6 ms·

The most critical useless feature (as it is now) is actually the Windows Store. What is Microsoft doing wrong that makes nobody use it? It could be a revolution

The most critical useless feature (as it is now) is actually the Windows Store. What is Microsoft doing wrong that makes nobody use it? It could be a revolution (selling + updates).

40four 7y ago
I think the only thing I've used it for installing Windows Subsystem for Linux
- kyriakos 7y ago
  Also the beta version of the new Windows terminal
  - sundvor 7y ago
    Yes! And Python.
    - Semaphor 7y ago
      What’s the advantage of the store version of python over the normal installer?
      - trulyrandom 7y ago
        Automatic updates, I'm guessing.
      - atVelocet 7y ago
        Auto Updates.
- throwaway8941 7y ago
  You don't even need it for that. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-manual https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-manual
addicted 7y ago
It does a simple word search, with some sort of sorting based on popularity on the store itself. What MS should do is do a Google search (or a Bing search in their case) and filter out just the app results. Then find the download link, and get you that. And that way the store becomes a storefront for not just "store" apps, but also non store apps, and therefore a comprehensive directory. MS can still provide certain benefits to devs who store-ify their apps, such as updates, easy payments, slightly better placement, etc. But the store needs to be a comprehensive directory for all apps.
asveikau 7y ago
In Windows 8, the Store and the not very good WinRT apps launched together. If they had launched with support for Win32 maybe it could have gotten traction. All your favorite desktop apps could be updated in a fell swoop without leaving junk on the system tray, extra updater services, or prompting you. But they assumed that WinRT would be successful and have popular apps, and instead what they got was a store to install mostly a bunch of apps nobody wanted.
- beatgammit 7y ago
  All they needed to do was get a few popular apps available and people would get used to using the store. On a fresh Windows install, I usually want to following: - Firefox - office suite (Libre Office for me, Office for my wife) - games (Steam) - backup software - video chat - image/video editing Some of these could work just fine with WinRt, others don't. If most of my frequently used programs aren't available through a store, I'll complain about the store. If most are and a couple aren't, I'll complain about those apps. Most apps people want don't currently use WinRT (AFAIK), and many apps probably will never use it (heavy software like games, maya/blender, photoshop/gimp, etc). It's really telling that Microsoft's motivations are when they prioritize the least used platform (and the most beneficial to Microsoft) in a new app store.
  - JohnFen 7y ago
    > All they needed to do was get a few popular apps available and people would get used to using the store. Maybe. But personally, if the store was successful then it would make Windows even more painful than it is now, because inevitably applications would just release to the store and not supply standalone installers. And I really, really want standalone installers.
flukus 7y ago
The store couldn't have been great for enterprises too, replacing custom scripts, click once etc but it's gimped in a few critical ways, like cloud reliance and no way to push upgrades.
- beatgammit 7y ago
  This is one of the reasons Linux is so popular for cloud clusters: it's really easy to completely control updates. Basically, host your own package repository, update on your schedule, then tell all your servers to update as well. Windows has similar tooling for the OS, but it doesn't have an answer for everything else other than a ton of hand-rolled scripts. If the store doesn't make that easier, the enterprise won't use it. This seems like a huge missed opportunity. It should be trivial for an enterprise to curate the store like they can on Linux.
  - IdontRememberIt 7y ago
    Totally agree. But also on workstations. It would simplify so many maintenance tasks (updates, new installation, synchronisation, reinstall, etc.). I cannot even grasp the potential.
zvrba 7y ago
There are some nifty apps, like Grapholite (Visio "lite") and it's reasonably priced as well.
pjc50 7y ago
I believe it only works for UWP apps, thereby making it almost completely useless. Also, nobody wants to give Microsoft a cut of the software price if they can help it.
- jplayer01 7y ago
  Thankfully, it seems the store is improving slowly. https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645609/microsofts-universal-windows-app-dead-microsoft-store-windows-store https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645609/microsofts-unive... I think the Windows Store is incredibly important. Worked as a technician for a while, and the amount of garbage people installed from random sites is mind-boggling. Or programs that hadn't been updated in five years. Non-tech people need a safe source for installing software (that also automatically updates it) and as long as the store wasn't providing a significant amount of useful software (all of which is Win32), it wasn't ever a viable solution. It might be soon.
  - contextfree 7y ago
    The problem is that Win32 apps are inherently unsafe. If you want a safe source for installing software, you need a sandboxed app model, which on Windows means UWP or web apps. Unfortunately the Windows store eventually decided to compromise safety in the hopes of attracting more apps (the container format that Win32 apps in the store use isn't a real security sandbox).
- WorldMaker 7y ago
  Win32 apps have been supported in the Store for a couple years now. You'll find ("real") Office, Paint.NET, Inkscape, VLC, iTunes, iCloud, Photoshop, and more in the Microsoft Store today.

