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Microsoft To Bring Windows 8 Marketplace In 180 Countries

Posted by samzenpus on from the check-the-list dept.

First time accepted submitter mugi writes "The Microsoft Windows Marketplace was so far only available in 63 countries, and only 38 of those were allowed to submit apps. But now, Microsoft is planning on expanding that list considerably and has announced to bring the new Windows 8 Marketplace to over 180 countries at launch."

69 comments

  1. and only US will buy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    and so it goes

    1. Re:and only US will buy by oztiks · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I quite like the MS marketplace is as, it's like AppStore minus the shit.

  2. Microsoft by kthreadd · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Just for comparison, from how many countries are users allowed to submit from to the Ubuntu Software Center?

    1. Re:Microsoft by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      all of them

    2. Re:Microsoft by obarthelemy · · Score: 1

      This feels like a loaded question ^^

      --
      The Cloud - because you don't care if your apps and data are up in the air.
    3. Re:Microsoft by Sir_Sri · · Score: 2

      Perhaps a better question is how many are capable of doing so and who's definition of a a 'country' do you want to use. Microsoft not making available a store to a country that doesn't exist according to the US or that partially exist through another country (like some of the small pacific island states) isn't an easy comparison.

      The Windows phone website lists the Macau special administrative region of china specifically, but to me that's really just part of the Peoples Republic of China, so is that really 179 countries, and the moment you start asking questions like that you start realizing that the number of 'countries' in the world is actually hard to count.

      Then of course you have the practical realities to deal with. Not on the list for windows phone are north korea, syria or Iran (although it only lists "Korea" that's the local form both entities would used to describe themselves as they are both the government of the entirety of Korea). That's not microsoft excluding them, that's the US government excluding them and MS being caught up in it as a US corporation, and any US linux vendor would have the same problem.

      At 180 countries you're pretty much hitting everyone with internet that isn't under sanctions and the differences between lists of 'countries' start to depend very much on what you care to count as a 'country'. Technically England and Scotland are separate countries, but both are part of the country of the United Kingdom of Great Britain (along with wales northern ireland and the crown dependencies etc.).

      Another example. The first alphabetical difference on the list of WP8 countries and the list of countries on http://www.listofcountriesoftheworld.com/ is
      Akrotiri, any area on the island of cyprus that is legally part of the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, which as a single entity form a British Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. Confused yet?

      Technically Canonical is based in the UK I think (according to their legal page), so they will be bound by UK (and therefore EU) rules presumably on who they can and can't do business with or even give technology away to. If there is a total embargo on syria for example, well guess what, no new ubuntu downloads for syria.

      Remember sourceforge has had to block Iran Sryia, north korea sudan and cuba (and I think some others).

      For MS to have 180 countries seems like they've hit basically everyone in the world they reasonably can accounting for sanctions, unless there are some african quasi states, pacific micro states, or disputed areas that are not being counted nicely.

    4. Re:Microsoft by marcosdumay · · Score: 0

      Ah, but that is only 150 and something.

      Microsoft has just created 30 countries on Mars, so that you have more options with the Windows Marketplace.

      --
      Rethinking email
    5. Re:Microsoft by psnyder · · Score: 1

      207, or 190 without sovereignty disputes. So Microsoft expanding to 180 is only missing between 10-27 countries in the entire world.

  3. 180 marketplaces? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's nice. I will not buy anything in any of them.

    1. Re:180 marketplaces? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's very interesting to hear. I will now be calm knowing that. Thank you for sharing your deep inner thoughts.

    2. Re:180 marketplaces? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm glad, I want this to be a spectacular failure for the desktop tablet market.

    3. Re:180 marketplaces? by kthreadd · · Score: 1

      Since the only viable option right now is Apple I would like this to succeed, Linux on tablets have so far been more of a catastrophy IMHO. Sure there have been some successful book readers which have had a Linux kernel buried deep inside them, that's not what I'm talking about. I want anything to start beating Apple no matter if it's from Microsoft or not. I don't want a monopoly-like situation again like with Windows in the late 90s. We need some competition and Microsoft is actually on to something here.

