

45
Well, I was drunk the day my mom got out of prison
and I went to pick her up in the rain
but before i could get to the station in my pickup truck
she got runned over by a damned old train

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM} at January 06, 2026 05:35 AM (xG4kz)

46 The last time I rode Amthrax was between Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. By car that is a 3 hours drive. The train took 8 hours. I was amused. My use of "amused" means words I can not use here.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at January 06, 2026 05:37 AM (HTCU3)

47 It is Tuesday. That means it is Trash Day Eve and Taco Day!

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at January 06, 2026 05:40 AM (HTCU3)

48 42 “ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.”

1 Peter 1:3-4
Posted by: Marcus T at January 06, 2026 05:34 AM (oAqqA)

Thank you, Marcus T! Blessings on you.

Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 05:40 AM (RuTUS)

49 "The last time I rode Amthrax was between Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. By car that is a 3 hours drive. The train took 8 hours."

Baltimore to Charleston by car is around 9.5-11 hours, depending on traffic between Richmond and Baltimore. One cannonball run style trip I did 7.5 hours, but it's been as high as 13 hours on a bad trip.

Train is 10.5-11.5 depending on day trip or night trip. And all I have to worry about once we get her on the train is the hourly texts asking if the train is still on schedule or not for her ride in B'More to pick her up at the station.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 06, 2026 05:42 AM (iMotb)

50 Morning, 'rons and 'ronettes. 21 degrees here at Stately Poppins Manor. There is supposed to be a warmup and rain coming within the next couple of days, but then back to cold and snow, so. . .

Somehow something (probably a squirrel) died in the walls and so the attic is infested with flies. I can't figure out how they are getting in and neither plug-in traps nor flypaper works. I'm at the verge of moving my workstation downstairs and shutting the attic off until the spring.

I'm also coming down with a cold, and am waiting for the Alka-Seltzer relief I've taken to do its job. My sinuses are killing me.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at January 06, 2026 05:43 AM (ufSfZ)

51 Blessing back to you, m and to all here in need.

Posted by: Marcus T at January 06, 2026 05:43 AM (oAqqA)

52 Evening and morning on this first Tiu's Day of 2026!

I hadn't planned to get up so early; didn't even set the alarm, and Stirling for once did not wake me up. But there I was at 4:30, wide-eyed as a marigold. And here I am sipping some coffee and thinking about breakfast. "That's the way it goes sometimes moving West," as my former second mother-in-law (the hot one) used to say.

Happy Epiphany to those who celebrate it, too!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 05:45 AM (wzUl9)

53 "I'm also coming down with a cold, and am waiting for the Alka-Seltzer relief I've taken to do its job. My sinuses are killing me."

In the last 48 hours, everyone we know is feeling like that at one part of the day or another.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 06, 2026 05:45 AM (iMotb)

54 Welp, time to get the shipping crate ready.

BBIAB.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 06, 2026 05:46 AM (iMotb)

55 Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 05:45 AM (wzUl9)

How did things go with your medical procedure?

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 06, 2026 05:46 AM (PFs9e)

56 I imagine a train ride from Seattle to Portland is slowed by the clearing of all the stoned vagrants off the tracks.

Posted by: Wally at January 06, 2026 05:47 AM (0e5Te)

57 I imagine a train ride from Seattle to Portland is slowed by the clearing of all the stoned vagrants off the tracks.
Posted by: Wally

So you have taken that train is seems.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at January 06, 2026 05:49 AM (HTCU3)

58 Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at January 06, 2026 05:43 AM (ufSfZ)

Sorry about your sinuses. We had some cold thing that lasted a week. We took Daquil and NyQuil and it helped.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 06, 2026 05:49 AM (PFs9e)

59 I'd love to take a train somewhere, like Albuquerque. But my cursory research some years ago indicated there is no near-direct route from NO to ABQ. You have to take a train to *Chicago*, then another down SW to ABQ. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what I remember.) And the price for a compartment was no cheaper than flying. If the dining car and other amenities have vanished, then it does not sound attractive at all. At least the horror of flying (generally) is over quickly.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 05:50 AM (wzUl9)

