Archive for the ‘Free Software’ Category

How to run Windows 10 on your Mac – ZDNet

Switching to a Mac doesn't mean having to leave behind Windows or your software. That's because your new Mac is perfectly at home running Windows and Windows software. In fact, you have several options open to you if you want to keep using your favorite Windows software.

OS X has built-in support for Windows using a utility called Boot Camp. Using this you can turn your Mac into a dual-boot system with both OS X and Windows installed on it.

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Virtualization software doesn't have to cost money. There are plenty of free utilities, such as VirtualBox.

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This category of software includes utilities such as the excellent Parallels Desktop for Mac (full review here of the newest Parallels Desktop for Mac 13).

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You might be lucky and be able to run your Windows apps on OS X without needing Windows at all using a utility such as WineBottler. This utility uses the Linux-based Wine compatibility layer to support a selected number of Windows applications.

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Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac review: Touch Bar control for virtualized Windows apps, and more

Parallels Desktop isn't the only virtualization software that allows Mac users to run Windows apps within a virtual machine (VM), but its cycle of regular annual updates has allowed it to take a lead over rival tools, such as VMware's Fusion.

Dumping Windows and installing Linux Mint, in just 10 minutes

One of my netbooks needed refreshing, and I decided to dump Windows completely and install only Linux Mint. The entire process took 10 minutes.

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How to run Windows 10 on your Mac - ZDNet

FDA Releases Free Food Safety App for Businesses – Food & Wine

The software makes it easier for food facilities to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act.

As anyone who has ever gotten a driver's license or filled out their taxes or built a house or done pretty much anything that involves the government can attest to, adhering to government regulations can be tricky. That's especially true if you run a business, where a wholenew set of regulations apply. And if your company deals with food, that's yet another layer of regulations that has to be dealt with. This isn't to say such regulations are bad: The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionestimates that about 48 million Americans get sick from foodborne illness each year, so anything we can do to lower that number is in everyone's best interest.

To help things along, thisweekthe Food and Drug Administration announced that it has launched Food Safety Plan Builder software that attempts to help food facilities adhere to the Food Safety Modernization Act, a law signed in 2011 that, according to the agency, enable the FDA to "focus more on preventing food safety problems rather than relying primarily on reacting to problems after they occur." The software providesa simple question and answer platform to create the legislation's mandatory food safety plan for businesses. The hope is that this free downloadable application will benefit smaller businesses which may not be able to afford a costly consultant.

The application covers an extensive list of sections: things like Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) & Prerequisite Programs, Hazard Analysis & Preventive Controls Determination, Process Preventive Controls, Food Allergen Preventive Controls, Sanitation Preventive Controls, Supply-Chain Preventive Controls and a Recall Plan.

Use of the software is completely optional(so companies that can afford one of those costly consultants, by all means, go for it), and the FDA stresses that the use of the software doesn't mean that a company's food safety plan is automatically approved by the agency. Additionally, the FDA promises that it "will not track or monitor use of the Food Safety Plan Builder"which sounds like good news for any food business owners out there who just realized they've got some fixing up to do.

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FDA Releases Free Food Safety App for Businesses - Food & Wine

Regulator, Airbus issue software fix for A350 on explosion risk – Free Malaysia Today

Airbus said it had informed operators of the short-term software fix and was investigating whether further action was needed.

BERLIN: European aviation safety authorities have issued an emergency directive for operators of the Airbus A350-900 long-haul aircraft to upload a software fix to prevent potential overheating of the hydraulic system and a risk of explosion.

Airbus has delivered over 100 of the aircraft so far, which is flown by airlines including Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways.

In the directive, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said that an overheat failure mode of the hydraulic engine driven pump had been found, which could cause the temperature of the hydraulic fluid to rise fast.

If that is not noticed and corrected, it could, if combined with an inoperative fuel tank inerting system, lead to the fluid overheating uncontrollably, which could then in turn lead to the fuel-air mixture in the affected fuel tank igniting, EASA said.

