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I never thought Id hear the phrase Windows 7" ever again, but a Lifehacker reader recently reminded me that, yes, some people are still using Microsofts end-of-life operating system. Its not that they wouldnt want to upgrade, I assume, but some people just cant; they probably tried, were met with an error message, and gave up.

Is clinging to Windows 7 going to be a security problem going forward, though? Lifehacker reader Suzann asks:

I have an old computer running windows 7 and cant be upgraded. I only it for a few things like printing my bank statements, emails, word documents, storing photos, stuff like that.

I was worried that I dont have the safest WPS3 and unable to get it. I currently have WPS2 psk or something like that. Am I at risk? Do I need to buy a new computer?

Heres the deal: regular people using Windows 7 arent getting any more updates for the operating system, save for incredibly critical and rare issues that Microsoft identifiesand I doubt those updates will land via Windows Update. Youd have to hear about them, visit some website Microsoft hosts, and download and install the update yourself. Most people wont do this, nor would I expect it to be something that happens with any regularity in the coming years.

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What does this mean? Your PC is a ticking time bomb, of sorts. Theres certainly a chance that some future vulnerability will be found and exploited by those looking to take advantage of an operating system that wont ever be able to stop them; theres also a chance that your system will completely fly under the radar and youll be fine to continue your basic activities.

Is it a risk you should take? I dont think so. But Im also not going to fault you for continuing on, because not everyone has the time, budget, or interest in buying a brand-new computer to keep doing basic tasks that worked just find on their older, paid-for machine.

Before I get to the real advice, though, heres one quick and easy answer: Dont worry about WPS3"really, WPA3, which is a security standard for wireless networking. The WPA2 youre using to encrypt your wireless network is more than sufficient, Id argue, as long as you have a reasonably strong password. I doubt anyone is sitting outside your house or with a laptop to your shared apartment wall, trying to brute-force their way into your wireless network. Just make sure youre using WPA2-AES, not WPA2-TKIP or WPA2-TKIP+AES, for the best possible wireless speeds.

But back to Windows 7. I have another hesitation with suggesting you should continue using the operating system, which is that, eventually, your browser will stop receiving security updates. That just adds one more unpleasant vector that attackers can use to mess up your digital life. You might have a year; you might have two yearsbut one day, your web browsers manufacturer will stop updating it for Windows 7 machines. That is definitely the time Id recommend upgrading to Windows 10or pulling out some other crafty trick.

Lets talk about those crafty tricks. Have you tried upgrading Windows 7 to Windows 10 recently? I would give that one last shot before you throw in the towel, using the simple use a USB key for the installation media technique Ive previously described. Its possible that youll have better luck now.

If not, I would go a second route: Back up all of the important stuff on your system, even if that means buying an external drive to do itsomething you should already have on-hand and be using to regularly back up your data. Dont create a full image of the drive, as thatll cause some havoc later, but copy all your important files somewhere else, either using good ol Windows Explorer or any number of free backup tools.

Once youve done that, use that very same installation media (your flash drive) to attempt a clean install of Windows 10. That means youll be wiping your drive of all its data during the installation process and installing Windows 10 on a fresh digital canvas.

If that works, great. You might be able to activate it for free if you use your old Windows 7 key, too. If it doesnt work, though, dont worry.

Since you dont do very much on your system, you could also explore installing Linuxyes, Linuxwhich would give you security updates and an experience thats pretty similar to your existing desktop. Its a different operating system entirely, which means some things will be a little weird (and some esoteric apps might not work). However, it would suit you for all the basic tasks you described.

I recommend using Linux Mint, which is both easy to install and easy on the eyes, or something like Ubuntu Mate. Youll need to use your laptop (or borrow a friends) to make the USB key for this if youve already wiped your Windows 7 system. Youd install Linux Mint basically the same way you attempted to install Windows 10, and once its up and running, you should be able to pull up your external drive (or favorite cloud service, or whatever) and restore your data.