60 How did things go with your medical procedure?
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 06, 2026

***
Thanks for asking, Fen. I'm in a little bit of pain, like having a bruise on that cheek, but I slept all right. They told me I can take this bandage off after 24 hours, which will be around noon today, so I'll shower and remove it this pm. I've got stuff to take care of on the computer, and books to read and AoSHQ to post on, and stuff to eat; so I think I'll stagger through all right!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 05:55 AM (wzUl9)

61 Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at January 06, 2026 05:43 AM (ufSfZ)
-

Months ago a Horde member mentioned using a sinus rinse bottle. A few weeks later, I had very bad sinusitis. I decided to try one out. Did wonders:

There are electric ones and boring manual squeeze bottle kits.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 05:55 AM (w9A/e)

62 I'd love to take a train somewhere, like Albuquerque. But my cursory research some years ago indicated there is no near-direct route from NO to ABQ. You have to take a train to *Chicago*, then another down SW to ABQ. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what I remember.) And the price for a compartment was no cheaper than flying. If the dining car and other amenities have vanished, then it does not sound attractive at all. At least the horror of flying (generally) is over quickly. Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius

For your trip I recommend taking the Greyhound bus. Or if you are adventurous, put on some speedos, nothing else, and start hitchhiking.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at January 06, 2026 05:56 AM (HTCU3)

63 Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 05:55 AM (wzUl9)

Will continue to pray for you.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 06, 2026 05:57 AM (PFs9e)

64 G'mornin' everyone!

29 degrees, fog

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at January 06, 2026 05:59 AM (Cjt/F)

65 45
Well, I was drunk the day my mom got out of prison
and I went to pick her up in the rain
but before i could get to the station in my pickup truck
she got runned over by a damned old train
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM} at January 06, 2026 05:35 AM (xG4kz)

I was JUST NOW thinking of this song, in some vague relation to the ONT short story assignment. This is some awesome horde mind.

Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 05:59 AM (RuTUS)

66 Which reminds me, tech question. Miss Linda was using the 2020-era Windows 10 laptop yesterday, and was finding it slow to boot. I went in, disabled a few startup apps and uninstalled a couple of others. Then I downloaded the latest free version of CCleaner and ran scans with that. Finally I did a disk cleanup and defragmentation.

It does seem to restart, and boot up from shutoff, a bit faster. Is there anything else I can do (I know, I know: aside from Linux, or tossing the laptop in the trash)?

Is there a free virus scanning tool that I can download? I thought Bitdefender after my use of it on the Macs. But after I installed it, it insisted I create an account (!) before it would let me scan the first time.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 06:00 AM (wzUl9)

67 If any of you watched the FCS championship game, you know that it’s Taco Tuesday! MSU Bobcats pulled it off. Suck it, NDSU!

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at January 06, 2026 06:02 AM (0tXw/)

68 Nice little song to send me off downstairs to make coffee, and maybe do a few dishes ... thx Pixy!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at January 06, 2026 06:04 AM (Cjt/F)

69 Wolfus, get AVG free version

warning, read everything carefully and choose your button to click wisely, they will relentlessly try to trick and/or cajole you into "upgrading" to a paid subscription.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at January 06, 2026 06:06 AM (Cjt/F)

70 (I know, I know: aside from Linux, or tossing the laptop in the trash)? Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius

I am impressed by your pulling out the top 2 late night tech thread recommendations about how to deal with any Windows issue without hesitation.

