Newsletter Archives

• Microsoft To Do

  Posted on February 3, 2025 at 02:45 CST by Peter Deegan • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 22.05 • 2025-02-03

  MICROSOFT 365

  

  By Peter Deegan

  Microsoft To Do is a vast expansion of, and improvement on, the basic Tasks feature in Outlook apps.

  Instead of just simple text and due dates, To Do has more organization options, sharing of task lists, and steps within a task — plus dedicated Windows, Mac and mobile apps, as well as a Web-based app.

  It’s available to everyone but works best with a Microsoft-hosted mailbox such as Outlook.com or Microsoft 365. There’s also integration into Outlook for Windows (classic and new) and macOS: if you click on the Tasks icon in Outlook, you’ll get To Do.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.05.0, 2025-02-03).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Microsoft 365 Microsoft To Do, Newsletters, Outlook (classic), Outlook (new), Outlook Calendar, Outlook Tasks, To Do

• Understanding CVE

  Posted on January 27, 2025 at 02:21 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Vendors track issues using the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database.

  Maintenance of the database is handled by the MITRE Corporation under the sponsorship of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), part of the US Department of Homeland Security. It has been operating since 1999. In 2021, MITRE launched a new website with the domain cve.org and with new features and capabilities.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.04.0, 2025-01-27).

  Patch Watch CISA, CVE, CVE-2025-21309, Documentation, Newsletters, Outlook, Outlook (classic), Outlook (new), Patch Lady Posts, Windows Mail

• Stopping the migration to Outlook (new)

  Posted on December 16, 2024 at 02:45 CST by Peter Deegan • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.51 • 2024-12-16

  MICROSOFT 365

  

  By Peter Deegan

  And other annoyances.

  Microsoft is trying to get people to switch over to Outlook (new) sooner, but there’s no need to do as Redmond wants. Here’s how the move from Outlook (classic) really works, how to stop a forced migration to the new Outlook until you’re ready, and why the switchover isn’t the end of the older Outlook.

  The immediate issue is that the Windows Mail and Calendar apps are being discontinued on December 31. That should not affect many Microsoft 365 or Office users, who are presumably using Outlook (classic) or some other email software.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.51.0, 2024-12-16).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Microsoft 365 Microsoft Office, Newsletters, Outlook, Outlook (classic), Outlook (new)

• Outlook (new) for Windows

  Posted on December 2, 2024 at 02:43 CST by Peter Deegan • Comment in the Forums

  MICROSOFT 365

  

  By Peter Deegan

  It’s been a big year for the new Outlook for Windows. Microsoft has removed the “preview” tag and is pushing it hard. But is Outlook (new) really ready for the public?

  A lot has changed since I gave Five reasons not to use the new Outlook; alas, not enough has changed in those key areas.

  Two major Outlook for Windows versions are now available, but they are very different.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.49.0, 2024-12-02).

  Microsoft 365 Classic Outlook, Microsoft, Newsletters, Outlook, Outlook (classic), Outlook (new)

• MS-DEFCON 4: 24H2 is a work in progress

  Posted on October 22, 2024 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.43.1 • 2024-10-22

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Every month, I look back at the issues and oddities I’ve been tracking to see whether they are merely corner cases or something more widespread.

  One thing is certain: I am not recommending the installation of Windows 11 24H2 now, especially for consumers and small businesses. I am testing and evaluating the release, and I will continue to keep you informed about bugs and problems. For everything else, I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (21.43.1, 2024-10-22).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Always On VPN, KB5043950, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Outlook (classic), Outlook (new), Patch Lady Posts, SSDs, Windows 11 24H2

• Email authentication and older clients don’t mix

  Posted on August 5, 2024 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  ON SECURITY

  

  By Susan Bradley

  For many years, email was the standard way to communicate.

  I still remember a business study from long ago about how plain old email was used on a car manufacturer’s shop floor to keep track of the inventory. It was fast, it was immediate, and everyone used it.

  What happened to that “just works” platform?

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.32.0, 2024-08-05).

  On Security DKIM, DMARC, Email Clients, Modern Authentication, Newsletters, OAuth, Outlook, Outlook (classic), Outlook (new), Patch Lady Posts, PST files, smtp2go, SPF

• No break from vulnerabilities

  Posted on July 15, 2024 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Microsoft is releasing updates for a large number of vulnerabilities this month.

  Meanwhile, Apple is busy working on iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, tvOS 18, HomePod software 18, and watchOS 11. Currently, the updates are released for developers and will soon be coming to the public for beta testing. The Mac OS preview for Sequoia will bring artificial intelligence to Mac models with Apple silicon.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.29.0, 2024-07-15).

  Patch Watch BitLocker, CVE-2024-38072, CVE-2024-38073, CVE-2024-38078, CVE-2024-38080, CVE-2024-38099, CVE-2024-38112, KB5035434, KB5039302, KB5040427, KB5040936, KB5040939, KB5040940, KB5040942, KB5040944, KB5040946, KB5040986, Newsletters, Outlook, Outlook (classic), Outlook (new), Patch Lady Posts