Again, this would take a little getting used toits not Windows, after allbut it would be a much more secure prospect than sticking with Windows 7 for the next few years. If this all sounds like way too much work, you could always pick up a new budget Windows laptop or cheaper Windows desktop. Its not an approach I love, given that your old PC should be good enough to do what you do, but its an option.

No matter what, make sure youve backed up your dataideally in multiple placesbefore you start messing with your Windows 7 PC. I cant stress that enough. Dont lose the best parts of your existing setup because you were mucking around. In fact, you might want to have a Windows 7 installation disc (or flash drive) on standby in case you throw your hands up and want to go back to the way things used to be.

Do you have a tech question keeping you up at night? Tired of troubleshooting your Windows or Mac? Looking for advice on apps, browser extensions, or utilities to accomplish a particular task? Let us know! Tell us in the comments below or email david.murphy@lifehacker.com.

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Do I Need to Replace My Windows 7 Computer Yet? - Lifehacker

Over the past summer, Cloverdales Good Shepherd Episcopal Church began replacing all of the glass windows in the church with stained-glass ones each window a reflection of the beauty surrounding Cloverdale. One window, located in the front entrance of the church, has a slightly different story it was found in a Healdsburg antique shop and donated to the church by Gene and Carolyn Marcinkowski after they realized that it would be a perfect fit for the space.

The Marcinkowskis stumbled upon the window while they were perusing the antique shop, having stopped because Gene remembered the shop had a silver candy dish like the one they had at their wedding 65 years ago.

While the Marcinkowskis didnt leave with the candy dish, they eventually left with their other find. After seeing the old window, Gene measured it, came back to Good Shepherd and measured the window space and found that it would be a perfect fit.

I said God intended it to be here, Gene, senior warden of Good Shepherd said, walking through the church on a tour of the new additions.

Before the stained-glass installation, the space the antique window now fills had been occupied by a plain window. Now it matches its newly installed counterparts. The throng of new stained-glass windows in the main chamber of the church arent traditional ones. Gene said that Good Shepherd didnt want windows that depicted saints. Rather, it sought windows with some religious imagery that also depicted landscape scenes common in Sonoma County.

Though all the current stained glass windows are staying, the church, started in 1888, has had its fair share of upgrades and has seen its fair share of window-changes.

According to the Reveille archives, the church installed its Senior Warden window during a major renovation in the 1990s in it, California stained glass artist Bruce St. John Maher depicted Jesus wearing blue jeans and work boots, sitting on a log in front of rolling hills of vineyards. That iconic piece is now joined by new stained-glass counterparts.

Through the up and down years of the church, we finally this year were able to get enough money to put the windows in, Gene said.

So, when he and Carolyn stumbled upon a window that would fit the church, the Marcinkowskis couldnt pass up the change to welcome it into the congregation.

We both fell in love with it and I envisioned it in our narthex right above the old organ. After some measurements of the window and then at the church, it fit perfectly. It was meant to be, Gene wrote in an email to the Reveille, describing how the Marcinkowskis happened upon the window. By the look of the lead and glass this window must've come out of an old church built around the same time as ours. We are so pleased for it to now be a welcome part of our church.

In addition to this new round of colorful windows, the church has seen a lot. Gene recounted reading about how the church operated during the 1918 pandemic, holding little to no services. Now, over 100 years later, the church is going through the same thing its closed for services, with its priest and deacon instead uploading a full service to YouTube.

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Good Shepherd gets a window makeover | News | sonomawest.com - Sonoma West

The vast majority of consumers have a poor understanding of data privacy issues yet think they are proactive in protecting themselves, according to a survey of US and UK residents.

More than 83% of 1,000 people surveyed said they were proactive in maintaining their data privacy however, they did not take basic precautions to protect their data -- showing a lack of education without a corresponding drop in confidence.

The survey from Entrust, a US Identity management and data privacy company, also found that 64% are willing to share personal data if it makes it easier to access key services.

