Jenkins is accepted to Google Summer Of Code 2019!

On behalf of the Jenkins GSoC org team, I am happy to announce that the Jenkins project has been accepted to Google Summer of Code 2019. This year we invite students and mentors to join the Jenkins community and work together on enhancing the Jenkins ecosystem.

Just to provide some numbers, this is the biggest GSoC ever, 206 organizations will participate in GSoC this year. And it will be hopefully the biggest year for Jenkins as well. We have 25 project ideas and more than 30 potential mentors (and counting!). It is already more than in 2016 and 2018 combined. There are many plugins, SIGs and sub-projects which have already joined GSoC this year. And we have already received messages and first contributions from dozens of students, yey!

What’s next? GSoC is officially announced, and please expect more students to contact projects in our Gitter channels and mailing lists. Many communications will also happen in SIG and sub-project channels. We will be working hard in order to help students to find interesting projects, to explore the area, and to prepare their project proposals before the deadline on April 9th. Then we will process the applications, select projects and assign mentor teams.

All information about the Jenkins GSoC is available on its sub-project page.

I am a student. How do I apply?

See the Information for students page for full application guidelines.

We encourage interested students to reach out to the Jenkins community early and to start exploring project ideas. All project ideas have chats and mailing lists referenced on their pages. We will be also organizing office hours for students, and you can use these meetings to meet org admins and mentors and to ask questions. Also, join our Gitter channel and the mailing list to receive information about such incoming events in the project.

The application period starts on March 25th, but you can prepare now! Use the time before the application period to discuss and improve your project proposals. We also recommend that you become familiar with Jenkins and start exploring your proposal areas. Project ideas include quick-start guidelines and reference newbie-friendly issues which may help with initial study. If you do not see anything interesting, you can propose your own project idea or check out ideas proposed by other organizations participating in GSoC.

I want to be a mentor. Is it too late?

It’s not! We are looking for more project ideas and for Jenkins contributors/users who are passionate about Jenkins and want to mentor students. No hardcore experience required, mentors can study the project internals together with students and technical advisors. We are especially interested in ideas beyond the Java stack, and in ideas focusing new technologies and areas (e.g. Kubernetes, IoT, Python, Go, whatever).

You can either propose a new project idea or join an existing one. See the Call for Mentors post and Information for mentors for details. If you want to propose a new project, please do so by March 11th so that students have time to explore them and to prepare their proposals.

This year mentorship does NOT require strong expertise in Jenkins development. The objective is to guide students and to get involved into the Jenkins community. GSoC org admins will help to find advisers if special expertise is required.

Important dates

• Mar 11 - deadline for new GSoC project idea proposals

• Apr 09 - deadline for student applications

• May 06 - accepted projects announced, teams start community bonding and coding

• Aug 26 - coding period ends

• Sep 03 - Results announced

See the GSoC Timeline for more info. In the Jenkins project we will also organize special events during and after GSoC (e.g. at Jenkins world).

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Why Does Windows 10 Update So Much?

Microsoft says Windows 10 is a “service,” and the company updates it frequently with security patches, bug fixes, and new features. Updates normally happen automatically in the background, so let’s demystify that: Here’s what Windows is installing and when.

How Often Does Windows 10 Check for Updates?

Windows 10 checks for updates once per day. It does this automatically in the background. Windows doesn’t always check for updates at the same time every day, varying its schedule by a few hours to ensure Microsoft’s servers aren’t overwhelmed by an army of PCs checking for updates all at once.

If Windows finds any updates, it downloads and installs them automatically.

While Windows 10 does check for updates once per day, that doesn’t mean it’s installing them every day. Microsoft doesn’t release Windows Updates every day, so Windows Update will often find no updates available and not install anything.

Definition Updates Arrive Multiple Times Per Day

Microsoft’s Windows Defender application, now known as Windows Security, is an antimalware (antivirus) application built into Windows 10. It runs automatically in the background and protects your PC. If you install a different antivirus, the built-in Windows antivirus disables itself and lets your antivirus of choice work.

Like all security applications, Microsoft’s antivirus needs regular definition updates, so it can identify and catch the latest discovered malware. These updates are small, quick, and don’t require a reboot. You won’t even notice your PC is installing them unless you open the Windows Update page in Settings and are keeping an eye on it.

