Windows Weekly 977: Moonshine University

Date: April 1, 2026
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, Richard Campbell

Episode Overview

This light-hearted but information-dense episode covers the latest in Microsoft’s world and the broader technology landscape. The team discusses Windows updates (including the infamous “week D” updates and recent patch chaos), Microsoft's focus on quality and app development directions (native vs. web tech), GitHub’s AI ad mishap, competition in AI, shifting trends in gaming hardware and pricing, and closes with a fascinating segment on bourbon from Moonshine University. As always, the trio mixes deep technical analysis with banter, history, and entertaining side stories.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. April Fool’s in a Post-AI Era (00:43 - 03:39)

• Main Idea: With the rise of AI-generated content and misinformation, every day can feel like April Fool’s for tech journalists.
• Quote:
  • "Now somebody pointed out it's April Fool's every day, thanks to AI Slop. You never know if it's real or not." — Leo Laporte (01:48)
• Hosts reflect on past tech announcements on April 1st (Google's Gmail, Apple's founding) and how AI has blurred reality versus parody.

2. Windows “Week D” Updates & Patch Quality Crisis (03:39 - 09:28)

• Summary:
  • The latest “Week D” (late-month) updates for Windows 11 are here, bringing features mostly via Controlled Feature Rollouts (CFR), meaning not everyone sees them at once.
  • Notable adds: Smart App Control toggle, performance improvements for Windows Recovery on ARM, enhanced image descriptions in Narrator.
  • Issue: Preview and regular patches keep causing problems and require emergency patches—despite recent claims Microsoft is focusing on quality.
• Quotes & Humor:
  • "Microsoft has had to release several patches for patches. Sounds like the name of a presidential dog." — Paul Thurrott (09:03)
  • "Just because you pull the throttle back doesn't mean the ship slowed down." — Richard Campbell (09:28)

Timestamps:

• Week D updates recap
• Patch upon patch problems

3. Native vs. Web Apps on Windows (09:35 - 25:01)

• Topics:
  • Microsoft insiders promise more 100% native apps, but Paul challenges feasibility, noting flagship apps like Outlook and Clipchamp are and likely always will be web-based for cross-platform consistency and extensibility.
  • Discussion on developer hiring trends, platforms (WinRT, WinUI 3, WebView2), and why web tech is so common.
  • The promise of “all native” is likely more a feel-good talking point than a practical shift.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "It's absolutely not possible." — Paul Thurrott on 100% native Windows apps (13:01)
  • "If it just worked and it worked well and it was web based... would anyone care? I think the answer is no." — Paul Thurrott (17:40)
• Timestamps:
  • Native vs. Web Apps debate begins
  • History of Microsoft’s developer philosophies

4. Windows Insider: Chaos and Features (25:01 - 31:49)

• Highlights:
  • Insider channels now more confusing; “Canary” split into multiple tracks.
  • Only real “new” feature is a set of upgrades for Windows Console (regex search, inline images).
  • UAC/admin protection changes resurface, and users can now adjust trackpad right-click zones—a highly-requested tweak.
  • More visibility into NPU usage in Task Manager.
• Timestamps:
  • Insider channel updates
  • Trackpad and NPU discussions

5. Hardware News: AMD, Intel, and Unified Memory (32:14 - 38:38)

• Recap:
  • AMD and Intel announce new chips; AMD ups the ante with larger 3D cache, taking a lead in gaming.
  • Discussion of Apple’s influence: bundling RAM onto CPUs for performance (unified memory).
  • Component prices rising everywhere—console and Raspberry Pi prices reflect global shortages.
• Quotes:
  • "208 megabytes of anything does not sound like a lot... but for the cache on a processor, that's humongous." — Paul Thurrott (33:50)
• Timestamps:
  • AMD/Intel chip news
  • Unified RAM, Apple’s effect

6. Main AI Segment (43:50 - 59:24)

• Topics:
  • Microsoft’s Copilot and the possibility of choosing between AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.), with “Researcher” soon using both GPT and Claude together for more accurate results.
  • Apple's panic over Siri and their stuttering entrance into large language models; hosts reminisce on the history and limitations of voice assistants.
  • “Switchers” are no longer just for phones—AIs now including export/import of chat history to facilitate user migration (e.g., to Gemini).
  • OpenAI’s massive valuation versus actual revenue; skepticism on future sustainability amid over-inflated expectations.
• Quotes:
  • "I think they're on the cusp of like one of the biggest collapses in literally history." — Paul Thurrott on OpenAI (59:19)
• Timestamps:
  • Copilot’s multi-model future
  • AI orchestration and Apple’s struggles
  • Switching AI platforms
  • OpenAI valuation critique

7. Gaming Hardware, Nintendo Switch 2 & Game Trends (61:38 - 73:19)

• Talk Points:
  • Leo acquires a Switch 2, praises screen quality, discusses pricing, SD card expansion, and game library (including “adult” titles).
  • Nintendo’s pricing is rigid—no third-party “Steam-style” sales, digital downloads often cheaper than physical.
  • PS5 and other hardware seeing price hikes due to shortages.
• Quotes:
  • "Dedicated game machine, there are certain advantages to that." — Leo Laporte (64:00)

8. Firefox & “AI Kill Switch” (73:22 - 78:06)

• Highlights:
  • Mozilla’s balanced approach: not an AI company, but offers opt-outs, especially for features like translation.
  • Firefox brings user choice, AI toggles; AI sometimes overly influences best practices (e.g., recommending Rust for everything).
• Quotes:
  • "One of the problems with AI is that you get into a situation where it’s an echo chamber.” — Paul Thurrott (76:37)