And a whopping 83% say they are comfortable storing their biometric data with apps or third-party identity verification systems such as those at airports.

Consumers exhibited a split personality in that they had high confidence in their abilities to protect their personal data but 79% also said they were somewhat or highly concerned about their data.

About one third (34%) of consumers were very pessimistic saying that they believed they had little control over their data and nearly one-quarter said the issues were too complex to understand and 30% did not know where to begin.

A key difference between countries: UK consumers had a significantly higher trust in their employers, banks and government agencies to hold their personal data secure.

Major Internet platforms have come under fire for their use and misuse of consumer personal data. In 2021 US and UK lawmakers are looking at potential regulations to control the use of personal data. This will have huge consequences on multi-billion dollar online advertising markets and data sellers.

The Entrust survey shows that voters will need to become better educated to be able to understand and support upcoming data privacy regulations.

More survey findings are here.

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Privacy survey: Consumers have poor understanding of data privacy yet think they are taking proactive steps - ZDNet

Windows 10 offers a Quick Access menu in File Explorer's sidebar. However, the folks using the File Explorer since Windows 7 prefer the Favorites menu in the sidebar. Thankfully, you can replace Quick Access menu with Favorites in Windows 10.

You will need to tweak a few files in the Registry Editor to bring back Favorites from the dead. We recommend taking a backup of Registry Files before moving on, as it could break how your system works. Another way is to make a restore point, which also works great.

Let's begin.

You will need to tweak a few files in the Registry Editor to bring back Favorites from the dead. We recommend taking a backup of Registry Files before moving on, as it could break how your system works. Another way is to make a restore point, which also works great.

Step 1: Search for the Registry Editor in the Start menu and launch it.

Step 2: Drill down to the below folder structure.

Step 3: Create a new key under the NameSpace folder and name it as:

It should look something like this.

Step 4: Now, navigate to the below folder structure.

In the right window-pane, right-click in an empty area to select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value (even if you are running 64-bit version) and name this file with the same key that you created above in Step 3 like this:

Step 5: Double-click on the newly created file and set the Value data to 1. Save changes.

Step 6: At this moment, you should view the familiar Favorites menu at the bottom of the File Explorer.

You need to move it to the top to access it easily. To do so, navigate to this folder structure in the Registry Editor.

And create a new sub-key by the same name again. Right-click on CLSID to do so just as before.

Step 7: Under the newly created key in step 6, you will create a DWORD (32-bit) Value file and name it:

Step 8: Double-click to open the newly created file and set the Value Data to 4.

The Favorites menu should be visibly higher in the sidebar inside File Explorer.

So, we shared how to hide the Quick Access menu and bring back Favorites in the File Explorer sidebar menu. But we are not done yet. The problem is that you can access everything that's inside the Favorites folder, but you still can't expand it in the sidebar. Clicking on the arrow (that expands a folder) yields nothing, and the arrow disappears when you try.

This is where we will switch to CMD or Command Prompt. We will then use a Windows tool called 'mklink,' which is a command-line tool. It allows users to create a symbolic link allowing us to link one folder to another's location. It can be useful in several conditions.

Step 1: Search for and open CMD from the Start menu and select Run as administrator.

Step 2: Give the below command to change the directory.

Step 3: I will be adding the Downloads folder and name it Downloads123. Here's the command syntax for that.

Replace SomeName with the name of the link that you want to be and SourceFolder with the location where the link should point to. So for linking to the Downloads folder, the command should look like this:

It created a new folder in Favorites named Downloads123 but more importantly, the dropdown menu works perfectly.

Can't find folder path? TreeSize (link below) is a cool little app that will help you find the correct path for any folder structure quickly and easily.

Download TreeSize

Quick Access is not so bad, but many users are used to the old ways, and we understand that. This is why we found a way to fix it for you. The steps can be a little complicated, and there are certainly quite a few. I suggest you go through the steps once before actually doing anything and then start afresh. That way, you will understand what we are doing and why. Take it one step at a time and check where your screen looks and functions like the one shown in the screenshots.

