It's not hampering though, the "average user" can often get apps from elsewhere. Mainstream companies offer binaries available from their websites (Chrome, Slac

It's not hampering though, the "average user" can often get apps from elsewhere. Mainstream companies offer binaries available from their websites (Chrome, Slack, etc.) that don't require the App Store at all -- but most will have a signed Developer ID too (among other reasons) prevent the Gatekeeper bypass being needed. Homebrew's search isn't better if the average user isn't familiar with or used to the command line. The "possible unnotarized .dmg archives" is a straw man and distracts from the main point -- GP just doesn't want to spend the $99/year. You've now got multiple people stating that your understanding of view of the average user seems substantially skewed, maybe it's worth taking a look at that.