The most critical useless feature (as it is now) is actually the Windows Store. What is Microsoft doing wrong that makes nobody use it? It could be a revolution (selling + updates).

40four 7y ago

I think the only thing I've used it for installing Windows Subsystem for Linux

kyriakos 7y ago
Also the beta version of the new Windows terminal
- sundvor 7y ago
  Yes! And Python.
  - Semaphor 7y ago
    What’s the advantage of the store version of python over the normal installer?
    - trulyrandom 7y ago
      Automatic updates, I'm guessing.
    - atVelocet 7y ago
      Auto Updates.
throwaway8941 7y ago
You don't even need it for that. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-manual https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-manual

addicted 7y ago

It does a simple word search, with some sort of sorting based on popularity on the store itself. What MS should do is do a Google search (or a Bing search in their case) and filter out just the app results. Then find the download link, and get you that. And that way the store becomes a storefront for not just "store" apps, but also non store apps, and therefore a comprehensive directory. MS can still provide certain benefits to devs who store-ify their apps, such as updates, easy payments, slightly better placement, etc. But the store needs to be a comprehensive directory for all apps.

asveikau 7y ago

In Windows 8, the Store and the not very good WinRT apps launched together. If they had launched with support for Win32 maybe it could have gotten traction. All your favorite desktop apps could be updated in a fell swoop without leaving junk on the system tray, extra updater services, or prompting you. But they assumed that WinRT would be successful and have popular apps, and instead what they got was a store to install mostly a bunch of apps nobody wanted.

beatgammit 7y ago
All they needed to do was get a few popular apps available and people would get used to using the store. On a fresh Windows install, I usually want to following: - Firefox - office suite (Libre Office for me, Office for my wife) - games (Steam) - backup software - video chat - image/video editing Some of these could work just fine with WinRt, others don't. If most of my frequently used programs aren't available through a store, I'll complain about the store. If most are and a couple aren't, I'll complain about those apps. Most apps people want don't currently use WinRT (AFAIK), and many apps probably will never use it (heavy software like games, maya/blender, photoshop/gimp, etc). It's really telling that Microsoft's motivations are when they prioritize the least used platform (and the most beneficial to Microsoft) in a new app store.
- JohnFen 7y ago
  > All they needed to do was get a few popular apps available and people would get used to using the store. Maybe. But personally, if the store was successful then it would make Windows even more painful than it is now, because inevitably applications would just release to the store and not supply standalone installers. And I really, really want standalone installers.

flukus 7y ago

The store couldn't have been great for enterprises too, replacing custom scripts, click once etc but it's gimped in a few critical ways, like cloud reliance and no way to push upgrades.

beatgammit 7y ago
This is one of the reasons Linux is so popular for cloud clusters: it's really easy to completely control updates. Basically, host your own package repository, update on your schedule, then tell all your servers to update as well. Windows has similar tooling for the OS, but it doesn't have an answer for everything else other than a ton of hand-rolled scripts. If the store doesn't make that easier, the enterprise won't use it. This seems like a huge missed opportunity. It should be trivial for an enterprise to curate the store like they can on Linux.
- IdontRememberIt 7y ago
  Totally agree. But also on workstations. It would simplify so many maintenance tasks (updates, new installation, synchronisation, reinstall, etc.). I cannot even grasp the potential.

zvrba 7y ago

There are some nifty apps, like Grapholite (Visio "lite") and it's reasonably priced as well.

pjc50 7y ago

I believe it only works for UWP apps, thereby making it almost completely useless. Also, nobody wants to give Microsoft a cut of the software price if they can help it.

jplayer01 7y ago
Thankfully, it seems the store is improving slowly. https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645609/microsofts-universal-windows-app-dead-microsoft-store-windows-store https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645609/microsofts-unive... I think the Windows Store is incredibly important. Worked as a technician for a while, and the amount of garbage people installed from random sites is mind-boggling. Or programs that hadn't been updated in five years. Non-tech people need a safe source for installing software (that also automatically updates it) and as long as the store wasn't providing a significant amount of useful software (all of which is Win32), it wasn't ever a viable solution. It might be soon.
- contextfree 7y ago
  The problem is that Win32 apps are inherently unsafe. If you want a safe source for installing software, you need a sandboxed app model, which on Windows means UWP or web apps. Unfortunately the Windows store eventually decided to compromise safety in the hopes of attracting more apps (the container format that Win32 apps in the store use isn't a real security sandbox).
WorldMaker 7y ago
Win32 apps have been supported in the Store for a couple years now. You'll find ("real") Office, Paint.NET, Inkscape, VLC, iTunes, iCloud, Photoshop, and more in the Microsoft Store today.