Consistently, the tech support forums I have seen, after insulting your mother, always recommend reinstalling the OS and then your apps for every support problem. Or you could pay Geek Squad to do the same thing.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at January 06, 2026 06:09 AM (HTCU3)

71 Father saves 10 at the terrible night club fire in Switzerland:

https://tinyurl.com/mevuntfu

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 06, 2026 06:09 AM (PFs9e)

72 Wolfus, get AVG free version

warning, read everything carefully and choose your button to click wisely, they will relentlessly try to trick and/or cajole you into "upgrading" to a paid subscription.
Posted by: sock_rat_eez at January 06, 2026

***
AVG -- is that Avast?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 06:12 AM (wzUl9)

73 No, wait, I see it's *called* AVG. I'll give it a try.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 06:13 AM (wzUl9)

74
Wolfus, get AVG free version

warning, read everything carefully and choose your button to click wisely, they will relentlessly try to trick and/or cajole you into "upgrading" to a paid subscription.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at January 06, 2026 06:06 AM

endorsed

I've been using the free version of AVG for 15+ years on my Win7 box with no issues

other than AVG's nag-ware, it's been perfectly cromulent

Posted by: AltonJackson at January 06, 2026 06:13 AM (tljrc)

75 I've been using the free version of AVG for 15+ years on my Win7 box with no issues

other than AVG's nag-ware, it's been perfectly cromulent

Posted by: AltonJackson at January 06, 2026 06:13 AM (tljrc)
-

Same here, if not for more than 15 years. Same warning about nagware but it has kept all my PCs safe and clean over the years.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 06:15 AM (w9A/e)

76
Good morning, Hordians. Got a solid seven hours of sleep and woke up at 5:00 actually feeling refreshed. Busy day ahead. Appointment at the doggie chiropractor for The Big Dummy, giving him a bath and then getting the RV loaded so he and Her Majesty can drive down to Corpus Christi tomorrow.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 06, 2026 06:16 AM (tgvbd)

77 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Rejoinder: Bugrit!

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at January 06, 2026 06:16 AM (qbLEp)

78 Consistently, the tech support forums I have seen, after insulting your mother, always recommend reinstalling the OS and then your apps for every support problem. Or you could pay Geek Squad to do the same thing.
Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at January 06, 2026

***
Before I go to those lengths, I'll install Linux. Which I plan to do anyway. Linda asks, "Will that make it hard for me to use the laptop?" As far as I know, Mint has a Windows-like UI you can choose, doesn't it? You don't *have* to learn UNIX commands unless you want to?

I have a younger Win 10 laptop that she can use, and then this MacBook Air and my big Mac desktop, so we're well set.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 06:16 AM (wzUl9)

79 I see AVG also has a free version for Macs. Is it worth installing and using over the Bitdefender?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 06:18 AM (wzUl9)

80
Consistently, the tech support forums I have seen, after insulting your mother and telling you you should have bought a Mac.

More accurate

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 06, 2026 06:19 AM (tgvbd)

81 Amtrak still has food. It's just not as good as it was.

Posted by: No one at January 06, 2026 06:20 AM (qFwJc)

82 There's just one strange thing: It's a keyboard.
----

Not so strange. They made all-in-ones by moving the computer into the monitor with a keyboard to plug in. Now they have moved the computer into the keyboard with a monitor to plug in.

A small dock for peripherals would make it a bit more adaptable.

Posted by: clarence at January 06, 2026 06:20 AM (JhlRS)

83 (I know, I know: aside from Linux, or tossing the laptop in the trash)? Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius

Check memory usage and disk free space and fragmentation.

If you're running low on memory, Windows will use drive swap space, swapping unused programs from memory to disk and back, which is orders of magnitude slower. You'll have to kill more running programs to ensure Windows never needs to swap.l to disk.

If disk is fragmented, loading from disk will be slower. Run defrag.

Also, install Linux or throw it in the trash.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon, on a beach, earning 20% at January 06, 2026 06:23 AM (MGq0Q)

84 no it's AVG, at avg.com

and yes, Mint with Cinnamon window manager is very windows-like; Mrs Eez made the transition with minimal difficulty.
load the latest version on a thumb drive and try it out in "live" mode without installing it,.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at January 06, 2026 06:23 AM (Cjt/F)

85 Amtrak was losing money on the alcohol sales. WTF?

Yeah, the employees were stealing the supplies.

