Not sure why MS has to make things so vague and silly, but just had a chat with a vendor and I finally get the difference between Copilot and Copilot+.

Copilot is... well... copilot. It is an online service where you send data to MS, and their servers do the processing to generate a chat, image, ppt, email, etc. It is the service that most of us keep trying to avoid where possible, and which students and office workers abuse to shirk their day jobs.

Copilot+ is effectively DirectX for NPU cores, or perhaps a more apt example would be a Microsoft version of CUDA that can operate on any hardware that follows a compatible NPU architecture. It isn't a 'service' as much as a programming platform standard. If software is programed to utilize it, and the hardware is available, then it can render tasks out on the NPU cores instead of GPU or CPU cores.

Microsoft... We all get that you love your marketing terminology and get fixated on branding everything under giant meaningless umbrella words... but oh man did you guys make this all sorts of confusing and misleading. Do you realize how many paranoid people have specifically avoided buying a Copilot+ PC because they thought it actually had something to do with Copilot or AI?! Calling it what it actually is would have garnered a lot more trust and a better adoption curve on the hardware to give programmers a reason to start utilizing it. It is just like CUDA or Tensor cores... sure, it **can** be used for local AI workflows... but it can do all sorts of stuff, not just AI stuff. Just like a modern GPU can be used for graphics... but can also be utilized for highly parallel processes that aren't directly graphics related. AI is the buzz word that makes the stock go up, but explaining it beyond the buzz words would have really helped the cause a bit.

Currently have Office 365 subscription for home, 5 users. On my surface laptop, I have Office 365, but on my iPad it’s M365. I also use Onedrive to sync across devices. Do I need M365 on my iPad or should I just use the Word and Excel apps? I actually wonder if I need the Office 365 subscription at all. Our major use is Outlook (new) , and Word and Excel. We do like not having ads in Outlook, though. We never use the other programs. Can I get some suggestions? Am I better off just buying Office 2021 for cheap? Thanks for any advice.

It's hard for me to believe that the only thing Microsoft can do is to ask you to wait increasing amounts of time for login issues. First 24 hours, then 3 days? That's just not an acceptable timeframe for someone who needs access to their account. No way to manually reset the countdown, either. Microsoft needs to rethink this if they want to continue to be the standard.

No matter what question I ask I get "We encountered an unexpected error. Please try again later. If this issue continues, please open a ticket at https://sitehelp.microsoft.com." If I go to that site I can't login using my corporate 365 account or my Live account.

Anybody else having issues with this?

We’re an SQF-certified warehouse and right now all our daily checklists and time-based PM logs are done on paper. As you can imagine, making sure every box is filled out and legible is a headache.

We’re on Microsoft 365 (SharePoint, Power Automate, etc.), have a few tablets (Apple + Microsoft), and Wi-Fi in most areas of the warehouse (not everywhere). The goal is to get away from paper but still stay compliant and audit-ready.

For those of you who’ve gone digital: • What tools/apps are you using? (Microsoft Forms, Power Apps, something else?) • How do you handle spotty Wi-Fi in warehouses? • Any lessons learned when rolling it out to operators?

Would love to hear how other teams have set this up.

This is not a "support post"

Since I can't upload a picture, the screenshot I was going to add is of the Ctrl+F Search Bar in Notepad directly interfering with and obscuring the first line of code in a file opened via Notepad. The search bar BLOCKS THE CONTENT!

I think 3 times this week I've had a startup screen put in front of me that has asked me to install Copilot integration. But basic things like this image right here should explain my opinion on the current state of Windows as a whole. MSFT needs to hire devs that have done ACTUAL, PURPOSEFUL SOFTWARE WORK.

"Why would anyone ever need to search in the first line of a document?"

"why don't you just use another editor"

Not the point. Issues like this are constant in every one of the "new" apps and applets that are released with Windows 11.

I don't believe that there exists a single Windows developer that has ever had an actual SWE job, doing actual work, in a situation with actual customers. I believe they work inside of a bubble, and quickly push "new features" instead of fixing and making better that which has already been delivered. This is an industry-wide problem. Personally, I run an entire business based on fixing these kind of stupid, ill-informed, inept UI issues, in a specific platform.

I decided to grab Home Office 2024. Something I have noticed is that it is more optimal, IE, I have noticed a significant performance increase when typing. 2019 was Okay, but having it open seemed to be less stable overall.

Not entirely sure what the overall improvements are other than this though, read online there is some AI Integration though not entirely sure on the credence of said claims, all I do know is its running fine and Spelling/Grammer check is Decent enough but not perfect, if only there where such programs to remedy that, something GRAMMER centric, like Grammarly machine thing.

Other than that, I’m willing to say that I haven’t noticed anything else other than the HUGE performance boost.  

Odds are they added much more, but I would have to read the pages and pages of documentation on the more advanced functionality that only 0.1% of people use.

I have, however, also noticed A performance increase on Excel too. I’m not saying 2019 was bad, but there were a few times that would lead to not responding, or a grey screen (decent computer, so I have no idea why)

Just my two cents, I figured I would endure the cost to buy the same product again to give people my take. Rather than some poor shmuck who doesn’t know any better.

Its word, it’s a Word Processor, it’s the same product with different paint, yet for some reason, in my case, it is significantly more stable than 2019, and the performance increase alone makes it somewhat worth it, well, until 2029 comes out and Microsoft Silently Patch 2024 And it starts to slow down again.

Either way, would appreciate a more in-depth list of any improvements or features added (or removed). This kinda documentation is missing anyway, even from the official source, which makes it annoying and the furthest thing from User and consumer-friendly. Let people know what they are paying for…

Like even if it exists its not the easist to find and usually comes from decentralized third-party's who 9 times outta 10 are suggesting it on sponsership deal.

A coworker of mine accidentally typed PowerBI Bro, if that were a real product what would the features be?

I’m exploring the idea of a Copilot centered mobile OS with voice first interaction. Paired with an ai extended Microsoft band, I can imagine a cool setup that supports and extends its user with, functionality, sensor data, and accessibility.

It is frustrating as a tech to be still struggling with the same fundamental issues 20 years later.

Focus gone because another windows has popped up.

Window has opened off the screen because I had a second monitor hooked up to the laptop at some stage.

20 years and still no solution to these problems.

Including Internet Explorer of course.

Hi guys I’m looking into a career switch. I’m 26 and work in healthcare currently. I’m not being challenged enough mentally and the gruelling hours are awful. I’ve always had a massive interest in tech and worked briefly as a research assistant for a technology firm right after graduating. I miss the fast pace and mental challenge of technology so would really like to return to that world. From what I can tell the best way of building my skills in tech will be to sit some Microsoft certs, I’m especially interested in data analytics, mining and AI. I’m wondering what the most in demand/relevant certs are and also just welcoming any general thoughts on the matter/whether I am taking the right path. Please be kind. It’s taken a lot to get ready to take the plunge and I’m quite nervous right now. Really need some encouragement.

I seem to remember there being a free trial for Microsoft Copilot Pro, but I can't find it anymore. I've heard a lot of good things about it and wanted to try it out before subscribing.

Does anyone know if the trial is still offered, or was it a limited-time thing? Thanks!