Windows Weekly 960: Snow & Claus — Detailed Episode Summary

Podcast: All TWiT.tv Shows (Audio)
Show: Windows Weekly
Episode: 960 — "Snow & Claus"
Date: November 27, 2025
Host: Leo Laporte
Co-hosts: Paul Thurrott (Pennsylvania), Richard Campbell (Coolangatta, Australia)

Overview

This episode is a vibrant, laid-back pre-Thanksgiving discussion focusing on the latest developments in Windows 11 and Microsoft's "agentic" AI direction, plus a host of related topics, from PC industry earnings to AI tool debates and even a deep dive into whisky and rum. Amidst jokes, cross-cultural ribbing, and tech banter, the hosts analyze both the promise and pitfalls of modern computing, artificial intelligence, and Microsoft's evolving philosophy for Windows.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Show Opening and Banter

• Location & Holidays: The hosts open with their global positions—Paul in the U.S. for Thanksgiving, Richard in hot, un-airconditioned Australia—and some playful discussion about place names, cultural differences, and the dubious legacy of Thanksgiving (03:31).
• Quote: "Turkey. Turkey with a side of smallpox." — Richard Campbell [04:12]

2. Windows 11’s Agentic AI Direction

a. Ignite Sessions & Agentic AI (04:43–14:44)

• Background: Recap of Pavan Davaluri’s Ignite session and Microsoft's increased focus on AI "agents" in Windows.
• Availability Issues: Frustrations that not all Ignite sessions are downloadable; streaming is sometimes the only option (06:01).
• Agentic AI Explained: Microsoft is steering Windows into an "agentic" OS where AI agents can take actions on user behalf, orchestrating apps and services at both cloud and local level.
  • Opt-In Philosophy (12:32): Navjot Virk, Microsoft VP, emphasized that all new AI features are opt-in, not default, and controllable by the user or IT.
  • Quote: "These experiences are opt in, they're optional and you control whether or not you even see them." — Navjot Virk (via Paul Thurrott) [12:32]

b. Community Reactions & Cultural Shifts (09:53–14:44)

• AI Resistance: Recognition that much of the traditional IT community is “change-averse,” especially among older users, compared to enthusiastic developers.
• Quote: "In our community ... we’re the ... change averse. Every little change... is cause for concern.” — Paul Thurrott [09:53]
• Developer Excitement: Developers are already rapidly rebuilding workflows around these tools—embracing and wrangling the power, not resisting it.

c. Experience and Maturity

• Focus is on not repeating Windows 8-level disasters; the approach today is much more incremental and respectful of current user patterns.
• "It just makes sense. It's fine." — Paul Thurrott on the new agentic UI for Windows [23:30]

3. Debate: How Should AI Integrate? Modal vs. Embedded

• Leo’s View: Would rather have AI be an explicit tool (like using ChatGPT) rather than something “built into” every app or browser.
• Paul's Perspective: Predicts that future workflows will be document- or intent-focused, letting AI carry out tasks across tools, not in silos.
  • "Maybe that's just old-fashioned. Maybe that's gonna change." — Leo Laporte [25:29]
  • "What you're describing is the ultimate example..." — Paul Thurrott [25:29]

4. Practical AI: Voice, Dictation & Programmatic Apps

a. Voice Input

• Microsoft bets strongly on voice commands as a more natural way to interact with PCs, given the intent-understanding nature of AI.
• “Half the time we're muttering while we type anyway.” — Richard Campbell [17:28]

b. Programmatic Apps and Agents

• Apps are moving toward exposing functionality for AI/agents to orchestrate tasks, rather than just provide static interfaces.
• Notable that Microsoft is developing local models (SLMs) for tasks like dictation, writing assistance, and summarization, supporting both privacy and offline use (57:45–61:56).

5. Industry Updates

a. PC Maker Earnings (76:32)

• Lenovo: PC business up 12% YOY ($15.1B; ~26% market share).
• HP: Up, but planning significant layoffs to “replace with AI.”
• Dell: Overall strong, but PC growth only 3%, with most focus (like HP) now on enterprise and data center cloud/AI.
• "This is all AI bubble growth ... it's floating all ships” — Richard Campbell [78:18].

b. Microsoft's AI Ecosystem Advances

• Release of new agentic small language models (SLMs) focused on “computer use”—able to move cursors and complete user interface tasks.
• Discussion of OpenAI's Codex Max, a coding model specialized for Windows.

c. Google and AI Image Generation

• Huge praise for Google’s "Nano Banana Pro" and Gemini 3 foundation models—seen as a leap forward in both realism and integration.
  • "Banana Pro stuff is like, yikes. Like, it's yikes." — Paul Thurrott [86:08]
  • "Google has been sandbagging us, I think." — Leo Laporte [86:49]
• Debate about whether these tools make people less engaged (summaries instead of reading) or more productive.