Posted by: No one at January 06, 2026 06:25 AM (qFwJc)

86 and yes, Mint with Cinnamon window manager is very windows-like; Mrs Eez made the transition with minimal difficulty.
load the latest version on a thumb drive and try it out in "live" mode without installing it,.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at January 06, 2026 06:23 AM (Cjt/F)

As is Mint with the XFCE desktop, but XFCE is typically very lightweight and runs well on older hardware.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon, on a beach, earning 20% at January 06, 2026 06:27 AM (MGq0Q)

87
I had a very old laptop that had slowed to molasses. Tried everything, including a clean re-install of Windows. Still slow. Installed Linux instead and it worked fine.

Serious question. What of importance do we get from Windows 11 that we don't get from Windows 7? Apart from MSFT hoovering up your personal information?

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 06, 2026 06:29 AM (tgvbd)

88 Morning, Tech Peeps

Posted by: fluffy at January 06, 2026 06:30 AM (AN2gy)

89 Bustelo I pronounce it with a little accent, cuz I’m cool like that.

Posted by: Common Tater at January 06, 2026 06:32 AM (TgO2L)

90
Amtrak was losing money on the alcohol sales. WTF?

Yeah, the employees were stealing the supplies.
Posted by: No one at January 06, 2026 06:25 AM (qFwJc)

I blush to admit that I had no idea until recently just how important having a liquor license was to a restaurant. Like, a disproportionate amount of revenue comes from selling booze.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 06, 2026 06:32 AM (tgvbd)

91 I will hang around as long as you let me
And I never minded standing in the rain

Posted by: fluffy at January 06, 2026 06:33 AM (AN2gy)

92 Windows Defender is all I use on my PCs.
It's probably just as good as any Anti-Virus program you can get.

Uninstalled McAfee immediately on the laptops.

If that Win10 version on the laptop has been there awhile, and I assume it has, it's going to eventually get clogged up with crap over time.

Also, full Hard Drives or SSDs will cause a slowdown on the system, especially when you get up above 90%+ full.

On a Mac, especially, the computer will slow to a crawl if the drive gets too full, because it needs some space just for the memory scratch file, but PCs will have the same problems.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at January 06, 2026 06:33 AM (6ydKt)

93
As far as I know, Mint has a Windows-like UI you can choose, doesn't it? You don't *have* to learn UNIX commands unless you want to?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 06:16 AM

Mint's UI is very windows-esque right out of the box

if you've ever made the transition from XP to Win7, or from 7 to 10 (basically any time MS "upgrades" to a new OS), going to Mint should not be a problem

it's got all the same stuff; things may be called something different or is in a different location but it's a short learning curve to get used to it

if you're straddling the PC / apple divide anyway, you get it...just subtle differences in how things are done between platforms

I've shown Mint to the Linux-phobic & told them it was Windows 9 and they were right at home in short order

Posted by: AltonJackson at January 06, 2026 06:34 AM (tljrc)

94
Bustelo I pronounce it with a little accent, cuz I’m cool like that.
Posted by: Common Tater at January 06, 2026 06:32 AM (TgO2L)

I notice that newscasters are now trying to sound more Hispanic than Hispanics.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 06, 2026 06:34 AM (tgvbd)

95 "Is there a free virus scanning tool that I can download?"

There's a malware detection tool that you can try called "Malwarebytes". It's been around for years and is usually one of the suggested utilities to figure out if your computer has be compromised in some way (y'know, other than by the software sludge oozing out of Microsoft itself.)

https://www.malwarebytes.com/

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 06, 2026 06:35 AM (O7YUW)

96 I blush to admit that I had no idea until recently just how important having a liquor license was to a restaurant. Like, a disproportionate amount of revenue comes from selling booze.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 06, 2026 06:32 AM (tgvbd)

100% to 300% markups will do that.
It's probably the highest margins restaurants get.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at January 06, 2026 06:35 AM (6ydKt)

97
Serious question. What of importance do we get from Windows 11 that we don't get from Windows 7? Apart from MSFT hoovering up your personal information?

