Abandoned software: is it safe to use?

Software can become unsafe to use when its developers stop supporting it. But some programs are more dangerous than others. Michael Britton reveals the security risks

In many ways, a favourite PC program has much in common with your oldest, comfiest pair of slippers – quick to slip into, almost always within arm’s reach, but unfortunately, not without the odd hole.

The solution to both a hole in your slippers and in your software is pretty much the same: a patch. But what if your favourite program is no longer being patched by its programmer? And that hole is therefore getting bigger by the day?

How to customise Windows 10: The 24 Changes You Must Make

Not happy with how Windows 10 looks and works? Don’t worry – you can customise every aspect of it to your liking. Windows 10 expert Jonathan Parkyn explains how

Despite courting controversy – thanks, in part, to its somewhat carefree attitude to users’ privacy – Windows 10 is gaining popularity at an astonishing rate. According to Netmarketshare (http://netmarketshare.com) and StatCounter (statcounter.com), which monitor the worldwide usage of operating systems (OS), only Windows 7 is more popular than Windows 10. Microsoft’s latest OS reached another major milestone in February when it eclipsed Windows XP for the first time.

BIOS Fast Fixes

Access the BIOS in Windows 10, decode boot beeps and reset corrupted settings

No operating system found

If the BIOS says it can’t And Windows, then it’s one of two things: very bad news or nothing to worry about. If pressing a key clears the message and leads to a normal launch, then your PC is trying to boot from a CD or DVD. Simply eject the disc or access the BIOS to rearrange the order of locations from where your PC boots.

Adobe Premiere Elements 14

Professional video editing for amateurs

Shooting video is easy. The tricky part is turning the results into something worth watching, rather than clips that stop and start at random, or full-length events complete with all the boring bits. Affordable editing programs are now available, and many ordinary PCs are powerful enough to run them. But what you really need is a program that tries to mimic professional software without alienating beginners.

Canon Pixma MG5750

A printer for all purposes

Imagine you could pick any item from your desk, get in a time machine and take it to the studio of Leonardo da Vinci. Which gadget would most impress the Renaissance’s greatest inventor?

Your smartphone would intrigue him, but with no reception, you’d struggle to demonstrate the device’s full potential. And when he asked how it worked, you’d be left babbling about a little black slab that could do billions of sums every second, (though he’d have to take your word for it).

Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo

So good they launched it twice

It’s deja vu all over again. Two years ago, Samsung introduced the Galaxy S5, a high-end plastic smartphone with a big screen. It was very good, but very similar to the previous year’s S4, except for the addition of a fingerprint sensor. Now, Samsung has removed the fingerprint sensor and relaunched the phone as the S5 Neo. Call us pedantic, but ‘neo’ is Greek for ‘new’. This phone is about as new as the Acropolis.

HP Spectre x2

A highly desirable Windows 10 hybrid

The concept behind a laptop-tablet hybrid isn’t just about being able to switch between the two types of device. It’s also about the kind of apps you need. An iPad or Android tablet runs the same kind of software as a smartphone, while a hybrid such as Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 runs Windows 10 - like a PC.

Acer Chromebook R11

The first Chrome convertible

Google’s Chrome OS software has created a whole new class of low-cost PCs. This is the first one we’ve seen that incorporates another trend: convertibles. The Chromebook R11’s touchscreen can fold all the way round until its back is flat against the keyboard, so you can hold it like a tablet. The 360-degree hinge is also handy to prop up the R11 to watch a film or play a game.

Lenovo Ideacentre AIO 700

An affordable all-in-one with a Full HD touchscreen

Once upon a time, every computer was a big box with a screen on the front and the electronics stuffed behind. Then everything got separated into different parts, so you could choose which elements you wanted to combine. And now we’ve come full circle. One way or another, most computers you buy today are in once piece (give or take the odd keyboard, mouse or stylus).