Let us know in the comments if you got the Favorites menu back. Found another or a better way to fix the issue? Again, do let us know in the comments section below.

Last updated on 1 Feb, 2021The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

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How to Replace Quick Access With Favorites in Windows 10 - Guiding Tech

When NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover went on a spacewalk on February 1st, they wrapped up a multi-year effort to replace the aging nickel hydrogen batteries on the ISS with new lithium-ion models. The International Space Station Program approved the development of lithium-ion batteries to replace the stations aging power storage system back in 2011. Battery production started in 2014, and the first lithiumion replacements flew to the station aboard JAXAs Kounotori 6 resupply flight in December 2016. Now, four years after that flight and 14 spacewalks with 13 different astronauts later, the upgrade is finally complete.

Ground controllers used the Canadarm2 robotic arm to position some of the batteries for installation. However, some required additional spacewalks for the locations the arm couldnt reach. The batteries arent quite like the lithium-ion were used to, with their space-grade lithium-ion cells and radiant barrier shield. Since lithium-ion technology has greater energy density than nickel-hydrogen, only 24 new batteries were needed to replace the 48 old ones.

The ISS uses batteries to store energy harnessed from the sun with its solar panels, and it taps into those reserves every time it doesnt have access to sunlight. And that happens often, since the station passes between sunlight and darkness every 45 minutes. That stored power is necessary to keep everything working on the ISS, including the stations life support systems. Aside from providing the station with muchneeded power, the batteries could also give us the insight needed to improve lithium-ion safety.

Now that this particular upgrade is complete, the ISS program will shift its focus to replacing the stations solar arrays. Six new arrays will be flying aboard SpaceX flights over the next few years to replace the current ones near the end of their 15-year lifespan.

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NASA astronauts complete multi-year project to upgrade batteries on the ISS - Engadget

Over its lifespan, Googles Android TV has seen two core designs that the company has built on top of. Google TV is set to replace what Android TV established over the next year, but now Google is bringing a lot of that experience over to current hardware. The Android TV homescreen is being updated with new personalized recommendations, a Discover tab, and more.

Starting today and rolling out over the next few weeks, Android TV devices will see an update to the homescreen, which delivers an experience thats a whole lot closer to whats seen on Google TV. Its not an exact copy, but the similarities are obvious.

The biggest change here is that, like Google TV, the Android TV homescreen is getting three tabs Home, Discover, and Apps. The main home tab (seen above) acts a lot like what Android TV already offers. It shows the sponsored row at the top with Favorite Apps and Play Next below. From there, youll have rows packed with content from apps installed on your Android TV.

Android TV also gets a new Discover tab, which is entirely new to the experience. This tab is whats most reminiscent of Google TV. Like the For You tab on those devices, whats found here includes movies and TV shows that are trending on Google Search as well as personalized recommendations. As far as we can tell, though, the Watchlist feature that makes Google TV so good is nowhere to be seen here. Finally, theres an apps tabs, which shows all installed apps as well as a link to the Google Play Store.

Google says that this redesigned homescreen will be rolling out in the United States as well as Australia, Canada, Germany, and France with more countries to follow.

This comes at an interesting time, as Google has previously said that the goal is to transition current Android TV hardware to the Google TV UI over time. Still, Google did previously tease that some features of the new UI would be ported back to Android TV, and it seems that this is the fulfillment of that promise. In a way, this also acts as a stopgap for the TVs and set-top boxes that wont be updated to the Google TV UI as a whole.

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Android TV homescreen gets another revamp, this time w/ some Google TV goodness - 9to5Google

WILLMAR A New London woman was transported to the hospital after she drove through several yards Wednesday morning in Willmar, according to a news release from the Willmar Police Department.

According to the news release, Kathy Peterson, 65, of New London, exited Walts Car Wash on the 1200 block of First Street South and proceeded to travel northbound across Roise Avenue, driving through several yards on the 1100 block of Third Street Southwest.