    4. Re:180 marketplaces? by BanHammor · · Score: 2

      I see Android tablets in any store that sells tablets, exluding Apple-only ones, of course. You can't really ignore that.

    5. Re:180 marketplaces? by kthreadd · · Score: 0

      It's true that Android /uses/ Linux, but that's more of a technical detail. Almost no one who buys one actually knows that it's running Linux and when it's at that point it's not really that interesting. In some sense it comes back to the Linux vs. GNU/Linux discussion, but I grew up thinking that Linux was more than just a kernel and with Android it feels like Linux is just the kernel. That makes me a bit sad and is why I don't really consider Android tablets to be Linux tablets.

    6. Re:180 marketplaces? by BanHammor · · Score: 1

      It is only the kernel, yes. However, the userland of Android is open source too. I really see that Android is the best thing that could happen to a FOSS OS in a mobile space, where the usual GNU+Linux often proves impractical.

    7. Re:180 marketplaces? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You got it backwards, it's the FOSS OS that was the best thing that could happen to Android.

    8. Re:180 marketplaces? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      I grew up thinking that Linux was more than just a kernel

      You were wrong.

      and with Android it feels like Linux is just the kernel.

      That's because it is, just as it is with every other Linux distribution.

      That makes me a bit sad

      You were wrong, get over it. If you really want Ubuntu or Gentoo or RHEL or Debian or whatever on a tablet then go do it, but no one wants your idea of Linux on a tablet, however millions of people want Android, which is also just as much Linux on a tablet.

      and is why I don't really consider Android tablets to be Linux tablets.

      But the fact is they are as much Linux tablets as a tablet running Ubuntu or Gentoo or whatever, your inability to understand what Linux is doesn't change that.

    9. Re:180 marketplaces? by tehcyder · · Score: 2

      That's nice. I will not buy anything in any of them.

      I can see why you posted as AC on slashdot with a daring, controversial opinion like that. It makes a real change to see an anti-Microsoft comment here.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  4. I'm a slashdotter, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    and now i will say that this news is bad or not interesting just because Microsoft gets named in it

  5. what about rules that may bar some apps in some Co by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    what about rules that may bar some apps in some Countries?

  6. Who's left out? by Mabhatter · · Score: 2

    There are only 192-194 countries... Who's left out?

    1. Re:Who's left out? by kj_kabaje · · Score: 2

      I could be wrong, but more than likely the axis of E-vil and other countries MS would be prosecuted for trading with.

    2. Re:Who's left out? by Teresita · · Score: 0

      Reading between the lines, they found 180 countries with at least one Windows 8 phone user. The twelve or fourteen other countries that "didn't make the cut" didn't have a single user.

    3. Re:Who's left out? by Robert+Zenz · · Score: 1

      Given that Microsoft is U.S. based, most likely all countries which have an embargo on them, like Kuba...and if you find a Patent Troll which has a Patent on the Market-thingy, the U.S., too. ;)

  7. Re:what about rules that may bar some apps in some by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Then that app won't show up in that country. For example, in the USA, many apps will be banned because they violate some ludicrous 'software patent' such as 'swipe to unlock' or 'searching multiple data sources'. In more reasonable countries there will be more apps available. However, I hope they do a better job of figuring out where people are than Google does. For example, the Google Play store won't let me buy a Nexus 7 as it says it is not available in my country. This is from my work in San Ramon, CA (our proxy server is right there onsite). It thinks we are in Mexico - however we are in the San Francisco Bay Area. When I drive home (38 miles) it knows my Comcast connection is in the US (and I was able to order). I can't find anywhere to report this error to Google (I may be lame at looking, but I tried for 2 hours). I guess this is because Google doesn't "do" support. I hope Microsoft gets this right. Otherwise I may be able to get an app that is OK in Mexico but not allowed in the USA just by driving to work... (Yes, that last was a bit tongue-in-cheek).

