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The Slippery Slope of an App Store, and Why Windows Should Never Adopt It

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Re: The Slippery Slope of an App Store, and Why Windows Should Never Adopt It

#3
Did he seriously write that entire article without bringing up Steam?

Wake up and smell the coffee, Windows users: you've had an app store for seven years now, and its primary target (gamers) are actually pretty damn happy with it now. If they branched out and sold regular apps (not that they would, it seems too dilutive for the brand) you'd basically have a pretty competent Windows App Store. (I can see it now: "Achievement Unlocked, 10 page paper")

Re: The Slippery Slope of an App Store, and Why Windows Should Never Adopt It

#4

Thought Windows was already going to adopt it in Windows 8. I think the Mac app store would encourage a lot of adware(aka spyware) because consumers like free apps and developers would like a steady revenue stream.

adware != spyware.

Re: The Slippery Slope of an App Store, and Why Windows Should Never Adopt It

#5
post #3

Did he seriously write that entire article without bringing up Steam? Wake up and smell the coffee, Windows users: you've had an app store for seven years now, and its primary target (gamers) are actually pretty damn happy with it now. If they branched out and sold regular apps (not that they would, it seems too dilutive for the brand) you'd basically have a pretty competent Windows App Store. (I can see it now: "Ach…

Even more so than Steam there is Impulse from Stardock which has an active software section. They not only have their own software but from 3rd parties as well.

I should note that the post was written by one of our writers and I don't necessarily agree with him which I will be writing up a rebuttal type post, so thanks for reminding me of Steam (which I use all the time).

The other one to keep an eye on is OnLive, which right now is just games but rumor has is looking at movies as well so it would be a short step to include software.

Re: The Slippery Slope of an App Store, and Why Windows Should Never Adopt It

#6
> But if we are to follow precedence set by other Apple products, the Mac will become more closed than ever, with the Web as our only option to access the outside world. Much like the iPhone and the iPad. As a Mac owner, the writing is on the wall, a closed computer is my future.

Em, the "other Apple products" mentioned were never open to begin with. And they are not general purpose computers.

The Mac, on the other hand, always had XCode built-in. I don't see a "closed computer" in the near future...

Re: The Slippery Slope of an App Store, and Why Windows Should Never Adopt It

#7
He makes a few good points: Linux has had this for years, and they have done quite a good job with it (especially with the Ubuntu Software Center). But, as he says: Linux only has 1% market share. Mac OS X has almost 10% market share. If Linux has used this concept to good effect for years, why is it a bad thing that it's now being exposed to a more mainstream computing audience?

Re: The Slippery Slope of an App Store, and Why Windows Should Never Adopt It

#8
post #6

> But if we are to follow precedence set by other Apple products, the Mac will become more closed than ever, with the Web as our only option to access the outside world. Much like the iPhone and the iPad. As a Mac owner, the writing is on the wall, a closed computer is my future. Em, the "other Apple products" mentioned were never open to begin with. And they are not general purpose computers. The Mac, on the other h…

XCode is not built-in. You have to download it. It is free but you still have to make that effort.

Re: The Slippery Slope of an App Store, and Why Windows Should Never Adopt It

#9
post #6

> But if we are to follow precedence set by other Apple products, the Mac will become more closed than ever, with the Web as our only option to access the outside world. Much like the iPhone and the iPad. As a Mac owner, the writing is on the wall, a closed computer is my future. Em, the "other Apple products" mentioned were never open to begin with. And they are not general purpose computers. The Mac, on the other h…

Em, the "other Apple products" mentioned were never open to begin with.

Right, which indicates that Steve's preference is for closed systems. Every argument Apple makes in favor of locking down iOS devices applies equally well to Macs.

And they are not general purpose computers.

Only because of artificial limitations.

I don't see a "closed computer" in the near future...

I believe with 60% probability that by the end of 2015, Apple won't sell any consumer-targeted products that allow root access or installation of arbitrary software.

Re: The Slippery Slope of an App Store, and Why Windows Should Never Adopt It

#10
post #8
post #6

> But if we are to follow precedence set by other Apple products, the Mac will become more closed than ever, with the Web as our only option to access the outside world. Much like the iPhone and the iPad. As a Mac owner, the writing is on the wall, a closed computer is my future. Em, the "other Apple products" mentioned were never open to begin with. And they are not general purpose computers. The Mac, on the other h…

XCode is not built-in. You have to download it. It is free but you still have to make that effort.

Actually, it ships on the Mac OS X install media. I have been pleasantly surprised that this is still true. It comes as cold comfort when you find that you have to download a new XCode anyway because the one on your DVD is way too old, but still, it is there.

Obviously they don't install it by default: For 99.5% of Mac customers all it would do is take up space and add risk of confusion.

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