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 06, 2026 06:29 AM

Nothing, that's what

Posted by: AltonJackson at January 06, 2026 06:35 AM (tljrc)

98 Serious question. What of importance do we get from Windows 11 that we don't get from Windows 7? Apart from MSFT hoovering up your personal information?

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 06, 2026 06:29 AM (tgvbd)

If there weren't exclusive added device and hardware support in later versions that are not enabled for earlier versions like Win 7 or Win 110that are withheld solely for the reason that such support would harm sales of later versions?

Absolutely nothing from my perspective. If it weren't for firm changes to VPN and remote desktop options that borked my Linux and Win10 VPN/RD access, I would still be on Win10 VM.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon, on a beach, earning 20% at January 06, 2026 06:36 AM (MGq0Q)

99 @78/Wolfus: "Before I go to those lengths, I'll install Linux. Which I plan to do anyway. Linda asks, "Will that make it hard for me to use the laptop?" As far as I know, Mint has a Windows-like UI you can choose, doesn't it? You don't *have* to learn UNIX commands unless you want to? "

Download Linux Mint Cinnamon and make a bootable USB. It's a live ISO, meaning you can both run it from the stick the first time and play around with it AND you can do an install from it.

So, boot from the USB and let Linda poke at it for a bit. (Just tell her not to activate the installation process.)

When you go to do the install, here's a video that will help:
https://youtu.be/L2JyQ1VJm84

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 06, 2026 06:40 AM (O7YUW)

100 The ONT has some really good horde discussion of dementia and similar conditions, from about comment 380 onward.

Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 06:41 AM (RuTUS)

101 @98/Hadrian the Seventh: "Serious question. What of importance do we get from Windows 11 that we don't get from Windows 7?"

The ability to install newer applications that refuse to install on older versions of the OS like Windows 7, because Windows 7 is beyond its end-of-life date. Since Microsoft won't support them if they have any questions, these application makers make it so their new installers won't run on unsupported versions of the OS.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 06, 2026 06:42 AM (O7YUW)

102 And m scores the hundred in the course of normal conversation.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 06, 2026 06:42 AM (O7YUW)

103 The ability to install newer applications that refuse to install on older versions of the OS like Windows 7, because Windows 7 is beyond its end-of-life date. Since Microsoft won't support them if they have any questions, these application makers make it so their new installers won't run on unsupported versions of the OS.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 06, 2026 06:42 AM (O7YUW)

Kind of cartel-like.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon, on a beach, earning 20% at January 06, 2026 06:43 AM (MGq0Q)

104 Serious question. What of importance do we get from Windows 11 that we don't get from Windows 7? Apart from MSFT hoovering up your personal information?

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 06, 2026 06:29 AM (tgvbd)

Improved security, etc.
I'm not sure if Windows Defender is on Win7.
Also Win7 gets no security/bug updates.

Other than that, you're probably not missing much as long as everything still works. The biggest problem is outdated hardware on a Win7 era system (for instance much better Wifi/Bluetooth along with SSDs and faster RAM).

Posted by: SpeakingOf at January 06, 2026 06:44 AM (6ydKt)

105 Greetings from the Carolinas. Enjoying the warm weather this week.

You can easily vote your way into socialism. But, you must always shoot your way out. Ayn Rand

Posted by: Going deep. Out. at January 06, 2026 06:45 AM (Qw3Dr)

106 Windows Defender is all I use on my PCs.
It's probably just as good as any Anti-Virus program you can get.

Uninstalled McAfee immediately on the laptops.

If that Win10 version on the laptop has been there awhile, and I assume it has, it's going to eventually get clogged up with crap over time.

Also, full Hard Drives or SSDs will cause a slowdown on the system, especially when you get up above 90%+ full.

On a Mac, especially, the computer will slow to a crawl if the drive gets too full, because it needs some space just for the memory scratch file, but PCs will have the same problems.
Posted by: SpeakingOf at January 06, 2026

***
I got rid of McAfee and Malwarebytes already. The laptop has 8 GB RAM, but the hard disk is barely 1/4 full, and just now defragged.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 06:47 AM (wzUl9)

107 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at January 06, 2026 06:47 AM (bQ4nt)

108 The reading of "knee-ha-RAA-hua" in the 80's was so rife that even SNL made fun of it, which just set NPR off on a new quest. I heard a radio-voice essay "Veiny-sue-AIL-ya" the other day.

