Comments on: Microsoft bricks up the door to freedom with the Windows Store’s ‘walled garden’ http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/ Digital Trends is your home for technology news, CE product reviews, mobile app reviews and daily videos. Mon, 20 May 2013 22:19:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: cmsmith http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-495373 cmsmith Sat, 23 Feb 2013 04:06:49 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-495373 As a consumer shouldn’t everyone have the right to install what they like on their own machine?

For businesses shouldn’t they be able to easily install line-of-business systems as they do now. Win8 Style apps can only be distributed via the store. It makes zero sense for business.

Why allow their environment to be controlled in that way by another company?

]]> By: cmsmith http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-495372 cmsmith Sat, 23 Feb 2013 04:04:08 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-495372 If we support this style of system the limits for business are huge. Could you imagine if your Line of business system required a critical upgrade but you had to wait for a week or two while this was reviewed and approved? “Sorry we can’t process your order, take your payment, send an invoice for a week or two”

Yes – you can install old-style desktop apps but why even bother supporting the environment that will eventually be closed. I realise the iPad/iOS world is currently like this – the big difference is my iPad/iPhone is not a critical system for my business or that of my clients. Windows 8 targets across all platforms, desktop or otherwise. I understand there is sideloading – but why go through the pain and step cost for this?

It makes absolutely no sense for any business to invest in Windows 8.

It makes absolutely no sense for any consumer – who would not want a system they were free to install whatever they like?

]]> By: DazzaJ http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475328 DazzaJ Sun, 04 Nov 2012 00:14:36 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475328 The number one reason that many don’t touch Apple is because of their fanatical cult like attitude of “You will ONLY run what WE say you can run! ” and everyone is meant to reply ” Oh yes great messiah, we obey!” in a toneless response.

Now Microsoft are trying to go the same way! It makes no sense.

The real winner out of all this could be linux including Android providing Google doesn’t follow suit by disallowing non playstore apps.

And also, WHO gave these companies the divine right to state what is right or wrong, or what is acceptable or morale?

We definitely don’t need another Apple!

]]> By: John Liu http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475217 John Liu Sat, 03 Nov 2012 03:16:00 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475217 Are these comments directed towards Windows 8 or Windows RT? Legacy is in no way “gutted” in Windows 8. Desktop mode is still there and still a core feature that has been in no way “walled” off. What users and IT managers now have is a choice to deploy through desktop mode or, to deploy via the App Catalog (both public and internal) if they want cross-device functionality. As a consumer, you are not restricted in any way from going on any site, downloading an .exe and running it.

Granted Windows RT does not have legacy and functions only on apps, but running on a different chip architecture can have that effect. Then again, the intention is to create a curated environment, geared towards consumers and internal enterprise deployments.

The Start button has been rebranded as the Start menu. The desktop is still there and as featured as it as ever been

]]> By: John Hendricks http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475207 John Hendricks Sat, 03 Nov 2012 01:22:12 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475207 No worries, we have Windows for Facebook/Games…Ubuntu Linux for serious work…..

]]> By: Ian Bell http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475206 Ian Bell Sat, 03 Nov 2012 01:15:46 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475206 What advantage would opening up the system give consumers?

]]> By: memelo http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475201 memelo Sat, 03 Nov 2012 00:17:58 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475201 But competing closed systems will force each other not to misuse their power.

Lets hope the European Commission will force MS to open up the system. I highly doubt Romnama’s Corporate America would do anything about it.

]]> By: Sean Balas http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475189 Sean Balas Fri, 02 Nov 2012 21:50:02 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475189 Steve Jobs is laughing in his grave.

]]> By: Aimee Taylor http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475190 Aimee Taylor Fri, 02 Nov 2012 21:50:02 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475190 “Your app must not contain content or functionality that encourages, facilitates or glamorizes illegal activity”

]]> By: Aimee Taylor http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475191 Aimee Taylor Fri, 02 Nov 2012 21:50:02 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475191 So there goes those Racing and Shooter games. right?

]]> By: Angus Fox http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475186 Angus Fox Fri, 02 Nov 2012 21:16:51 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475186 This is a very well thought out and I think essentally very accurate assessment of the state of now.

It may be worse than you think, because of course the company in charge of the OS can end of life previous versions at the drop of a hat, and make them obsolete extremely quickly by introducing new API’s or hardware that you must have that makes staying on older versions difficult.

This takes a long time, but it is inexorable.

Apple for what its worth look to be bricking up Mac OS X a little bit more with each release. It used to make a virtue out of Unix underpinnings and X11, MySQL and Java being more or less built in and tier one supported technologies. Now several of those technologies are being removed or sidelined. I bet Apple would love to close Mac OS X down completely, but they can’t quite get there. If Microsoft can with Windows 8 then I think Apple might try harder.

