New Windows 10 feature blocks desktop apps, points to Windows Store instead - gillespiewitimpet

If you're worried about Microsoft locking down Windows 10 PCs and lockup out traditional background apps, this story won't make you feel some better. Microsoft quietly added an interesting feature to Windows Insider build 15042 that can forestall users from installment traditional desktop programs (Win32 apps). Users instead are prompted to download Universal Windows Program (UWP) apps from the Windows Store.

To beryllium clear this feature isn't showing up in a unexclusive build of Windows Dapple—the Windows Store-only interlingual rendition of Windows 10 that recently leaked (though you have to imagine IT will seem in that respect). This is the weak, everyday Insider prevue release of Windows 10.

The new lineament is sour off by default, As first according away MSPowerUser. But for anyone who wants increased security (for a substantial lack of software liberty) the feature is thither.

IT's easy to see situations where someone mightiness desire to go Windows Store-only. On a family PC, for example, this would prevent children from installment something they shouldn't—as long American Samoa they weren't victimization an administrator account. IT departments may also want to use this setting to lockdown PCs in material environments.

Power users, however, will in all likelihood never want to use this feature since IT shuts you off from everything that makes the Windows ecosystem worth using. Steamer, most Microcomputer games, Google Chromium-plate, Firefox, and major image and video editing programs would all be out. The only exception would be any Win32 "Centennial" apps such as Evernote that were re-packaged for the Windows Stash awa.

To find the recent place setting in build 15042, go to the new "Apps & features" area of the Settings app. At the top, low "Installing apps," there is a cast-down menu with three options: "Earmark apps from anyplace," "Prefer apps from the Store, just allow apps from anywhere," and "Allow apps from the Store only."

The first and last options are obvious, but the middle option is a little perplexing. With this option enabled, you wish still be competent to install Win32 apps, but before you get to install it, Windows wish throw upwardly a warning window, as explained by Paul Thurrott. "The app you're installing International Relations and Security Network't from the Windows Store. Limiting installations to apps from the Store helps to keep your PC safe and reliable," the monition says. Then at the bottom of the window there are two options: See more in Store and Install anyway.

The storey behind the account: Assuming this feature makes it into the final reading of the Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft will likely present information technology as a security feature. Apple has done something correspondent on Macs since 2012 with Porter. But for Microsoft, this may same fortunate be the next step towards a UWP-only world on Windows 10.

Walled garden concerns

The UWP program is nowhere near as capable as Win32 right at once, but presumptively it will be one 24-hour interval. The unspoilt tidings is at that place's nothing to prevent developers from creating UWP-supported stores and apps that exist outside, and vie with, the Windows Store. The problem? Windows 10 currently doesn't let you install non-Windows Store UWP apps without turn on developer mode. That's a immense disadvantage that Microsoft may not be too keen to correct—and one that worries Epic Chief operating officer Tim Sweeney.

Could Microsoft get evil in a UWP-only world, keep out its competitors, and savor in the revenue sharing completely developers must bear to publish an app in the Windows Computer storage? Yes, absolutely. Will it? Considering the company's account with anti-trust actions, hopefully not.

But if it does, there's always Linux and, for gamers, the Vulkan graphics API.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/412189/new-windows-10-feature-blocks-desktop-apps-points-to-windows-store-instead.html

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