MAY hee co
coe LOMM ya
CHEE lay
AY hwah dodr
PODDA hway
Padoo
badaa SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at January 06, 2026 06:48 AM (zdLoL)

109 102 And m scores the hundred in the course of normal conversation.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 06, 2026 06:42 AM (O7YUW)

= miffed it!

Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 06:49 AM (RuTUS)

110 MalwareBytes is great and I'm grandfathered in to a perpetual license, but sadly like so much software these days, it's subscription based now.

Posted by: Halfhand at January 06, 2026 06:50 AM (edbiH)

111 Good morning.

Posted by: Count de Monet at January 06, 2026 06:51 AM (wVcYX)

112 I got rid of McAfee and Malwarebytes already. The laptop has 8 GB RAM, but the hard disk is barely 1/4 full, and just now defragged.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 06, 2026 06:47 AM (wzUl9)

Does Win7 have the Reinstall Windows feature in Recovery in Settings?

I was all-in on Mac from WindowsMe to Win10, so I'm nowhere near familiar with those versions.

You could always backup everything and then try to reinstall Windows. If it's old hardware wearing out, that won't do much but if it's just clogged with old application and system files a reinstall might help.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at January 06, 2026 06:52 AM (6ydKt)

113 The ONT has some really good horde discussion of dementia and similar conditions, from about comment 380 onward.
——

I’d forgotten about that!

Posted by: Wait, what? at January 06, 2026 06:56 AM (TgO2L)

114 The ONT has some really good horde discussion of dementia and similar conditions, from about comment 380 onward.

Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 06:41 AM (RuTUS)
-

First time I'm hearing about this.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 06:57 AM (sdclT)

115 mornin yall. The thing I require most from an OS is the start button must move around with every iteration of the OS. That, and news blurbs popping up all over the place.

Posted by: fd at January 06, 2026 06:58 AM (vFG9F)

116 @106/Wolfus: "The laptop has 8 GB RAM"

There's your likely problem. Windows has become bloatware so large that it has trouble living inside the 8 gig memory space.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 06, 2026 06:59 AM (O7YUW)

117 114 The ONT has some really good horde discussion of dementia and similar conditions, from about comment 380 onward.

Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 06:41 AM (RuTUS)
-

First time I'm hearing about this.
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 06, 2026 06:57 AM (sdclT)

... not!

Posted by: m at January 06, 2026 07:00 AM (RuTUS)

118 67 If any of you watched the FCS championship game, you know that it’s Taco Tuesday! MSU Bobcats pulled it off. Suck it, NDSU!
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone

That was an entertaining game! I was happy to see the Bobkittuhs win! Still, felt bad for that ISU kicker. Kind of a bad run for kickers from Sunday night to Monday night.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at January 06, 2026 07:00 AM (sAmhv)

119 Reading too fast and getting Wolfus's Win10 confused with Hadrians's Win7.

Wolfus, you could always try Settings>System>Recovery and then "Reset This PC" which will reinstall Windows.

I think it's in the same place inWin10.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at January 06, 2026 07:01 AM (6ydKt)

120 Frustrating trying to find news of ongoing events... everything is either click baity or just obviously agenda driven.

The dinosaur media is obviously useless and the new media has no real sources.

A lot of news happening with no real way of finding out.

Meh.

Posted by: eleven at January 06, 2026 07:02 AM (aTgV0)

121 Happy Tuesday, everyone. Regarding the earlier remarks about trains, I did take the Auto Train to see my brother and his girlfriend. Wife and I got a room and it wasn't comfortable sleeping but definitely better than regular class. The food was good and the ride was nice.

