Windows Weekly 970: Token Kill!

Date: February 12, 2026
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott (from Mexico City), Richard Campbell (from Madeira Park)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the significant technical and organizational changes underway at Microsoft, focusing on Windows 11, the upcoming 26H1 release, Windows’ evolving security and reliability model, and the shifting role of Windows inside Microsoft. It’s a rare week for positive Windows news, with the hosts reflecting on a sense of renewed engineering purpose and quality. The show also explores dramatic real-world events, the state of AI agents, Xbox awards, and a whisky-fueled Scottish travel tale.

Notable Episode Sections & Timestamps

• [00:00] — Intro & Setting the Scene / Personal Updates
• [01:27] — Richard’s Reflection: BC Mass Shooting
• [03:00] — Patch Tuesday & Windows' Recent Good News
• [05:01] — Microsoft's New Security & Quality Focus
• [07:50] — Reversal of Insurification: OneDrive & Core Features
• [10:32] — Consent-First Security Model & User Transparency
• [16:49] — Long-Term Windows Roadmap: Major Release Shifts
• [18:28] — 26H1: ARM-Only Scoped Release Explained
• [28:09] — ARM vs x86: Windows Foundations Diverge
• [33:38] — Antitrust, Enterprise Pushback, and AI in Microsoft’s Strategy
• [39:00] — AI Agents, Competing Approaches, & Conway’s Law
• [42:01] — Satya Nadella’s CEO Role Realignment
• [54:01] — A New Era: “I Don’t Remember Last Time I Felt This Good About Windows”
• [61:00] — Reflections on Windows Neglect & Future Optimism
• [65:45] — Secure Boot Certificates & Firmware Updates
• [70:57] — Store CLI: New Command-Line for Microsoft Store
• [85:19] — Tech Giants’ Massive AI Infrastructure Expenditures
• [92:51] — AI Model Wars: Anthropic vs. OpenAI, Agentic AI Arrives
• [101:42] — GUI vs CLI: Command Line Renaissance
• [110:03] — Xbox Excellence Awards
• [126:39] — Book Project: “Deshittify Windows 11” & OneDrive/Edge Tips
• [129:25] — Wine & Dine: Scottish Whisky Tour with Richard

1. Main Themes & Insights

A. Positive Sea Change for Windows

For the first time in years, the hosts see deep, meaningful progress in Windows’ direction — not just superficial UI changes but genuine engineering, security, and reliability gains. New leadership, a return to engineering quality, and reversed “insurification” (the process of degrading a service for profit/extraction) are core topics.

Paul Thurrott [03:34]:
“I don’t have bad news. I only have good news. I can’t remember a time on this podcast that was like this. Maybe going back to Windows 7… This is really good news.”

B. Microsoft’s Refocus on Security & Quality

• Appointment of Two New Security/Quality EVPs: Both report directly to Satya Nadella, showing a cross-company (not just Windows) commitment to these areas.
• Security Model Shift: Moving toward a phone-like, consent-first permissions system (users/IT can grant/revoke permissions per app/resource).
• Windows Baseline Security Mode: Only signed apps/services/drivers by default, but exceptions can be managed — correcting past flaws in “S Mode.”

Paul [07:50]:
“…features in Windows that are not glossy UI superficial things, but are deep foundational technologies that improve security or reliability…”

• Recognition of Past Mistakes: Hosts discuss how user and enterprise frustration, as well as antitrust attention, forced Microsoft to pivot.

Richard [33:39]:
“This is maybe an example where the size of Microsoft is working against it a little bit… they overbuild instead of focusing on what customers actually need.”

C. Windows Release Model Shakeup

• 26H1 Explained: Unlike past “H1” updates, this is an ARM (Snapdragon X2)-only release with a distinct “Windows core” not shared with x86 systems. It’s not upgradeable from current x64 systems.
• Possible Windows 12 Arrival: The structural shift is so significant that “Windows 12” (or its equivalent) may finally emerge, bundling these foundational upgrades and the consent-first security model.
• Hardware Requirements Likely to Rise: Minimums (RAM, TPM, MPU) look set to go up for the next version, echoing the Copilot+ PC requirements.

Paul [22:44]:
“Those on 26H1 will eventually have a path to update in a future Windows release. The future Windows release? … They’re not calling it Windows 12, but look…”

D. Causes of the Shift

• Antitrust Pressure: Microsoft’s practices, especially with Teams and Windows integration, have regulators watching closely again.
• Enterprise Backlash: Large customers are refusing to buy into “Copilot for Microsoft 365,” even amidst steep discounts, demanding reliability and rejecting further insurification.
• AI as a Core OS/Platform Concern: AI’s centrality to Microsoft’s future forces them to make Windows “the best place for AI” — security and quality become essential again.

E. AI Agents & Developer Trends

• AI Agent Clones Emerge Rapidly: Anthropic and OpenAI released dueling agentic coding/productivity assistants nearly simultaneously — with robust Excel/PowerPoint integrations.
• AI Model “Arms Race”: Companies spend hundreds of billions on AI infra, seeing it as existential; Wall Street concern grows about the spend/revenue ratio.
• CLI/TUI Comeback: Developers (and AI agents) increasingly embrace command line and text-based UIs for productivity, speed, and automation.

Leo [105:51]:
“The GUI was training wheels… some of us don’t need the training wheels. We’re more interested in productivity and speed.”