Airbus said it had informed operators of the short-term software fix and was investigating whether further action was needed.

A spokesman for Lufthansa said the German flagship carrier was complying with the directive and did not expect any impact on its A350 fleet or operations.

The views expressed in the contents are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of FMT.

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Regulator, Airbus issue software fix for A350 on explosion risk - Free Malaysia Today

ARMS Global Testpunch Returns: Here’s When You Can Play – Heavy.com

Although ARMS has already held a Global Testpunch event and has already released Nintendo has decided to for another round with the ARMS Global Testpunch. With the previous Testpunch, players were only able to play in one hour spurts but things are a bit different this time around.

Players still have to download the free ARMS Global Testpunch software from the eShop but instead of waiting around to play, youll have the full weekend of uninterrupted action. Starting on Friday, August 25, at 11 p.m. ET players will have the opportunity to jump into ARMS and play with other players and try out a variety of characters. Like we mentioned earlier, instead of having just an hour of play each time, this event runs all the way through August 27 and ends at 5 p.m. ET that day.

ARMS has also detailed its next free update which will introduce a new character, stage and three new Arms. The new character is the street-performing pugilist known as Lola Pop. She is described as a well-traveled clown with a personality as colorful as her clothing. Her key ability is inflating her body like a balloon which makes a her a great defensive fighter.

If you participated in the initial Global Testpunches and deleted the software you might run into some trouble finding the software to download again. You can redownload the software by visiting the Account Information page in the Nintendo eShop on your Switch.

Like the other Testpunch events, ARMS will allow players to go head-to-head with other players or opt for a few rounds in Hoops and Skillshot.

Since its release in June, ARMS has recently cracked the one million copies sold mark and it looks like Nintendo is trying to keep that ball rolling with this Testpunch. One of the key selling points of the game is the fact that it receives free updates and DLC, much in the same vein of Splatoon 2.

Read More From Heavy

ARMS: Top 10 Tips and Tricks You Need toKnow

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ARMS Global Testpunch Returns: Here's When You Can Play - Heavy.com

FDA offers free software to help create food safety plans – FoodNavigator-USA.com

FDA is extending a helping hand to companies struggling to meet new food safety measures outlined in the Food Safety Modernization Act, for which the deadline is quickly approaching, by offering a free software application to help them identify and address potential hazards.

The Food Safety Plan Builder developed by the agency and released Aug. 22 is a step-by-step program that walks companies through a series of pre-programmed questions, the answers to which automatically populate a food safety plan.

The agency created the software in part because it recognizes that some companies especially smaller ones with limited resources to hire consultants may need help understanding what is expected under the final rule for preventive controls for human food.

The software does this in part by showing owners and operators where to start if they havent had issues in their facilities before, said Jenny Scott, a senior advisor to FDAs Office of Food Safety. She explained in a blog post that the software answers questions such as, What should they be looking for? How do they compile their information about hazards and controls in a systematic way?

For example, she said, the program will help companies identify if allergens such as peanuts are a hazard, and if so, how they can minimize the risks posed by properly labeling finished products, and ensuring that the equipment used to process a peanut-containing product is properly cleaned after use to prevent the allergen from contaminating any products that are subsequently processed on the equipment.

In addition, the program will help companies establish best practices to ensure preventive controls are working and what corrective actions to take if they are not, she said.

While companies will need to provide FDA inspectors with a copy of the plan when they visit their facility, the software does not automatically share the report with the agency.

FDA will not track or monitor use of the Food Safety Plan Builder, nor will it have access to any content or documents developed using this plan, the agency stressed in multiple communications.

Using the software is completely optional, but having a food safety plan is not, Scott stresses.

Right now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that roughly 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized and about 3,000 people from food borne illnesses each year in the United States, she writes in an agency blog post.

She added, In many cases, these illnesses can be avoided by preventing contaminants from reaching food, and by stopping contaminated food from reaching consumers exactly what these food safety plans aim to do.

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FDA offers free software to help create food safety plans - FoodNavigator-USA.com