Microsoft

The Dutch government is building an alternative to Microsoft services based on NixOS, a Linux distribution known for reproducible configurations. The project is associated with the DAWO community initiative. The move fits into a broader push across Europe for digital sovereignty and reduced dependence on US software vendors, a topic that has gained urgency recently.

Microsoft is ending support for Internet Explorer mode in its Edge browser, the compatibility feature that let businesses run legacy web applications built for the retired Internet Explorer. The company retired Internet Explorer itself in 2022, and this move signals the final phase-out of its technology. IT departments that still rely on old intranet tools will need to find alternatives or migrate their applications.

A Hacker News post titled 'Microsoft killed FoxPro in 2007. Anyway, here's FoxPro revived' is drawing attention to foxscript.org, an apparent community effort to revive FoxPro, the database programming language and tool Microsoft discontinued. Commenters appear to be engaging with the nostalgia and technical merit of resurrecting a legacy development tool long after its official end of life. Details about who is behind the project and what exactly has been rebuilt are not clear from the post itself.

Visual Studio Code, Microsoft's free open-source code editor, is trending on GitHub today. The repository's posts offer little detail beyond the project itself, so it is not clear from the available evidence what specifically is driving the surge in attention. VS Code remains one of the most widely used development tools worldwide, so spikes in its repository activity often follow releases, notable updates, or renewed developer discussion, but the exact cause here cannot be confirmed from the posts.

Activision is taking control of the Halo franchise as part of a broader reorganization of Microsoft's Xbox business, according to a report by The Verge. The move shifts stewardship of one of Xbox's flagship series away from its traditional home, 343 Industries, and folds it into Activision, with the restructuring reportedly accompanied by layoffs.

Microsoft's Xbox division is developing a next-generation console in partnership with AMD, alongside plans for handheld gaming devices and a VR headset. The expansion signals Xbox's push beyond traditional home consoles into portable and virtual reality gaming, widening its hardware lineup in an increasingly competitive market dominated by Sony, Nintendo and handheld rivals like Steam.

Microsoft announced expanded Azure transparency reporting, new Surface devices and its own custom AI chips, strengthening its cloud and hardware lineup. The company is positioning the chips to reduce reliance on outside suppliers and to lower costs for AI workloads running across its data centres. Coverage focuses on how the moves fit Microsoft's broader push into artificial intelligence infrastructure alongside rivals such as Amazon, Google and Nvidia.

Bill Gates has said he avoids one particular use of artificial intelligence, according to NBC News. The billionaire Microsoft co-founder has been a prominent voice on AI's promise and risks, so his personal choices about how he does or does not use the technology attract attention. The report does not add further detail beyond his comment about steering clear of that specific application.

Bill Gates has set out his view of the main problems facing artificial intelligence, but an expert has pushed back on the remedies he proposes. The exchange highlights a growing debate over whether the Microsoft co-founder's approach to managing AI risks is the right one, with critics arguing his prescriptions may not match the scale of the challenges he identifies.