]]> By: Brad Chacos http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475185 Brad Chacos Fri, 02 Nov 2012 21:06:39 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475185 Android runs on an open-source mobile OS that Android updates yearly and manufacturers custom-skin as they see fit, for one thing. Windows 8 and Windows RT won’t suffer from the same problem; Microsoft controls the core OS.

Also, Apple has also been criticized repeatedly for the heavy-handed way it controls the iOS app selection, as I touched on in the article. As I say, I don’t mind the idea of a curated app store by default — just give users the chance to “sideload” non-WIndows Store apps as Android and Apple’s own OS X do.

]]> By: Ian Bell http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475183 Ian Bell Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:49:12 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475183 What I thought.

]]> By: Brad Chacos http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475182 Brad Chacos Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:48:05 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475182 Indeed it is!

]]> By: Ian Bell http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475181 Ian Bell Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:47:42 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475181 Hey, if it works for Apple, why not? I have heard a ton of negativity about Google Play in regards to quality control, issues with incompatibilities with various Android phones etc. Sounds like a good idea to me.

]]> By: Ian Bell http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475180 Ian Bell Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:46:41 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475180 Is Steam not a closed system too though?

]]> By: Max Gelber http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475177 Max Gelber Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:19:18 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475177 I am more in the mind of them being ‘better safe than sorry’ than trying to be iron fisted about content. Especially if users have to pay for it. Why would they really turn down a revenue stream for the hell of it?

]]> By: Caleb Denison http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475167 Caleb Denison Fri, 02 Nov 2012 19:43:34 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475167 Not necessarily, Max. I’m not against Microsoft protecting itself. But there’s a difference between Microsoft looking out for its business interests and Microsoft deciding what I can and can’t add to my list of Windows 8 apps. If I want to use “offensive software exhibit: A” , in Windows 7 or Windows 8 desktop mode, I can download it, install it and use it.

But if I want to use “offensive software exhibit: A”‘s app, I can’t? Why not? I’m choosing to use it. I have to go out of my way to get it, and I can be forewarned that what I’m about to get is offensive as a reminder…just in case I suddenly forgot. The app could even require a passcode just in case a kid accidentally touched the tile (assuming that accessing a touch-screen app is easier than double-clicking an icon, which is debatable) But Microsoft says No. Is it because it is now hosting it and, therefore, somehow more liable than it was before? Just wondering what the legal concerns really are, that’s all.

]]> By: Max Gelber http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475153 Max Gelber Fri, 02 Nov 2012 19:11:53 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475153 Is there something necessarily wrong with Microsoft wanting to protect themselves from someone wanting to program an App that may contain incredibly offensive material? Not in a philosophical manner, but strictly business wise?

]]> By: Brad Chacos http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475147 Brad Chacos Fri, 02 Nov 2012 18:20:42 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475147 Glad you liked it, Caleb! Indeed, there are a bevy of ways around the Metro apps/Windows Store lock-down, but alas, it seems as though Microsoft wants an iOS-like level of control (and an Apple-like 30 percent cut of app profits, in-app purchases excluded).

]]> By: Brad Chacos http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475146 Brad Chacos Fri, 02 Nov 2012 18:19:13 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475146 It definitely could be, but I don’t think Microsoft’s going to be locking out Gimp and Thunderbird any time soon. (And I’m not just saying that because I use them both!)

]]> By: Neghvar http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475140 Neghvar Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:52:19 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475140 This could also be a way to lock-out free open-source software and setup deals with other major software publishers. No more Gimp, just Adobe Photoshop. No Thunderbird, just Outlook. No libre or open Office, just MS Office. This could be abused on so many levels and so many ways

]]> By: Neghvar http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475139 Neghvar Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:48:13 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475139 This is one of the reasons Valve is testing the Steam platform on Linux (Ubuntu). Blizzard also has this idea on the table, though nothing is confirmed.

]]> By: Caleb Denison http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475137 Caleb Denison Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:41:51 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475137 Spot-on, Brad. It seems this walled garden is more about Microsoft protecting Microsoft than it is Microsoft looking out for young and easily-offended users. There are a myriad of ways Microsoft could implement “parental controls” without drawing such a hard line. Moral police, indeed.

]]> By: Robert Burnham http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-bricks-up-the-door-to-freedom-with-the-windows-stores-walled-garden/#comment-475134 Robert Burnham Fri, 02 Nov 2012 16:58:41 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com/?p=387783#comment-475134 “Your app must not contain adult content”

Well there goes my dream of getting a subscription to Nuts magazine on the Zinio mobile app.

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