Peterson drove through two fences, hit a shed and eventually came to a stop after her vehicle struck an unoccupied garage.

Peterson was transported to the Carris Health Rice Memorial Hospital emergency room by ambulance as a precaution. No other injuries were reported.

CentraCare Emergency Medical Services, the Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad and the Willmar Fire Department responded to the incident reported at 8:24 a.m. Wednesday.

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New London woman drives through yards and fences, crashes into garage after leaving car wash in Willmar - West Central Tribune

"Good fences make good neighbors," says the neighbor in Robert Frost's famous poem "The Mending Wall."

Having heard Frost's words used to defend building fences and walls, I'm not sure that's what he writes in the poem, and it's certainly not what I believe makes good neighbors. I prefer bridges rather than walls. They connect rather than divide people.

In the poem, Frost questions his neighbor's adage that good fences make good neighbors.

Before I built a wall I'd ask to know

What I was walling in or walling out,

And to whom I was like to give offense,

Something there is that doesn't love a wall.

That wants it down.

Before a wall is built, I'd like to know who is walled out and also who is being walled in. After all, walls not only keep people out of somewhere but keep them in as well. And walls, of course, are not only physical structures but also mental. You can wall people in by promoting only one point of view and denying opposing points of view. Free, responsible speech is not only necessary for dialogue but democracies.

I think I prefer building bridges rather than walls between people. After all, you can't really keep ideas walled in. A great and good idea goes around, under, and through walls as President Ronald Reagan knew when he challenged then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down" the Berlin Wall, which separated a country.

Of course, nations need boundaries to describe their territories. So, too, do individuals need boundaries to tell others what they consider fair and just limits to relationships. Without boundaries, people can lose all sense of their limits and sometimes sacrifice their integrities.

I've often thought Frost was arguing that "good fences make good neighbors," but reading the poem again I think he felt the opposite: "Something there is that doesn't like a wall."

Most poems begin from some experience in a poet's life. I can imagine Frost talking with a neighbor about the wall between their homes. My column and a poem arose as I await a fence being constructed around a portion of my backyard. But it's not being built to keep my neighbor off my property but my new dog in my yard, Being a beagle who follows the scents of the wild to lure her anywhere, she needs the fence to be safe.

I'd still rather build bridges than walls, especially when it comes to new ideas and people. I'd rather take the time to learn something new than simply repeat the old, time-worn saying that "good fences make good neighbors." Good bridges make good neighbors, or as 17th century English poet John Donne wrote: "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main"

John C. Morgan is a writer and teacher. His columns appear here each Wednesday in this newspaper. A collection of his poetry, "Thin Places," is available on Amazon.

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Everyday Ethics: Fences and neighbors [Opinion] - Reading Eagle

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- The city has approved changes to its policies on fences, hedges and walls for both residents and businesses after a proposal from the building official.

The existing ordinance regarding fence type, fence height and placement of shrubbery had led to several questions and issues regarding property lines, neighbors and distances according to a letter from Building Official Michael Gero to Mayor Greg Kurtz.

The proposed changes were suggested to provide clarity and specification for residents and business owners.

The (modified) ordinance requires the property owner who is seeking a permit to verify property lines, notify adjacent property owners and resolve any potential conflicts before requesting the variance, Gero said.

The original ordinance -- Chapter 1363, according to codelibrary.amlegal.com -- outlined the rules for fence construction, gave height limitations for fences and said the Board of Zoning Appeals may permit exceptions to the restrictions on fences and walls when necessary.

The proposed changes add more information to the ordinance.

Gero outlined the additions: It specifies permit application requirements, eliminates the survey requirement specifies location requirements, (and) clarifies language which requires that any fence be installed in a location that allows the property owner, or their agent, to perform maintenance without entering any adjoining property.

These changes clarify that it is the property owners responsibility to identify property lines and communicate about their planned fence, wall or hedge construction with the owners of adjacent properties.

