The Category5.TV Newsroom

Here are the stories we're following for the week of Wednesday October 31, 2018

The problems with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update just keep on rolling in as users are now complaining of faulty zip file extraction, broken fonts and iffy brightness controls.

The problems with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update just keep on rolling in as users are now complaining of faulty zip file extraction, broken fonts and iffy brightness controls.

The infamous file deletion bug and blue screen reports have drowned out other issues somewhat. So, allow us to present a round-up that could have been titled "Should have kept the testing team on, eh?"

The issue with zip file extraction first appeared in a Reddit thread, as users queried some odd behaviour when files were being copied out of an archive. Previous versions of Windows would show a warning if those files already existed in the destination. In Windows 10 1809? Nothing.

It's a pretty nasty issue – a user could copy a file out of an archive, assume the copy was successful and then delete the zip file. However, if a file with the same name already exists, Windows 10 would have silently done... nothing.

Less severe, but highly annoying for affected users, is a problem where some Unicode characters are failing to show up correctly. Software featuring certain characters will instead see plain rectangles.

It looks like there is a problem with font substitution, linking or fall-back in Windows 10, where the operating system replaces missing characters from one font with those from another. Except in version 1809 this does not seem to be happening reliably.

In a simple test in Notepad for example, it has been domonstrated that while 1803 is able to use a star character, 1809 shows a rectangle for the same font.

Some apps, such as Office, appear to be unaffected. But other Windows apps that depend on the OS to perform font substitution are struggling.

And finally, an issue in 1809 is causing the screen to fail to dim or brighten as the user presses the hardware keys on the Surface Go, and possibly others as the Dell XPS has also been shown to have the issue. A restart appears to fix the problem briefly, as does disabling and re-enabling the graphics driver. Some users have reported success in manually installing drivers from Intel.

Most are suggesting rolling back your OS to 1803, but if you're unable to do that, unfortunately you'll just have to wait until Microsoft fixes these new issues. And hopefully their "fix" won't cause your computer to blue screen.

Source: www.theregister.co.uk

Sent to us by: Roy W. Nash

Linux founder Linus Torvalds has returned from a month of "reflection" to his job as chief developer of the widely used operating system.

Linux founder Linus Torvalds has returned from a month of "reflection" to his job as chief developer of the widely used operating system.

Mr Torvalds stepped back from heading core development of Linux following accusations of bullying and rudeness.

He sought professional help to curb his abrasive side and to develop empathy with the Linux community.

His return comes as Linux coders adopt a code of conduct that seeks to make the community more welcoming.

Mr Torvalds had said he was not a "people person" but was taking time off to develop the interpersonal skills required by the role as the Linux figurehead.

Before taking the short sabbatical, Mr Torvalds was known for giving forthright feedback, often in the form of expletive-filled emails, to contributors.

Mr Torvalds said he doubted that he would ever be "cuddly" but could improve the way he handled people.

The code of conduct adopted by the larger Linux community asks developers to use welcoming and inclusive language, be respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences, gracefully accept constructive criticism, focus on what is best for the community and show empathy towards other community members.

It also lists unacceptable behaviour which includes sexualised imagery and language as well as trolling and personal attacks.

It calls on key developers, including Mr Torvalds, to police the code and live up to its standards.

Mr Torvalds developed the first version of the Linux operating system while studying at the University of Helsinki, Finland, in 1991. Since then, the free OS has become hugely popular across the web and in many industries.

Source: www.bbc.com

Sent to us by: Roy W. Nash

Dyson, the UK-based company best known for its vacuum cleaners, has chosen to build its new electric car in Singapore.

Dyson, the UK-based company best known for its vacuum cleaners, has chosen to build its new electric car in Singapore.

The company will break ground on its new factory in Singapore later this year with the first car scheduled to roll off the production line in 2021.

Dyson said the decision was based on the availability of engineering talent, regional supply chains and proximity to some key target markets.

Cost was not a consideration.

Singapore is one of the most expensive territories in the world to do business and space for manufacturing is at a premium in the city state.

Dyson has not yet revealed what kind of batteries its new cars will use, or where they will be made. Dyson continues to develop both solid state and traditional lithium ion batteries in parallel.

The company currently has 1,100 employees in Singapore, 1,300 in Malaysia, 1,000 in China and 800 in the Philippines.

Source: www.bbc.com

Sent to us by: Roy W. Nash

A 16-year-old boy from California was the surprise winner of the grand final of the Classic Tetris World Championship in Oregon.

A 16-year-old boy from California was the surprise winner of the grand final of the Classic Tetris World Championship in Oregon.

The iconic block stacking computer game is 13 years older than him.

Joseph Saelee dethroned seven-time tournament winner, Jonas Neubauer.

The young man had only started playing as a hobby after watching the championships in 2016.

He plays for a couple of hours each day on an original 1985 Nintendo Entertainment System console hooked up to an old CRT TV rather than a modern flat screen.

He said he prefers using the old-fashioned monitor because there is less latency - a tiny time difference between the controller and the visual.

He said, "My friends are like, 'what is this guy playing'," and like a retro-gaming evangelist, explains to them that "Tetris is easy to learn but it can take years to master."

Mr. Saelee intends to take part in the competition again next year.

Source: www.bbc.com

Sent to us by: Roy W. Nash