  8. Firehose should have binspammed this by AliasMarlowe · · Score: 3, Informative

    Just for comparison, from how many countries are users allowed to submit from to the Ubuntu Software Center?

    All of them, including those which are not generally recognized (Somaliland, etc.) as independent states, provided they have an internet connection.
    BTW, your question (a bit tongue-in-cheek) is just as newsworthy as TFA. Which is to say, not newsworthy at all.

    Slashdot has descended too far down the slippery slope of perdition, and continues to plummet at a depressing speed. In days of yore, commercial propaganda stuff like this "story" would have been stopped in the firehose as binspam.

    --
    Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire
    1. Re:Firehose should have binspammed this by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 1

      In "Days of Yore," there was no stinkin' firehose, and it wasn't needed. It was two steps up from being Cmdr Taco's blog, and it featured what interested him. I say that not with derision but with fond affection and remembrance.

      Of course, it got a bazillion pageviews, made no money, and then started to be copied by other sites who *wanted* to make money, so it was either take the paid slashvertisements or get steamrolled.

    2. Re:Firehose should have binspammed this by Rogerborg · · Score: 2

      ...then he employed his stoner dropout friends as 'editors', they replaced themselves with very small shell scripts, he married his bucktoothed farmgirl and it was happy ever after.

      Honestly, I only come here for the trolls and lulz these days.

      --
      If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
    3. Re:Firehose should have binspammed this by ShawnX · · Score: 1

      Wholeheartedly agree with you, is it too late to save Slashdot? The deterioration of Slashdot is no surprise, considering everyone wants click-view revenue more and more, creating a stench of crap.

      --
      Everyone wants a Tux in their life.
  9. Windows 7 is the last MS OS I will use by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So long, and thanks for all the crap.

  10. Re:If I wanted an Apple I'd buy one by Iceykitsune · · Score: 1, Insightful

    \Google copies Bing because of fear.

    It is the other way around buddy

    --
    GENERATION 24: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation. Social exper
  11. Re:If I wanted an Apple I'd buy one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Nice try, dick cocker, but Google actually stole a shit ton of Bing features. Also: http://searchengineland.com/bing-why-googles-wrong-in-its-accusations-63279

  12. As much as I dislike... by Darkness404 · · Score: 2

    As much as I dislike the "Applization" of Windows 8 and some of their really stupid new "features" I have a feeling it will be one of my more used OSes until a good Linux distro comes out like how Ubuntu was until a few years ago. Mint with MATE comes close, but to be honest I'm not sure how well MATE (and Cinnamon, etc.) development is going in regards to fixing bugs and security issues since many GNOME applications will need the new libraries.

    Someone, please make a Ubuntu for 2012!

    --
    Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
    1. Re:As much as I dislike... by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 1

      This is not about Windows 8, actually. TFA is about Windows Phone 8, and the submitter (or the editor?) was clueless enough to confuse the two.

    2. Re:As much as I dislike... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Good, we needed more confusing Microsoft branding right about now

  13. Wrong title and summary by Eirenarch · · Score: 1

    The article clearly states that it is not about Windows 8 but about Windows PHONE 8 which is quite different.

  14. It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by Karmashock · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Why would you localize an internet sales portal? You want it to work the whole world over.

    Accept all payment systems that are in the 21st century from VISA to paypal to whatever. Translate the whole thing into as many languages as you can find.

    It's unforgivable for a company to have a problem accepting a customer's money. This is a darwin award level error.

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    I've decided to stop wasting my time responding to AC trolls/sockpuppets... so if you want a response from me... login.
    1. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by Missing.Matter · · Score: 1

      If only it were that easy, but I image the rationale for doing it this way is a mix between accounting/financial reasons and content censorship reasons various countries impose.

