Microsoft recently found itself on the receiving end of more than a little user rage when they made significant changes to Skype, with the release of version 8.  The company's original plan was to model Skype 8 after several different social media services, but the users found the new interface to be both annoying and frustrating.

Microsoft has made numerous ventures into the smartphone ecosystem, but so far, they've only been met with limited success.  This time, they're trying something a little different.

Instead of making their own Windows-based phones, they've created a "Your Phone" app that syncs your phone with your PC.  The app is still in testing and is slated to be released sometime in October.

If you've used Windows 10 for any length of time, you've probably had this happen to you.  You're right in the middle of working on something important, and all of a sudden, your OS decides it would be a great time to install some updates!

In response to user complaints, Microsoft introduced a "snooze" feature that allowed users to delay the installation of upgrades.

Researchers from the digital security firm ESET have recently spotted a new malware campaign with a nasty twist.  It was created using a legitimate security certificate stolen from D-Link.

The malware appears to be the work of an Advanced Persistent Threat group known as BlackTech, which primarily targets high profile users and firms in Asia, with a

particular emphasis on Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

As most people know, Microsoft Edge was the company's "reboot."  After trying for years to patch and update their beleaguered Internet Explorer, Microsoft ultimately decided to scrap it and start fresh.  Since Edge's launch, it has struggled to gain traction with users.

Menlo Security has recently published a new report that will probably dismay you if you're a business owner.

Microsoft Office has been named as the attack vector of choice for hackers around the world. The most common form of the attack is a malicious Word document or other office document attached to an innocent looking email.

Do you use Cortana?  It's a handy virtual assistant (like Siri) built into Windows 10.  Unfortunately, as useful as she is, there's a problem. Even if you don't use Cortana yourself, take heed:  Microsoft has recently issued a security update based on findings by McAfee researchers.

What's old is new again.

Hackers have recently begun re-deploying a decade-old trick called 'ZeroFont' to get around Microsoft's security filters and deliver phishing and spam emails to Office 365 email accounts.  The gimmick?  Zero-point fonts.

Big changes are coming from Microsoft starting in July (exact date unknown), and it has potentially dire implications if you're using some of the company's older technology.

Microsoft announced that in July, they'll no longer provide forum-based support for a wide range of products and software, including:

Microsoft Band
Zune
Surface Pro
Surface Pro 2
Surface RT
Surface 2
Microsoft Security Essentials
Internet Explorer 10
Office 2010
Office 2013
Windows 7
Windows 8.1
Windows 8.1 RT

Although the company didn't cite a specific reason for the change, it seems obvious that this is another move to push people into buying the latest and greatest of the company's offerings.

Microsoft just made a big, significant purchase that has raised more than a few eyebrows.  They just acquired GitHub for a hefty $7.5 billion.

What makes the purchase interesting and potentially troublesome is that Microsoft is the world's largest proprietary software company, and GitHub is the world's largest open source hosting service.