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Desktop Apps Shouldn’t Belong in the Windows Store

2 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Daily, I spend a LOT of time in the Windows Store, believe me when I say this. Searching and finding worthy Windows 8 applications might seem an easy job to do, but trust me when I say that it is not like that. And while doing this, I encounter on many new happenings that I share with the community. If you don’t see all the apps, thenfollow the advices in my recent articlein order to overcome that.

What are Desktop apps doing in the Windows Store?

For me, the Windows Store was meant to be a place for applications that can be installed only from the Windows Store, both for Windows 8 and Windows RT. So, imagine my surprise when I found quite enough applications that were in the Windows Store only to guide me to a download link in the browser, informing me that it is an application that will work installed only on the destktop user interface.

Then, I found that Microsoft actuallyhelpeddevelopers list their desktop apps in the Windows Store. What for? Just to gain some free publicity for their programs or Microsoft is simply interested inincreasing the number of their Windows Store apps? Maybe I’m getting this wrong, but why should desktop apps be part of a Marketplace? If Microsoft wants to mimick Apple and Google in their Windows 8 strategy, why are they putting all these apps in the same place?

Imagine the confusion of users one year from now, when they will find in the Windows Store a lot of desktop apps and a lot of Modern UI-optimized apps. I see the good aspect in this, don’t you worry. Microsoft believes that by putting everything together, they’ll help the user discover apps and programs much easier. But I’m just not 100% sure it’s being done right. I don’t want to browse the Windows Store only to find a link to the official app. Or, do I? Opinions are divided here.

More about the topics:windows store

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time).

For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web.

Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they’re looking for.

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Radu Tyrsina