Gero said during the January City Council meeting, We are adding statements where the city is not approving, we are not responsible; but our goal now is if someone applies for a fence permit, my vision would be to have somebody from the city meet with the property owner and the neighbor to make sure that they both agree, or at least understand what the intent is.

He said that if a neighbor challenges the fence construction or location, it is the responsibility of the property owner who is requesting the variance to resolve the issue.

During the City Council meeting, Councilperson Tom Narduzzi said: Its a very uncomfortable situation for Mike, the Building Department, the person putting the fence up and the neighbor when things dont work out the way they are supposed to. It gets a lot of people involved that really shouldnt be involved. So, I think the mayor is doing the right thing by changing this legislation.

A resident must now provide a scale drawing with the location, height and type of fence, as well as the distance from structures, easements and swales. The city will inspect the property to ensure that the fence is constructed the way it is laid out in the plan submitted as part of the process for obtaining a permit.

Temporary fences that protect vegetation are exempt from needing a permit and must not be higher than 6 feet nor closer than 10 feet from a property line.

The changes to the ordinance also dictate the actual construction of a fence, including not being located within 3 feet of an adjoining propertys driveway or parallel structure, and having a gate to provide access for safety forces.

Gero said this is not a retroactive ordinance, meaning that any existing fencing can remain installed as it is.

Kurtz signed the legislation for these changes to take effect on Jan. 12, following the City Council meeting.

Read more from the Parma Sun Post.

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Independence amends ordinance on fences, hedges and walls - cleveland.com

Acting chief Yogananda Pittman proposed permanent fencing in a statement provided to reporters Thursday, but DC Mayor Muriel Bowser quickly slammed the idea and said the city will not "accept extra troops or permanent fencing as a long-term fixture in DC."

The proposal for permanent fencing comes weeks after a pro-Trump mob attacked the Capitol, leaving five people dead and extensive damage to the property.

"In light of recent events, I can unequivocally say that vast improvements to the physical security infrastructure must be made to include permanent fencing, and the availability of ready, back-up forces in close proximity to the Capitol," Pittman said.

She continued: "I look forward to working with Congress on identifying the security improvements necessary to ensure the safety and security of the Congress and the U.S. Capitol."

Bowser acknowledged the need for extra security for upcoming events but made it clear she did not want those enhanced measures to be permanent.

"Based on conversations with federal partners, there are some potentially volatile events upcoming that will require extra security. Fencing and the presence of troops will be a part of that," Bowser tweeted. "But we will not accept extra troops or permanent fencing as a long-term fixture in DC. When the time is right, the fencing around the White House and U.S. Capitol, just like the plywood we've seen on our businesses for too long, will be taken down."

"More needs to be done to protect the Capitol complex, but the failure of Capitol security leaders to plan for the predictable terrorist attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, does not justify closing the complex from the public, to whom it belongs," she wrote.

Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss, a Massachusetts freshman, tweeted that it would be a "mistake to turn the home of our democracy into a fortress. The Capitol needs to be safely open for constituents, press, and visitors."

Rep. Elise Stefanik, a New York Republican, also spoke out against the idea on Twitter. "This is the People's House. I am adamantly opposed. There has been no threat briefing given to Members of Congress to justify this proposal," she tweeted.

The California Democrat met with retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honor, who is conducting a security review of the Capitol, on Thursday but provided few details.

"I was pleased to be briefed on the General's initial assessment which covered operational readiness, interagency cooperation, security infrastructure and the morale and readiness of institutional staff. As we consider the need for an emergency supplemental funding bill to meet institutional security needs, I want to thank the General for reviewing what is necessary for the Capitol Police to do their jobs," Pelosi said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

When asked if the fencing around the Capitol should stay up permanently, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters, "I would tend to defer to the experts as to what is the safest way to be. We'll see, I don't know."

The New York Democrat added: "There should be both safety and the right to access the building."

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

CNN's Ali Zaslav and Nicky Robertson contributed to this report.

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Proposal to build permanent fence around the Capitol meets resistance - CNN