The Windows App Store: A Step Forward or a Misstep?
Let’s first take a step back and assess the digital landscape. App Stores emerged primarily on mobile platforms, offering a plethora of applications at users’ fingertips. Be it games, tools, or productivity apps, there was something for everyone. These stores guaranteed not only ease of access but also a certain degree of safety and trustworthiness, knowing that the apps you’re downloading have gone through checks and verifications.
In the PC realm, software acquisition, by contrast, was a more scattered affair. Users could easily download software from myriad websites, but this freedom also came with risks. How many times have you stumbled upon a shady website offering free software, only to infect your PC with malware?
This is where Microsoft saw an opportunity. With the advent of the Windows Store, later renamed the Microsoft Store, they envisioned a curated marketplace. This store would not just centralize apps, but would also promote their new Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps — touch-friendly, modern, and inherently safer due to sandboxing. It was a clear attempt to bring the mobile App Store experience to the desktop.
But herein lies the rub. Microsoft was not only late to the App Store party but was also met with criticism on multiple fronts.
Redundancy was a frequent critique. Many felt that the traditional way of acquiring software on Windows was straightforward enough. Download an executable, click through the installer, and you’re good to go. Did Windows really need a marketplace, especially when third-party sources were so easily accessible?
The restrictiveness of the App Store was another bone of contention. The free-spirited ethos of the internet — where any developer could design and distribute software — was curbed. Developers now had to play by Microsoft’s rules, signing up for developer accounts, paying fees, and adhering to guidelines. While this was hailed as a move towards security and reliability, many developers felt it stifled creativity.
Moreover, in its early days, the Microsoft Store was accused of being inferior in its offerings. Popular applications that made Windows the powerhouse it was were missing from the store. And performance? Many users found it wanting. This lackluster performance was in stark contrast to the reliable desktop programs users had become accustomed to.
Lastly, the ghost of Linux hovered over the entire endeavor. Many accused Microsoft of merely emulating what Linux had done years prior. With its array of package managers and portable application formats, Linux seemed ahead of the curve. Was the Windows Store just an imitation of the Linux blueprint?
