

Only enterprise and developers can bypass Windows Store for Metro apps - anon1385
http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2011/09/only-enterprise-and-developers-can-bypass-windows-store-for-metro-apps.ars

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orangecat
Microsoft controlling what software you can run on Windows used to be the
reductio ad absurdum I used to argue against the iOS model. Now Android is the
only platform standing between us and a Right to Read world
(<http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html>).

~~~
megamark16
Just until the day when it moves to the hardware level, where your hardware
will refuse to run certain processes unless they are digitally signed. Good
times.

See also "Intel Trusted Execution Technology": [http://software.intel.com/en-
us/articles/intel-trusted-execu...](http://software.intel.com/en-
us/articles/intel-trusted-execution-technology-a-primer/)

~~~
dexen
Things got quite close by now: mandatory driver signing in 64bit Windows Vista
& 7\. You need to select extra boot option to be able to load unsigned driver.
Like the venerable ext2fsd: driver for ext2 & ext3 FS [1]. It won't work for
Joe the Average User.

Terrorists win, game over.

[1] <http://www.ext2fsd.com/>

EDIT:

it's a clever move, limititing that requirement only to 64bit Windows. No need
for one-time big switchover; the balance towards 64bit will shift gradually
over time and before people raise enough opposition it may be too late for
independet driver development.

We already know security based on centralized Certification Authorities did
not work well for _securing_ HTTPS.

~~~
ReadEvalPost
Only allowing signed drivers to run in ring 0 by default makes a lot of sense
though. The average user is way less likely to need ext2fsd and much more
likely to install randommalwared.

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mikesaraf
It seems odd to me, for years developers have been one of the few groups of
people that could publish something and not have to pay the "gatekeepers" and
actually have a shot at success. Finally after years of having to deal with
the publishing, music and movie cartels; writers, bands and indie movie
producers can reach the world without having permission to do so. However
somehow we (software devs) have gotten into a position where we are beholden
to 3 companies (Apple, Google & Microsoft) if we want widespread access to a
mainstream audience. For that privilege we have to pay 30% for these companies
to host a few megabytes of program files and they tell us that its breaking
even. For 99 cent apps I can believe that, but I write applications for small
businesses and those apps are worth way more than 99 cents. There is a big
difference in 30% of 99$ vs 99 cents.

I don't know what the answer is, but I do know that its going to have the
following effects (some good, some bad): 1\. Software prices are going to go
up for any app that is more serious than a fart app. 2\. Web apps are going to
become more mainstream for small businesses. Which means... 3\. SaaS is going
to become more mainstream, because I don't want to run a web service and not
get a monthly payment for it.

Apple has done a number of good things for consumers in this industry, too bad
they felt they had to screw developers over in the process.

------
cageface
This vindicates those that saw the Apple app store as a general industry trend
away from open installations. I don't suppose there's any reason to expect
they'll be any more successful here than Apple's been at filtering out all the
garbage.

------
protomyth
Let me get this straight, if I create an app using C++ / Metro interface /
WinRT and compile it for x86, I still have to use the App Store to distribute
it to PCs (not tablets / slates)?

~~~
AndrewDucker
Yup. Windows is locking itself down harder than OSX is.

~~~
nkassis
For now, I think microsoft is trying to one up Apple but Apple probably won't
sit still and do worse soon.

~~~
rsynnott
I think you may be surprised. Microsoft has done this before; they see
something which is apparently working for a competitor, and run with what they
think is a logical extension, without necessarily thinking it through that
well. Windows Vista's very, very animated but ultimately not useful Expose-
like thing (Flip3D) springs to mind.

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giberson
Wow, what an incredibly large step towards censorship. Considering that Metro
is arguably half of windows 8, I see windows 9 not even having a desktop mode
in which case you will be able to run no app that hasn't passed the censorship
filter.

It's a shame, I was really liking a lot of what windows 8 was bringing to the
table too.

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josteink
Great to see that HN thinks this is bad now the _Microsoft_ does it. Back when
Lion and its app-store was discussed not a single comment with a positive
score opposed this.

Personally I am mostly negative to this idea no matter who does it, but I am
also willing to give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt here. At least they
haven't messed it up _yet_. Apple has already proven that they are willing to
abuse that sort of power and I can't understand why anyone would trust them
again.

Hopefully the walled gardens (all over) will prove to be a temporary thing,
although I can't say I see any signs of that happening yet.

------
AndrewDucker
I would not object to this as much if the Windows store wasn't just filtered
based on malware. But it's filtered on content as well.

Which means that if you want to write a Metro app that MS doesn't approve of,
then you can't.

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thought_alarm
The rule of thumb seems to be this: if iOS does it then Metro will do it too.

~~~
ryanhuff
You could also put it as: if consumers demonstrate an appetite for it on iOS,
then Microsoft will give it to them too.

~~~
thought_alarm
Naturally. That's the "Zune" strategy.

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nhangen
'distribution of traditional desktop applications will proceed as usual. “Open
distribution: retail stores, web, private networks, individual sharing, and so
on” will be allowed, Microsoft says. Metro apps, on the other hand, will be
“Distributed through the Windows Store. Apps must pass certification so that
users download and try apps with confidence in their safety and privacy. Side-
loading is available for enterprises and developers.”'

Sounds like this only applies to Metro apps, which will probably fall just as
flat as Windows Phone 7 did.

------
7952
It is better to see Metro as a layer on top of the windows OS. It isn't really
competing with desktop apps, but with web pages.

The average consumer has more tabs than windows on their taskbar. Windows is
becoming irrelevant. Microsoft wants to coax people away from their web
browser, and back into native apps. A closed app store is a good way of
offering that in a secure, simple, and profitable way. Desktop apps never
succeeded in all three of these things.

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pnathan
Well, I suppose this is all right if you want to have a no-malware curated
garden, where the high priests tending the Great Machines tell you what
software you can run, and what software is good for you.

I'll keep driving and turn down Linux Lane, thanks.

------
johngalt
Users would prefer developers pay Microsoft, rather than pay geeksquad
themselves.

------
wavephorm
Apple -> IOS -> App Store

Google -> Android -> Android Store

Microsoft -> Metro -> Windows Store

The computing world is clearly going all vertical, all the time, and I can't
be alone in being fed up with it. I think this locked-down environment that
Apple has persuaded everyone to be comfortable with is eventually going to
break down. I can't see any compelling reason why anyone would build 3
versions of their service to support the mobile platforms, and deal with 3
gatekeepers, 3 ecosystems. It just spreads any single developer out too thinly
to be feasible. We are definitely going to see HTML5 mobile websites really
starting to gain a foothold, because it's the only way to escape the
gatekeepers and build a unique brand.

See Twitter.com on an iPhone for a great example of how a lot of mobile web
apps are going to look. Apple, Google, and Microsoft can collectively go suck
an egg.

~~~
r00fus
You have confirmation bias. For every one of you (and me) who are fed up with
vertically-controlled distribution models, you have 10 people who literally
_could not use their computers_ because they can't figure out how to
install/use their software (let's not even get into hardware maintenance or
data backups).

Metro/iOS to the rescue... this will be a godsend for them, and Microsoft sees
Apple laughing all the way to bank (and wants in on that action).