    2. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by khipu · · Score: 1

      You'd do it for two reasons.

      First, different countries want to extract different amounts of taxes.

      Second, developers love to extract the maximum amount of money from customers by charging more in "rich" countries and less in "poor" countries.

    3. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A small, moneyless, company can get away with that, but Microsoft would end up breaking some stupid law and being sued for bajillions of dollars. Plus they aren't allowed to sell to Iran (and others), because, as you know, the only thing stopping Iran from nuking everyone is not having the Metro app to do so.

    4. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by Karmashock · · Score: 1

      Then we'll pirate.

      This is the 21st century and the consumer has globalized. If they want to treat us like crap then we can return the favor.

      As to taxes... do those apply to online purchases of software? Never paid sales tax in my life for that. And I've run sales through the US, europe, and Japan. I'm well traveled and have lived in different countries. Never paid a tax for a digital download.

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    5. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by pushing-robot · · Score: 1

      In a world where some professionals earn $5/day and some earn $500/day, it seems quite fair to price software accordingly.

      Do you also get upset at child and senior discounts?

      --
      How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
    6. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by Karmashock · · Score: 1

      Put paper chains around my wrists and watch how they hold me.

      You can adapt to the 21st century or go the way of that which fails to adapt.

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    7. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by cnettel · · Score: 1

      Sales tax most certainly does apply for digital downlaod transactions within the EU. However, there have been disputes regarding which tax should be applied. Stating that the app store vendor is in e.g. the U.S. will not necessarily hold water, either. That's precisely the kind of issues that MS needs to handle in some way.

    8. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by Karmashock · · Score: 1

      is it within the eu?...

      See, the issue here is that you don't need to localize payments at all.

      You put up a portal where people can pay. If the money clears the transaction goes forward. Why is it my responsibility to tell the host nation what people bought and sold on my site?

      No doubt countries pass laws to this effect all the time. But then they've past laws to declare pi equal to 3.

      Laws that are inherently unenforceable are stupid. If physical goods are coming into the country maybe you can track that. But digital downloads? Hopeless.

      Maybe MS would have a hard time ignoring these laws being such a large target. But the internet is full of hundreds of thousands of companies selling software.

      How many of them do you think care where you're from or apply a sales tax on the purchase? Just about none of them.

      All you're doing is making an argument against a unified payment portal. Maybe that's the solution. Keep the little companies with their separate merchant portals.

      --
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    9. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by Exrio · · Score: 1

      Ah, you have no idea how refreshing it is to see (read?) someone who gets it. Both this and your comment on the CLI article are spot-on. :-)

    10. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by khipu · · Score: 1

      Laws that are inherently unenforceable are stupid. If physical goods are coming into the country maybe you can track that. But digital downloads? Hopeless.

      But they are not "unenforceable". Microsoft has plenty of seizable assets, and they are being held responsible for their business practices.

    11. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      Put paper chains around my wrists and watch how they hold me.

      You can adapt to the 21st century or go the way of that which fails to adapt.

      It's nice to know that, whatever century you're in, there are always smug, self-satisfied, over-entitled fucktards around to try to fuck things up for everyone else.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    12. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      Why do you think digital sales have some special status that puts them outside the realm of being taxable? The fact that criminals may find it possible to avoid doesn't prove anything. People still smuggle guns, drugs and teenage prostitutes despite there being laws against them. That doesn't mean that we should just abandon the idea of countries, governments and the rule of law entirely.

      Except in the minds of whacked out libertarians, I suppose.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    13. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by Karmashock · · Score: 1

      I'm not a sniveling cringing peasant. If you want to kowtow before any fool in a big hat that's your own business.

