5 ms·

You will be able to install the software you want on the computer you own without going through some corporation's central "store"? The fact that this is surpri

You will be able to install the software you want on the computer you own without going through some corporation's central "store"? The fact that this is surprising or noteworthy is just sad.

canadianfella 5y ago
Who said it was surprising?
least 5y ago
If APKs were normal Windows executables I'd agree with you. But given that they're not, there's not really an expectation that they'd just work.
- klodolph 5y ago
  Exactly—also given that side loading was, for a brief moment, a Windows Enterprise-only feature, if only for Metro apps.
- IshKebab 5y ago
  What does the fact that they are not PE exes have to do with expectations about sideloading? Would you not expect to be able to side load a .jar either?
  - klodolph 5y ago
    Microsoft previously disabled side loading of Metro apps. This happened in the Windows 8 era. You either had to purchase a side-loading key (per machine) or use Windows Enterprise. My memory of the details is fading, thankfully, but I think side loading was disabled for 8.0 and 8.1 (without a key), and the restrictions were removed or relaxed in 8.2.
- croes 5y ago
  Parent was talking about side loading without store, not that Android Apps work on Windows. So it shouldn't be anything special to install whatever file format you want on Windows regardless the source.
  - least 5y ago
    That's absolutely not the same thing. I can download APK files all day on just about any operating system I want. That isn't equivalent to "installing" them.
    - croes 5y ago
      It's not about the file type but the file source. On Windows the source of file to install bis irrelevant, so side loading is not a feature. So why is new that you can install files that are not from a store? Install APK? That's new. Sideload a program? Not new, it's windows standard. Here some news for you. You can even side load Exe files and MSI files. See, nothing special. APK yes, side loading no.
      - deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
      - least 5y ago
        Side loading is a term that in the context of Android applications is well understood to be installing android applications that are not on the Play Store. It is not a synonym for downloading files to your computer system nor is it a synonym for moving files between two devices.
        croes 5y ago
        >It is not a synonym for downloading files to your computer system nor is it a synonym for moving files between two devices Actually, it is: "Sideloading describes the process of transferring files between two local devices, in particular between a computer and a mobile device such as a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet, portable media player or e-reader." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideloading https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideloading Additionally side loading refers to mobile devices not desktop PCs.
        least 5y ago
        Yes, I suppose you absolutely can refute my point if you choose to discard the first half of my statement which specifies the scope. Words can have different meanings under different contexts, and I'm providing you that context, which is important for understanding what people are talking about here. Please stop being obtuse.
- selfhoster11 5y ago
  They are not normal executables, but they sure are normal Android executables. I don't see how that changes the expectations about being able to execute them.
  - jayd16 5y ago
    "Normal" (as in most common) means Google Play Store native apps. That's a lot of functionality to shim.
    - a1369209993 5y ago
      Sure. And 'normal' ELF executables link against libc and will not work if it's missing. If you want to argue quality-of-implementation[0] issues, go right ahead, but that's not the same problem as requiring code signing/app store. 0: ie, that windows doesn't really support APKs because it doesn't provide the APIs needed for them to work properly
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
bobiny 5y ago
I'm not sure ownership applies to today's software. When you buy it and get security updates for some time - sure, but when you get new features in mandatory updates it washes out what the actual product is. Maybe you don't want new features? Best you can do with Windows 10 is postpone updates for 35 days.

You will be able to install the software you want on the computer you own without going through some corporation's central "store"? The fact that this is surprising or noteworthy is just sad.

canadianfella 5y ago

Who said it was surprising?

least 5y ago

If APKs were normal Windows executables I'd agree with you. But given that they're not, there's not really an expectation that they'd just work.

klodolph 5y ago
Exactly—also given that side loading was, for a brief moment, a Windows Enterprise-only feature, if only for Metro apps.
IshKebab 5y ago
What does the fact that they are not PE exes have to do with expectations about sideloading? Would you not expect to be able to side load a .jar either?
- klodolph 5y ago
  Microsoft previously disabled side loading of Metro apps. This happened in the Windows 8 era. You either had to purchase a side-loading key (per machine) or use Windows Enterprise. My memory of the details is fading, thankfully, but I think side loading was disabled for 8.0 and 8.1 (without a key), and the restrictions were removed or relaxed in 8.2.
croes 5y ago
Parent was talking about side loading without store, not that Android Apps work on Windows. So it shouldn't be anything special to install whatever file format you want on Windows regardless the source.
- least 5y ago
  That's absolutely not the same thing. I can download APK files all day on just about any operating system I want. That isn't equivalent to "installing" them.
  - croes 5y ago
    It's not about the file type but the file source. On Windows the source of file to install bis irrelevant, so side loading is not a feature. So why is new that you can install files that are not from a store? Install APK? That's new. Sideload a program? Not new, it's windows standard. Here some news for you. You can even side load Exe files and MSI files. See, nothing special. APK yes, side loading no.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - least 5y ago
      Side loading is a term that in the context of Android applications is well understood to be installing android applications that are not on the Play Store. It is not a synonym for downloading files to your computer system nor is it a synonym for moving files between two devices.
      - croes 5y ago
        >It is not a synonym for downloading files to your computer system nor is it a synonym for moving files between two devices Actually, it is: "Sideloading describes the process of transferring files between two local devices, in particular between a computer and a mobile device such as a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet, portable media player or e-reader." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideloading https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideloading Additionally side loading refers to mobile devices not desktop PCs.
        least 5y ago
        Yes, I suppose you absolutely can refute my point if you choose to discard the first half of my statement which specifies the scope. Words can have different meanings under different contexts, and I'm providing you that context, which is important for understanding what people are talking about here. Please stop being obtuse.
selfhoster11 5y ago
They are not normal executables, but they sure are normal Android executables. I don't see how that changes the expectations about being able to execute them.
- jayd16 5y ago
  "Normal" (as in most common) means Google Play Store native apps. That's a lot of functionality to shim.
  - a1369209993 5y ago
    Sure. And 'normal' ELF executables link against libc and will not work if it's missing. If you want to argue quality-of-implementation[0] issues, go right ahead, but that's not the same problem as requiring code signing/app store. 0: ie, that windows doesn't really support APKs because it doesn't provide the APIs needed for them to work properly

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

bobiny 5y ago

I'm not sure ownership applies to today's software. When you buy it and get security updates for some time - sure, but when you get new features in mandatory updates it washes out what the actual product is. Maybe you don't want new features? Best you can do with Windows 10 is postpone updates for 35 days.