2. Selected Notable Quotes and Moments

On Microsoft’s Shifting Culture

• Paul [54:10]:
  “I don’t remember the last time I felt this good about Windows … There’s deep engineering work occurring that will improve the quality of the product and the security.”

• Richard [56:03]:
  “Windows went through intentional neglect… now they’ve neglected it enough that it’s genuinely suffering. It’s harming the business.”

On Consent-First Security

• Paul [13:54]:
  “…The point of this is, it’s not because you did something you want — it’s because the app you installed is doing something else… you don’t necessarily want that.”

On Windows 26H1 ARM-Only Release

• Paul [18:28]:
  “This is going to get weird. 26H1 is what Microsoft is calling a scoped release. It’s designed only for PCs running select new silicon. And by select new silicon, they mean literally and specifically the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2…”

• Richard [26:06]:
  “It’s a different core. That’s interesting, because… 24H2 also had a different core than its predecessors. So 25H2 EKB enabled platform is easy because it’s based on the same code base, but 26H1 and whatever comes next is this new thing.”

On Enterprise Rejection

• Paul [38:34]:
  “They’re offering deep, deep discounts… half off, 75% off — anything to get you to use this product. Very few have accepted the software… people aren’t just ambivalent about Copilot, they seem to hate it.”

On AI & Store CLI

• Paul [73:36]:
  “I think this browsing bit speaks a little bit to why you would want AI to be able to control this. AI could control Winget very easily… but this: when you ask, ‘I’d like a free app that is a Photoshop alternative,’ it could say, ‘Here’s what’s in the store.’”

On the Command Line Renaissance

• Leo [105:51]:
  “The GUI was training wheels, I think… some of us don’t need the training wheels. We’re more interested in productivity and speed.”
• Paul [104:55]:
  “This is literally the canonical AI vibe-coding example now. Look how fast this is.”

3. Other Key Topics

Patch Tuesday & Secure Boot Certificates

• Patch Tuesday delivered features such as Smart App Control toggling, improved sign-in security, and upcoming Secure Boot certificate updates requiring firmware refreshes before old certs expire in June 2026.

Xbox Excellence Awards

• Recap of Xbox game successes, including “Arc Raiders” and notable engagement stats.
• Nostalgic discussion of past infamous titles like Daikatana.

Epic Store Sale & Gaming Market

• Epic Games slashes prices on major titles; Valve delays (never-dated) new hardware due to supply chain; PlayStation sales strong despite hardware decline.

Paul’s Upcoming Book: “Deshittify Windows 11”

• A practical guide focused on undoing “insurification” and optimizing Windows for real people, with the first draft chapters already available on his site.
• Practical tip: You can now block OneDrive folder backup if you act quickly during initial sync.

Scottish Whisky Tour Story

• Richard recounts an opulent, $225 “Legend Tour” of Macallan’s new $140M distillery, tasting a “profound” £6000 bottle of Reflection M, but ultimately finding the grandeur disconnected from true craftsmanship.

4. Episode Structure/Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Show Open, Hosts’ Check-in | | 01:27 | Reflection on BC Mass Shooting | | 03:00 | Windows Patch Tuesday – A New Attitude | | 05:01 | Microsoft’s Security/Quality Re-org | | 07:50 | Deep Quality Features, OneDrive Backup Changes | | 10:32 | Consent-first Security, User Transparency | | 16:49 | Windows Release Model Shift/Windows 12 Teasing | | 18:28 | ARM/26H1 Deep Dive | | 28:09 | ARM vs x86, Support/Feature Parity Questions | | 33:38 | Why Is This Happening? Antitrust/Enterprise Pushback| | 39:00 | AI Agents, Competitor-Driven Agility | | 42:01 | Satya’s Role Realignment | | 54:01 | “Windows Feels Good Again” | | 61:00 | Reflections on Windows’ Neglect & Future | | 65:45 | Secure Boot Certificate Update Details | | 70:57 | Microsoft Store CLI/AI Integration (Speculation) | | 85:19 | Big Tech’s CapEx on AI/Cloud | | 92:51 | AI Product Announcements: Anthropic/OpenAI | | 101:42 | Command Line Renaissance | | 110:03 | Xbox Awards, Gaming Industry Tidbits | | 126:39 | Paul’s New Book Project & OneDrive Tip | | 129:25 | Richard’s Whisky Tour Story — Macallan’s Opulence |

5. Takeaways & Context

For Windows users and IT pros, this episode marks a notable pivot point: Microsoft is doubling down on real quality and security in the face of external (regulatory, customer, AI-competition) pressure. Major structural changes are coming, especially on ARM, that herald a significant new Windows era — perhaps “Windows 12.” At the same time, the AI and developer landscape is shifting rapidly, with command-line tools and agentic AI driving new forms of productivity. Gaming, licensing, and even whisky are not immune from these market and cultural forces.

6. Closing Thoughts

Paul [60:56]:
“I don’t see anything in any of this that’s concerning… honestly, I feel like this is good. So, I haven’t been able to say that in a while.”

Richard [61:17]:
“That’s part of the side effect of neglect… you don’t have a senior person saying no to all these adjacent teams. You get all this insurification from adjacent teams. There’s nobody… no direct oversight upper level.”

For full details, practical tips, and lively anecdotes, listen to the complete episode or check out Paul’s preview chapters of “Deshittify Windows 11.”