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DevOps World - Jenkins World 2019: Call for Papers is Open

This is a guest post by Skylar VanAlstine, who helps with the Jenkins Area Meetup program and assists with Marketing & Community Programs at CloudBees, Inc.

The Jenkins World shuttle is ready for lift off once again. As usual, the sign of festivities looming begins with the Call for Papers. Those who attended DevOps World | Jenkins World 2018 know that Jenkins World 2019 is coming back to San Francisco, and adding a stop in Europe - Lisbon, Portugal.

• Jenkins World USA | San Francisco | August 12 - 15, 2019

• Jenkins World Europe | Lisbon | December 2 - 5, 2019*

To encourage open collaboration and stimulate discussions that will help advance Jenkins adoption and drive it forward, we invite Jenkins users, developers and industry experts to submit a speaking proposal to DevOps World - Jenkins World San Francisco and or Lisbon. Submissions for both locations are being accepted now. The submission deadline for San Francisco, CA is March 10, 2019, @ 11:59 PM Pacific and the submission deadline for Lisbon, Portugal is June 9, 2019, @ 11:59 PM Pacific.

The below Q&A will help you breeze through the submission process.

Where do I go to submit my proposal?

Submissions for both DevOps World - Jenkins World USA and Europe are accepted at:

• Jenkins World USA

• Jenkins World Europe

Can I make proposal(s) to both conferences?

Yes, you can! Once you’ve created an account on the CFP website you will be given the option to make submission(s) to one conference or both conferences.

When is the deadline for Jenkins World USA?

Saturday March 10, 2019 @ 11:59PM Pacific

When is the deadline for Jenkins World Europe?

Tuesday, June 9, 2019, @ 11:59 PM Pacific

San Francisco Important Dates:

January 9, 2019: Call for papers opens March 10, 2019: Call for papers closes April 12, 2019: Submission decisions sent May 1, 2019: Agenda published - San Francisco, CA May 6, 2019: Speaker tasklist is sent out August 12-15, 2019: DevOps World | Jenkins World 2019 San Francisco

Lisbon Important Dates:

January 9, 2019: Call for papers opens June 9, 2019: Call for papers closes July 19, 2019: Submission decisions sent August 19, 2019: Agenda published August 23, 2019: Speaker tasklist is sent out December 2-5, 2019: DevOps World | Jenkins World 2019 Lisbon, Portugal

*All Dates Are Subject To Change.

We look forward to receiving your inspiring stories!

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How to Change the “Reply To” Address in an Email You Send From Outlook

If you’re sending an email on behalf of someone else, you might want people to reply to that person instead of you. Microsoft Outlook gives you the option to choose a different default Reply address to cover this situation.

Once you’ve created your mail, switch to the “Options” tab and then click the “Direct Replies To” button. (Depending on your version of Outlook, you might need to click File > Properties instead.)

Once the Properties window opens, change the address in the “Have replies sent to” box from your address to the address (or addresses, if there is more than one) to which you want replies sent.

Click the “Close” button and then send the mail as usual.

When the recipient receives the mail and clicks “Reply” or “Reply All,” Outlook will automatically fill in the address you’ve chosen. This won’t stop them changing it back to your address (or anyone else’s)—just like a normal email—but it will make it obvious tp whom they are supposed to reply.

“OK Google” Is Getting a Lot More Secure on Locked Phones

If you use “OK Google” to invoke the Assistant on your phone, things are about to change. Google is removing the “Unlock with Voice Match” feature, so the Assistant is going to get a lot more secure.

Currently, if you use the “Unlock with Voice Match” feature, you can completely unlock your phone with Google Assistant just by saying “OK Google.” While convenient, this is also a pretty big security risk—your voice isn’t exactly the best way to verify that you are, well, you. If someone else’s voice is similar enough to your own, then they can easily use this to unlock your phone and gain full access to it.

But now, Google is removing that feature from all Android phones. It started with the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, but confirmed that this would also get canned on all other Android devices in the future—a future that has apparently arrived. The Moto X and Pixel XL are the first devices to lose this functionality, so it shouldn’t be too much longer before it’s removed on others, too.

Of course, with this increase in security, you’ll also get a loss in functionality. Anything that would require you to unlock your phone—like sending a text message, for example—will no longer be an option. It’s sort of a bummer, no doubt, but it’s a tradeoff that’s worthwhile.

