Windows recycled a two-decade-old bug.
Also, Font Police Are Very Mad.

Legacy Code Is Not Legacy, It Is Just Debt

Microsoft is having a bit of an oopsie with Windows 11's 24H2 update, which has managed to dredge up a bug that was last seen trying to break the anti-piracy measures in a 2004 video game. It appears that a specific memory management flaw tied to a Windows API, namely RaiseFailFastException, which previously only really got upset by the game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, has resurfaced.

The whole ordeal smells less like a new security vulnerability and more like a poorly managed office storage unit. The original bug required a compatibility patch years ago, which means Microsoft’s current code base has somehow found a way to re-enable the exact conditions that made a Rockstar Games title from two decades ago crash. It is a testament to the concept that nothing digital ever truly dies; it just sits in a corner until a large, expensive software update accidentally trips over it. The good news is that people who spend time trying to make new things work on an operating system are now experts in 2004-era memory exploits thanks to this mishap.

The European Union Issued A Fine; Apple and Meta Shrugged

The European Union has done the equivalent of slapping a 'Do Not Obstruct Fire Lane' ticket on the back of two multi-billion dollar semi-trucks. Apple and Meta were both fined millions of dollars for allegedly breaching the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Apple, specifically, seems to have been docked over its App Store payment policies, which the EU sees as anticompetitive.

The reality of the situation is that these are just operating costs. A fine of this magnitude is the price of trying to maintain a walled garden against a regulation designed to tear it down. Apple's general counsel probably just marked it down under "Required Geo-Political Compliance Fees" and sent it to Accounts Payable. Meta, meanwhile, received its fine and likely just generated ten new AI-powered lobbyists to deal with the next one.

The Default Assistant Is Non-Negotiable, Says Google

A Perplexity executive is claiming that Google is preventing smaller companies from getting in on the lucrative 'default button' market. Apparently, the contracts Google has with phone manufacturers like Motorola explicitly block them from setting a third-party AI assistant as the default. This is classic corporate behavior: a large company has the prime parking spot and puts up a velvet rope.

The issue is all about that initial, effortless choice. Why spend money building brand recognition when you can just pay for a line item in an endless legal document that makes sure every phone customer has to actively opt-out of the default experience. Google likes its turf wars neat, tidy, and buried deep in the GMS agreement's fine print.

The Hidden Cost Of 'Free' Typography

A highly-rated post is reminding everyone that fonts are not just digital decorations; they are licensed pieces of software. The entire conversation is a weary reminder that the cost of professional typography is often completely disconnected from the casual web developer’s budget, leading to widespread, low-level piracy. A great font can cost thousands, and people are just embedding it in their side projects without thinking twice.

The core problem is that people see a font file and treat it like a JPEG of a cat, not a complex licensing agreement. The post, titled "You wouldn't steal a font," is a plea for sanity in a world where developers have effectively decoupled the effort of creation from the act of consumption, especially when it comes to the beautiful shapes that make our words look nice on our screens.

Briefs

• AI Shopping Spree: OpenAI is apparently interested in buying Google Chrome to create an 'AI-first' browser according to court testimony. This is the equivalent of a startup asking to buy the kitchen sink from the biggest hotel in town so they can install a slightly smarter faucet.
• Crypto Code and HR: A whistleblower action against the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is being supported by code from a DOGE worker according to security researcher Brian Krebs. It is comforting to know that even in the chaotic intersection of digital currency and bureaucratic oversight, good old-fashioned software evidence can still make a difference in an HR dispute.
• Extreme Weather QA: A successful test involving a drone triggering and guiding lightning strikes was conducted by NTT and others. We now have the technology to control the weather, but we still cannot figure out how to stop the coffee machine from over-brewing the Friday morning pot.