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Showing posts from July, 2026

Is the quality and quantity of games superior on Steam or on Windows?

To answer this accurately, it helps to clear up a common distinction first: Steam and Windows aren't direct competitors—they exist on different levels. Windows is an operating system (OS). Steam is a digital storefront, community platform, and game launcher that runs on Windows (as well as Linux and macOS). Because virtually every game on Steam is built to run on Windows, Windows as an overall platform naturally has every Steam game, plus thousands more available through other storefronts (like Epic Games Store, GOG, itch.io, or standalone launchers like Riot/Battle.net). However, if we compare the Steam Store directly against Microsoft’s built-in Windows gaming ecosystem (the Microsoft Store & PC Game Pass) , the dynamic becomes much more interesting. 1. Quantity: Steam is the Undisputed Heavyweight When comparing catalog sizes directly between stores, Steam overwhelmingly dominates Microsoft's native storefront. Steam Sto...

Microsoft begins a new era with Windows 11

Windows 11 marks a bold new era for Microsoft, defined by deep integration of artificial intelligence, a redesigned user experience, and a vision of the operating system as a true “AI canvas.” Key Highlights of Windows 11’s New Era AI at the Core Microsoft is embedding intelligence directly into the operating system, hardware, and silicon. This means features like Copilot integration , predictive security tools, and adaptive system behavior are now native to Windows 11. Reimagined Start Menu & AI Agent The Start menu has been redesigned to be more AI-driven , offering personalized recommendations and contextual shortcuts. A dedicated Windows AI agent acts as a companion across apps and workflows. Smart App Control Leveraging predictive AI, Windows 11 can determine which apps are safe to run, enhancing security without slowing down productivity. 40 Years of Windows, Future-Focused At Microsoft Ignite 2025, the company celebrate...

How does gaming performance and compatibility on the Steam Deck compare to native Windows?

Comparing gaming on the Steam Deck (SteamOS / Linux via Proton) against Native Windows comes down to a core trade-off: SteamOS provides a optimized, low-overhead console experience , whereas Windows delivers universal compatibility with non-Steam ecosystems and anti-cheat software. 1. Performance: Efficiency vs. Overhead Because the Steam Deck operates on a custom low-power AMD APU (typically 15W TDP), operating system efficiency drastically impacts frame rates and battery life. Lower System Overhead: SteamOS runs a lightweight Linux environment without the background telemetry, indexing, and bloatware inherent to Windows 11. At lower wattage thresholds (9–15W), games running on SteamOS often match or slightly exceed Windows performance per watt. Pre-Compiled Shader Caches: On Windows, games frequently stutter when compiling graphics shaders on the fly (especially Unreal Engine titles). On SteamOS, Valve automatically pre-compiles shader caches for the S...

Waterfox Essentials: Manage preferences and add-ons, display and appearence, Cannot remove an add-on (extension or theme) -

If you can’t access the Add-ons Manager or if the option to remove a certain add-on is disabled, you may need to uninstall it from Waterfox Troubleshoot Mode . Click the menu button , click Help, select Troubleshoot Mode… and click Restart in the Restart Waterfox in Troubleshoot Mode? dialog. Info You can also start Waterfox in Troubleshoot Mode by holding down the Shift key while starting Waterfox. 2. In the Waterfox Troubleshoot Mode dialog, click Open. Once Waterfox has started in Troubleshoot Mode, try removing the add-on again and then restarting Waterfox. Uninstalling add-ons from the Windows Control Panel Some add-ons are installed by other programs. You may be able to remove the add-on from the Windows Control Panel or Settings page. See Microsoft’s article, Windows 7 – How to properly uninstall programs . See this Microsoft Community post for more help. See Microsoft’s article, Repair or remove programs in Windows 10 . ...

Will many PCs with the new Windows 12 be eliminated for not meeting the minimum requirements?

Yes, many older PCs are likely to be excluded from upgrading to Windows 12, mainly because the expected minimum requirements are stricter than Windows 11, especially around RAM, CPU generation, and AI hardware support. What’s Changing with Windows 12 Requirements Higher RAM baseline: Windows 12 is expected to require at least 8GB of RAM , compared to Windows 11’s 4GB minimum. This alone will eliminate a large number of entry-level or older PCs. Newer CPUs only: Microsoft is expected to support newer processor generations than those required for Windows 11. Older Intel and AMD chips that barely qualified for Windows 11 may not make the cut. AI hardware tier: Windows 12 will likely introduce two requirement tiers : Basic tier for traditional use (similar to Windows 11). Advanced tier for AI features (Copilot+, local AI processing). This will require modern CPUs with NPUs (Neural Processing Units) ...