Without the Voice Unlock feature, Assistant will be limited to “personal results” only. According to 9to5Google, This includes:

• Email, including personal results from Gmail, like flight reservations and bills
• Google Calendar
• Contacts
• Reminders
• Memory aids
• Shopping lists

Anything more will require the phone to be unlocked before proceeding. Similarly, you’ll no longer be able to tap the home button to go directly home after calling up the Assistant—you’ll have to unlock the phone with your PIN, pattern, passwords, or biometric verification first.

9to5Google via Engadget

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How to Add Data to the Health App’s Today Screen on iPhone

Apple’s focus on health doesn’t end with the Apple Watch. The Health app on your iPhone is a treasure trove of information, but some of it can be hard to find. Why not set up favorites to make it more accessible?

Third-party apps and the Apple Watch itself feed data right into Health, so it’s probably been quietly collecting mountains of data without you really noticing. That’s great, but the Health app isn’t exactly Apple’s most user-friendly creation. Instead of digging around for details, you can add your favorite information to the app’s Today screen. Want to know how long you meditated? How high your blood pressure was? How far you walked? Add it all as a favorite and set up a custom health dashboard you’ll actually use.

Adding Health Data to the Health App Today Screen

Adding any type of data you wish to the Today screen is super easy. First, open the Health app and tap “Health Data” at the bottom of the screen.

Next, find the type of data that you want to add to the Today screen. In our example, we’re going to use Mindful Minutes by tapping “Mindfulness.”

Now, tap “Mindful Minutes.”

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What is an APN, and How Do I Change it on my Android Phone?

Android gives users a whole lot of customization options, some of which are useful for everyone, while others are just for power users. One of these lower level settings is the Access Point Name—better known as the APN.

The APN is something most users won’t need to worry about. You pop your SIM card into your phone, maybe reboot it, and it connects to your carrier’s network. You’ll be able to make calls, send messages, browse dank memes, and other important things. But, if you still mess around with custom ROMs, or you’re using an MVNO, you may find that things don’t work automatically.

What is an Access Point Name (APN)?

The APN is all the information your phone uses to connect with your carrier’s network. It lists the address your phone uses to connect to the network, the ports used to handle Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages, the type of data that particular APN uses, and other pieces of information to make sure your phone works correctly.

Some of the settings—-like “APN Type”—could be optional, and your phone will still work without it being 100% correct. Others like “MMSC” and “APN” are much more important, and your phone won’t function if they aren’t entered correctly.

Thankfully, most phones have the APN for common carriers built-in, so all you need to do is put your SIM card in and let your phone work its magic. This extends to some prepaid carriers as well: I use Mint Mobile, which runs on T-Mobile’s network. When I pop my SIM into my Google Pixel 2 XL or my Samsung Galaxy S8, it just works. The phones already have the APN, and it knows which one to load to connect to a given network.

How To Add or Change Your APN

On the off chance that you do need to change your APN settings, it’s fairly easy to do. Start by opening the Settings app on your phone. The exact label of the menu will vary, but tap on whichever menu handles your network settings. On the Pixel 2 XL running Android 9.0, this is labeled as “Network & internet.” Then, tap “Mobile network.”

Tap “Advanced.” Scroll to the bottom of the menu, then select “Access Point Names.”

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How to Add a Contact to Favorites on iPhone

The Phone app on your iPhone has a convenient “Favorites” section where you can find your most important contacts. Here’s how to choose which contacts appear here.

You can also set Do Not Disturb so that your favorite contacts can always reach you—even if other incoming phone calls won’t ring your iPhone. This can be vital in an emergency.

Favorites have been around since the very early days of the iPhone, but that likely means that you’ve forgotten that they exist. And that’s a real shame because this feature is so useful.

How to Add a Contact to Favorites

To add a contact to favorites, open the Phone app—the one with the green phone icon—and tap the “Favorites” button before tapping the “+” button in the top-left corner.

Next, find the contact that you want to add and tap their name.

You will now be shown all of the types of entries you can create for the contact you selected. Those include “Message,” “Call,” “Video,” and “Mail.” Tap the type of favorite you want to create. When tapped, that is the action that will be performed when the favorite is activated. For this how-to, let’s select “Message.”

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