6. Windows & Feature Updates

• Insider Builds: Voice typing/dictation now benefits from local SLMs; new Point in Time Restore feature improves Windows recovery.
• Store & Notepad Updates: Store will soon let you uninstall apps directly; Notepad gains markdown tables and offline AI-powered writing tools.
• Full Screen Gaming Experience: Evolving ‘lean back’ mode for gaming rigs, optimized for controller use, inspired by Xbox dashboard/Media Center paradigms (66:17).
• “Game Profiles” in Xbox: Users can now set per-game resolution and performance profiles.

7. Cultural & Historical Segments

a. Tech Preservation

• Zork Source Code Freedom: Microsoft has released classic Infocom game (Zork, etc.) source code under MIT license, cementing it as preserved art [105:03–110:17].
  • "The best graphics are the ones that are inside your head." — Paul Thurrott [110:24]

b. Cross-platform Progress

• Android & Airdrop Interoperability: Google to support Apple’s Airdrop standard in Android, thanks to EU regulatory pressure. “Interoperability: isn’t that nice?” — Paul Thurrott [93:02]
• Car Connectivity Woes: Richard Campbell describes trips where Android Auto often fails; Apple CarPlay works every time, a testament to Apple’s walled-garden reliability.

8. Whisky & Rum Deep Dive [129:44]

• Australian Rum History: Richard gives a fascinating and detailed account of how rum became currency in colonial Australia, leading to the only military coup in Australian history.
• Husk Distillers Feature: The journey of rum and whisky production at Husk in northern New South Wales, their craft agricole rum, and their unique “sidetrack” whisky. Strong praise for their “farm to bottle” ethos.
• “Rum is the main thing” — Richard Campbell [129:44]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Turkey. Turkey with a side of smallpox." — Richard Campbell [04:12]
• "These experiences are opt in, they're optional and you control whether or not you even see them." — Paul Thurrott quoting Navjot Virk [12:32]
• "If you're memorizing the navigation of Word, you're in a special kind of hell." — Richard Campbell [18:02]
• "This is really about keeping Windows relevant for this next era." — Paul Thurrott [23:41]
• “Mistakes will be made. That's the truth.” — Richard Campbell [52:06]
• "Banana Pro stuff is like, yikes. Like, it's yikes. ... It might be a little too realistic. It's like, yeah, this thing's working really good.” — Paul Thurrott [86:08]
• “The best graphics are the ones that are inside your head.” — Paul Thurrott [110:24]
• “Rum is the main thing.” — Richard Campbell [129:44]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Windows 11 Agentic AI and Ignite Talk Analysis: [04:43–14:44]
• Community Reactions & Opt-in Model: [12:32–15:36]
• AI Tool & Modal vs. Embedded AI Discussion: [25:02–29:27]
• Voice vs. Typing, Future of UI: [17:28–22:18]
• PC Maker Earnings: [76:32–80:13]
• AI on Windows: SLMs, Copilot, Local/Cloud Models: [57:45–61:56]
• Nano Banana Pro & Google's AI Leap: [86:00–91:43]
• Classic Games Preservation—Zork: [105:03–110:17]
• Australian Rum History & Husk Distillers Sidetrack Whisky: [129:44–147:30]

Summary for Non-Listeners

This episode blends hard analysis with camaraderie. The Windows Weekly team unpacks Microsoft's evolving story as Windows 11 embraces "agentic" AI—AI agents that can take meaningful action for users—focusing on the opt-in philosophy, incremental design (to avoid another Windows 8), and cultural divide between code-wrenching developers and change-resistant IT admins.

Through segments on Notepad and Store enhancements, earnings reports revealing the PC industry's new AI-driven reality, and exploration of how Google suddenly leapfrogged expectations in generative AI, the episode offers deep context.

Along the way, the show delivers a unique flavor—history, whiskey, rum, nostalgia, and lots of teasing about modern workflows and future tech. Classic games like Zork get the preservation treatment, while cross-platform breakthroughs and the frustrations of car tech provide practical touchstones. The episode closes with praise for the value of trusted experts (human and AI), and a spirit of curiosity and experimentation.

Section Headers

• Overview
• Key Discussion Points & Insights
  • Show Opening and Banter
  • Windows 11’s Agentic AI Direction
  • Debate: How Should AI Integrate? Modal vs. Embedded
  • Practical AI: Voice, Dictation & Programmatic Apps
  • Industry Updates
  • Windows & Feature Updates
  • Cultural & Historical Segments
  • Whisky & Rum Deep Dive
• Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
• Timestamps for Important Segments
• Summary for Non-Listeners

This summary captures the rich and engaging conversation, steers clear of sponsor segments, and provides both tech insights and the unique, humorous tone the Windows Weekly hosts are known for.