Posted by: NR Pax at January 06, 2026 07:02 AM (NR6c1)

122 @112/SpeakingOf: "Does Win7 have the Reinstall Windows feature in Recovery in Settings? "

https://youtu.be/uqrtGTH_X7A

Please note that this is a destructive process, if you don't back your files up first to an external drive, they'd be gone forever.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 06, 2026 07:03 AM (O7YUW)

123 Kickers....can't live with em, can't live without em...amirite?

Posted by: eleven at January 06, 2026 07:03 AM (aTgV0)

124 91 I will hang around as long as you let me
And I never minded standing in the rain
Posted by: fluffy at January 06, 2026 06:33 AM (AN2gy)

If you're holding a cake, don't put it down and leave. Someone will write an insufferable song about it.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at January 06, 2026 07:04 AM (g8Ew8)

125 JJS is here

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 06, 2026 07:05 AM (NwnyJ)

126 Tim Walz's daughter says Tim is "everything Trump will never be."

You got that right, honey.

Posted by: fd at January 06, 2026 07:07 AM (vFG9F)

127 A hiker was killed on a trail by a pair of mountain lions in Colorado (thick heavy messycan accent) the other day.

The interviews are amazing, apparently they’ve had a slew of encountere for a while. One fellow, a trail runner, said he was stalked and nearly attacked the prior week.. In the same breath he said they are “peaceful animals” and, that he thought he was going to get killed and eaten.

“Mostly” peaceful, i guess. Except, you know, when they are not. I’ll never forget the “news” article about a California crunchy jogger lion fatality that allowed “Authorities are searching for a motive”; which may have been some website boilerplate that escaped editing. Maybe. Maybe not.

Another is “we’re in their territory” or the perennial favorite “they were here firet”. Well FU, I was here second. What does that have to do with anything?

The “wildlife authorities” suggest if attacked, to “fight back”. OK. With what? They have fangs, and claws. One lady in the interview had her dog snatched on the trail. She was unsuccessful getting the cat to release the dog. Horrible.

Posted by: Common Tater at January 06, 2026 07:07 AM (TgO2L)

128 https://youtu.be/uqrtGTH_X7A

Please note that this is a destructive process, if you don't back your files up first to an external drive, they'd be gone forever.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 06, 2026 07:03 AM (O7YUW)

Looks like the same process as Windows XP.
I had to that a few times in the 90s-early00s.

Pain in the butt.
Especially having to reinstall apps and restore files.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at January 06, 2026 07:10 AM (6ydKt)

129 The “wildlife authorities” suggest if attacked, to “fight back”. OK. With what? They have fangs, and claws. One lady in the interview had her dog snatched on the trail. She was unsuccessful getting the cat to release the dog. Horrible.

Posted by: Common Tater at January 06, 2026 07:07 AM (TgO2L)

There was a time, not too long ago, when the game wardens would've been sent out to take care of these problems.

Now all they do is stake-outs so they can catch poachers and anybody trying to take care of the problems they won't touch.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at January 06, 2026 07:12 AM (6ydKt)

130 I made the switch to Linux.

Never thought I'd be the guy booting a computer from a thumb drive in the BIOS screen but I did.

It works. Never will regret it.

But to be honest Linux is a pain in the ass. The Linux Bros will tell you it's intuitive. It isn't.

Posted by: eleven at January 06, 2026 07:15 AM (aTgV0)

131 I've shown Mint to the Linux-phobic & told them it was Windows 9 and they were right at home in short order

Posted by: AltonJackson at January 06, 2026 06:34 AM (tljrc)

LOL!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at January 06, 2026 07:20 AM (Cjt/F)

132 I guess that hp keyboard will work for an early Shadowrun Cyberdeck.

Posted by: banana Dream at January 06, 2026 07:52 AM (+gHpb)

133 sock off

Posted by: stu-mick-o-sucks at January 06, 2026 09:30 AM (w9Wax)

134 On Stack Overflow: everyone now asks those questions to an AI that has scraped and been trained on all the old answers on Stack Overflow.

Posted by: OnPoint at January 06, 2026 10:43 AM (RK/h9)

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