9. Swift Comes to Android (80:59 - 82:45)

• Summary:
  • The Swift programming language, born within Apple, is now open source and available with an Android SDK, potentially narrowing the gap for cross-platform app development.
• Quote:
  • "If you’re a mobile developer... this would allow [you] to release versions of their apps more easily on Android as well.” — Paul Thurrott (81:03)

10. Xbox & Gaming News (82:46 - 95:57)

• Xbox Marketing Reset:
  • New Xbox head changes branding; “This is an Xbox” campaign retired, aiming for a brand reset.
• Upcoming Game Showcase:
  • Next major Xbox showcase event to mirror the old E3 window in June.
• Hardware Pricing Woes:
  • Raspberry Pi and PlayStation 5 see price bumps; speculation that Steam machines will be pricey too.
• Digital vs. Physical Games:
  • Nintendo to charge more for physical cartridges; digital pricing unchanged.
• Memorable Moments:
  • Banter about Keanu Reeves, The Rock, and classic gaming reveals.
• Quotes:
  • "If they put a new version of a new Half Life game on it, charge whatever you want." — Richard Campbell (90:56)

11. GitHub AI Training Controversy (98:13 - 100:46)

• Main Points:
  • Ads inadvertently inserted into GitHub PRs via Copilot—Microsoft claims it was a “mistake.”
  • GitHub will use public repo data to train AI unless users opt out.
• Tip:
  • Opt out at GitHub > Copilot > Features > “Allow GitHub to use my data for AI model training.” (100:46)
• Quote:
  • "They're going to start training AI models by default on that data unless you opt out. So...opt out now.” — Paul Thurrott (99:15)

12. Proton Workspace: Google/Microsoft 365 Alternative (101:00 - 111:08)

• Overview:
  • Proton launches an encrypted, privacy-centric suite (mail, calendar, docs, sheets, VPN, pass, drive, meet/video chat).
  • Attractive especially in Europe as data sovereignty and anti-Big Tech sentiment rise.
• Quotes:
  • "Their angle—called 'not a tech giant'—is a pretty good angle." — Richard Campbell (105:52)
  • "I feel like what they’re doing to Google is what Google did to Microsoft back when they started." — Paul Thurrott (105:40)

13. Brown Liquor Pick of the Week: Jephthah Creed Bourbon (116:42 - 133:13)

• Whiskey Geekout:
  • Richard tells the rich story of Jephthah Creed in Shelbyville, Kentucky—a family farm distillery using rare heirloom Bloody Butcher corn.
  • Emphasis on grain-to-glass craftsman approach, small-scale (nine barrels a day), mother-daughter leadership.
  • Tasting notes: rich color, smooth and full-flavored, surprising depth from the high corn content without undue sweetness.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "Boy, oh boy, that's sipping bourbon. You wouldn't want to do anything else with this." — Richard Campbell (130:14)
• Memorable Moment:
  • The story of Joyce Netherly attending Moonshine University and ultimately founding the distillery herself.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On AI April Fools:
  "It's April Fool's every day, thanks to AI Slop. You never know if it's real or not." — Leo Laporte (01:48)

• On Windows Update Chaos:
  "Microsoft has had to release several patches for patches." — Paul Thurrott (09:03)

• On Native Apps:
  "It's absolutely not possible." — Paul Thurrott on the promise of all-native Windows apps (13:01)

• On Microsoft’s AI path:
  "I think they're on the cusp of like one of the biggest collapses in literally history." — Paul Thurrott, on OpenAI valuation bubble (59:19)

• On Gaming Consoles:
  "If they put a new version of a new Half Life game on it, charge whatever you want." — Richard Campbell (91:00)

• On Jephthah Creed Bourbon:
  "That's sipping bourbon. You wouldn't want to do anything else with this." — Richard Campbell (130:14)

Important Timestamps

• 00:43 – On blurred reality in tech news
• 03:39 – Windows “Week D” updates and quality woes
• 09:35 – Native vs. Web App philosophies at Microsoft
• 32:14 – AMD and Intel hardware news
• 43:50 – Big AI talk: Copilot, Siri, ChatGPT, switching AIs
• 61:38 – Gaming hardware chat, Nintendo Switch 2 segment
• 73:22 – Firefox’s pragmatic AI approach
• 80:59 – Swift language arrives on Android
• 82:46 – Xbox news and marketing/biz direction
• 98:13 – GitHub Copilot ad/AI controversy
• 101:00 – Proton launches Workspace, privacy discussion
• 116:42 – Brown liquor pick: Jephthah Creed Bourbon deep dive

Tone & Style

Conversational, irreverent, and deeply knowledgeable — mixing technical depth with friendly, often humorous exchanges.

Summary Takeaways

• Windows updates remain fraught with chaos despite new promises, as Microsoft’s development approach continues to frustrate.
• "Native app" push is more marketing than reality; web tech dominates for good reasons.
• AI models, orchestration, and platform switching are the new competitive battlefronts, with increasing skepticism about the real value and sustainability of unicorns like OpenAI.
• Gaming hardware becomes pricier and more fragmented; digital distribution continues to transform how and what we buy.
• Privacy-focused services like Proton are gaining traction as alternatives to Big Tech’s productivity suites.
• The bourbon world is as innovative as tech—don't miss out on family-run, small-batch gems.

For deeper dives, see the full show notes and transcript.