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Android Apps on Windows 11

blogs.windows.com

121–130 of 190 posts

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does "someone can install Linux in a VM on Windows"[1] translate into "ajvs won't be able to use Linux anymore"? I don't see how you can make such a claim with a straight face. [1] WSL is based on Hyper-V virtual machines.

They're already doing it with WSL specific features such as the DirectX driver. https://devblogs.microsoft.com/directx/directx-heart-linux/

Explain how "Microsoft puts a DirectX in WSL" stops you from running Linux in future?

Because it really doesn't seem like it will affect you or what you can do in any way at all.

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Prevent, no. However making your promoted paradigm of software installation rely on repos and package maintainers has lead to practices that make it unlikely that you will find any given piece of software in a form you can just drop onto your system and have it run. If you're really lucky there's a static version or an AppImage, if you're unlucky you're pulling down a docker container of someone's build environment a…

That is on software developers, many of which refuse to package their software. There are Snaps, Appimages, Flatpaks, etc. Free software isn't like Windows where developers are always packaging their software. Package managers don't impact this whatsoever, and what you're basically complaining about is that unpaid contributors make something easier for people that they wouldn't otherwise be able to easily do without…

I'm complaining that the community's reliance on package management has set the expectation that unpaid contributors make software work on the platform.

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you're saying it's only a matter of time before Windows, which is 35 years old, might become a walled garden?

I think this is really unlikely. PC gaming is an increasingly important market for Windows in the consumer space. As more casual users abandon conventional PCs for increasingly capable tablets and smartphones, PC gaming is only becoming and even bigger piece of the pie. The day Microsoft announces that the next version of Windows will be wholly incompatible with player's existing libraries is the day Windows ceases t…

The ace in the hole is TPM. What happens when Microsoft starts shipping a TPM based anticheat and DRM? That would destroy Proton forever and allow them to lockdown Windows.

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you're saying it's only a matter of time before Windows, which is 35 years old, might become a walled garden?

I think this is really unlikely. PC gaming is an increasingly important market for Windows in the consumer space. As more casual users abandon conventional PCs for increasingly capable tablets and smartphones, PC gaming is only becoming and even bigger piece of the pie. The day Microsoft announces that the next version of Windows will be wholly incompatible with player's existing libraries is the day Windows ceases t…

I can't wait for that day! Haha!

Well, I'm crossing my fingers the Valve Steam Deck satisfies my PC gaming needs (probably not though). I hate Hate HATE that more and more games are wanting to install System level services. It's absolutely not acceptable for the same machine my financial info and other sensative info is on has apps digging deep into the system.

I could run 2 machines but that's also a PITA, maintaining both machines and trying to decide when to use one vs the other. A gaming machine is powerful but I also need that power for video editing and other things. 2 VR rigs, one for non-gaming, one for gaming, would also suck. etc....

I want Windows to lockdown like Mac (and sure, you can turn it off?) but I'd like apps not to be able to muck with the system. Games have no excuse IMO.

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#125
post #101

Is this a good move for Microsoft? It feels like what IBM tried with OS/2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OS/2#Windows_3.x_compatibility IBM created a Windows compatibility layer. However, that meant that developers saw that they could write their programs once for Windows and OS/2 users would be able to use the programs. The reverse wouldn't be true. So there was little incentive to create native apps for OS/2 compar…

I don’t think this is much of a difference for me. I have Android, iOS, and Electron/Web developers. Right now we target Windows with Electron, but could use Android in the future. Either way I’m not really building a Windows desktop app that would give Microsoft a moat. I think they realize that. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or maybe I'd even say "people don't like to use terrible app stores unless forced". Unfortunately, all of the commercial ones I have used are really terrible (gPlay, the Apple App Store, the MS Store), though at least on everything but iOS you aren't 'forced' to use them per se, just aggressively encouraged. It's kind of mind-boggling to me that none of them have managed to make an acceptable example, how hard can se…

I don't think Google Play or the Apple App Store are terrible, at least for end-users. They have the apps people want and function as advertised. The Microsoft Store struggled because initially it was limited to UWP apps. Developers could not easily ship their existing Windows software on it. Microsoft shot themselves in the foot by excluding the store from Windows' biggest selling point: it's extensive library of ex…

It's really hard to say if the Apple App store is good for users since user's have no choice there is no way to know. I know for me, searching for apps on the Apple App store is particularly frustrating. So many bad apps trying to scam people for subscriptions for simple apps.

I could certainly imagine a successful Steam iOS store that had a better experience for games than the Apple iOS App Store. Better reviews, better community, better suggestions, and sales (something the Apple App Store doesn't do AFAIK), more ways for devs to connect with users, better store pages with more options for devs, better categories/tags, etc... Also cross platform so buying some iOS game gets me the same game on Android, PC, Mac, Linux, were appropriate

Also Steam allows adult content if that's your thing.

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#128
post #28
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This partnership is a win win between Microsoft and Amazon. Users should be able to install fdroid too

If you can install fdroid, that would be great!

Did some quick search, people on reddit are saying you can install any apk which means you can install it. It remains to see how easy it is to do so though.

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is an objectively true statement.

Only in a world without Linux distros. Something you have to pay money for, agree to a bunch of dubious legalese, and cede control over how your device operates is pretty much the opposite of "open".

[deleted]

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#130
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately another of their strength lies in the 3rd part: "extinguish". It's only a matter of time before their recent software of WSL, GitHub and Android on Windows becomes yet another walled garden.

So you're saying it's only a matter of time before Windows, which is 35 years old, might become a walled garden?

> So you're saying it's only a matter of time before Windows, which is 35 years old, might become a walled garden?

Yes - Microsoft had credible plans to wall-off app installation via an iOS-stye app store. Valve considered this threat to be viable enough, they developed SteamOS and promoted Steam Machines.

Since then, Microsoft has continued its cryptographic crusade to plug all avenues for loading software that's not Microsoft-approved from pre-boot, right up to the userland. Currently, Microsoft already have a turnkey walled garden

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