      I'll just remember that when you're getting oppressed it isn't my business to help you. After all, you apparently like getting mud kicked in your face. I'm not a peasant. I'm a coequal member of my society. Anyone that wants to treat me otherwise will find the result. I'm clever enough that I can walk through most rules without breaking a single law. There are loopholes bored through these systems that are obvious if you know where to look. Major corporations always use them. I see no reason why I can't. If you want to wear paper chains and grub around in the mud like a pig... that's your own business.

      I do not kneel. Try force me down and you'll grab nothing but smoke. I'll be gone doing as I please five inches to the left. Grab again... and you'll just get more smoke.

      --
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    14. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by Karmashock · · Score: 1

      yes, against large companies that centralize their payment system... you are right. But against any entity that isn't of their profile it isn't. And by punishing people for using centralized systems you create a powerful incentive for people to do things in other ways.

      Increase the tax and see what happens. You'll just be increasing the incentive to do things in other ways.

      If you make it clear that you'll punish people for doing things in a traceable and comprehensible manner then people will just do things in a way that can't be traced or managed by your enforcement wing.

      It's not like it's hard. It's dead simple. And it's not illegal to do it this way either. This is a big problem governments have in general. They tend to punish people that help them. Those that avoid government attention generally speaking are left alone even though they're doing the exact same thing and aren't breaking the law.

      Punish people for helping you and they'll stop helping you.

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    15. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by BeanThere · · Score: 1

      Strawman much?

    16. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by Karmashock · · Score: 1

      It's an international transaction. In what way does it have anything do with their country? If I go to a foreign country and buy a sandwich do I owe taxes in that country or my country of origin? You would say in that country because I'm there. But on line I'm not in my country either am I? No. I'm in their country. So if you should be paying sales taxes to any country it should be to the country that hosts that servers. That is after all where it is being bought.

      And guess where all the servers will move then? To a country or place with zero sales tax.

      Game over.

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    17. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by khipu · · Score: 1

      I don't know what you're trying to argue. The discussion is about why Microsoft is restricting this by country, and I told you why: both because they can maximize their profit and because they want to comply with local tax laws. What's so difficult about that?

    18. Re:It shouldn't be in any countries and in all. by Karmashock · · Score: 1

      Nothing as far as it goes. it's one way of dealing with a problem based on a taxation and legal frame work that is extremely antiquated at this point.

      I frankly find the whole thing to be due a savage update.

      I also question whether MS or the buyer should be liable for the taxes at all. The whole code needs a reboot.

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  15. Re:If I wanted an Apple I'd buy one by khipu · · Score: 1

    Apple is as much an imitator as Microsoft, they are just more successful at misleading people like you through marketing. Apple didn't invent the app store, or full screen apps, or touch screen apps.

  16. Keeping super busy by Tough+Love · · Score: 0

    Nice to see those hard core folks up in Redmond doubing down and keeping themselves super busy. I guess it's good for some comic relief.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    1. Re:Keeping super busy by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Nice to see those hard core folks up in Redmond doubing down and keeping themselves super busy. I guess it's good for some comic relief.

      Seems there are microsofties with too much time on their hands keeping super busy spinmodding Slashdot.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  17. stupid notion of fairness by khipu · · Score: 1

    In a world where some professionals earn $5/day and some earn $500/day, it seems quite fair to price software accordingly.

    The lack of fairness there is that the same skills are rewarded with different salaries, and the cause of that is trade barriers and restrictions on mobility of workers; if products could be traded freely and workers could move freely, then those differences would go away.

    If you want to allow price discrimination, you need strong trade barriers, because otherwise people would just buy in the cheaper market. Congratulations: you have just perpetuated poverty and unfairness.

  18. Bank of Microsoft. by iiiears · · Score: 1

    Coordinating payment from different institutons in different currencies is a profit opportunitty.

    --
    15TW = 15,000 Nuclear Reactors. (Approx. one accident a month.)
  19. Windows Phone 8, not Windows 8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The article is about Windows Phone 8, not Windows 8. Windows Phone has the Windows Phone Marketplace. Windows 8 has the Windows Store.