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Notch Won't Certify Minecraft For Windows 8
MojoKid writes "The backlash against Windows 8 from various developers continues, but this time a game's creator isn't just expressing discontent. Notch, the developer behind smash hit Minecraft, has declared that he won't be working with Microsoft to certify Minecraft for Windows 8. Note that this doesn't mean Minecraft won't run on Windows 8. The certification process in question is Microsoft's mandatory rules for submitting content to the Windows game store. In order to be listed there, an application must be Metro-compatible and conform to a laundry list of other conditions. The real problem with Windows 8 is that it locks ARM users into a second class experience. If you buy an x86 tablet, you can download programs from SourceForge, GitHub, or any file mirror. If you're an ARM user, you can download programs from the Microsoft store and that's it. The bifurcated permission structure is the problem, and it makes WinRT tablets categorically impossible to recommend for anyone who values the ability to install whatever software they please."
Notch developed most of the game by himself in the beginning. Then when he started hiring people Jeb eventually took over development and Notch doesn't do any code for minecraft anymore. So yes, he did develop the main base game by himself, but anything that's happened in the past year(?) has been all Jeb and the other developers.
Also I'd say it's more the press taking his tweets and blowing them up rather than him being some kind of PR supergod, almost every single one of his tweets ends up on some news site somewhere, even the inane ones. What's he supposed to do about that, stop tweeting altogether?
Not to mention he's just saying what we're all thinking. ;)
Regardless of the fact that he may be whoring for attention, he does make a valid point. How are you going to explain to consumers that Windows RT and Windows x86 aren't' the same when they are being marketed under the same brand? It's going to be very confusing.
I'm an indie game developer. I'll compile and test on Win XP, Vista, Win7 (besides Mac, Linux & Android -- hell, I've got an experimental BSD branch), but I am boycotting Windows 8, including the x86 version expressly because of the ARM version.
I'd rather only release on Android and other Linux boxen (and go back to construction laborer part time) than encourage anyone, especially MS, that a locked down operating system is OK. (Note: iOS isn't up there -- It's dead to me)
I'd say Microsoft shot itself in the foot here, not by enacting the walled garden (which is bad), but by not releasing a compat layer to run WinRT executables on earlier versions of i386/amd64 Windows.
No one is really going to port stuff just for porting sake, and the API is quite different, with no obvious upsides. As for users, there are three groups:
* Windows Phone 8: laughed at, and without software it's a chicken-and-egg problem
* Windows 8 for business: no sane business is going to migrate for 5 or so years
* Windows 8 for home users: they don't upgrade for the (non-existing) coolness factor but by getting Windows with replacement hardware
Thus, the only real way to get actual users for WinRT software in the short term would be making it possible to run it on Windows 7 (and if they really cared, even XP). With no users, there will be no serious developers.
The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
Please explain how Android has a walled garden? Last time I checked I can install applications without using google play/market
Not to mention that he quite happily did minecraft pocket edition for the ipad, an ARM ecosystem that is just as restrictive as the Microsoft app store on windows RT.
No hypocrisy there, no siree.
Consumers went 'ohhh, walled garden, totally restricted to one vendor, apple decides what apps I'm allowed to install, awesome' and bought the things by the utter truckload.
The most common complaint about android is that Google doesn't exercise ENOUGH control over the OEMs to prevent fragmentation
Is it any surprise that Microsoft went 'seriously? A walled garden where we get to cream a big slice of profit on every bit of software is what customers want? Alrighty then!'
Remember kids, it's all fun and games until someone commits wholesale galactic genocide.
... and the impending death of Windows/PC as an open, general-computing platform by the hands of Microsoft. He didn't mention tablets once in his tweets.
body massage!
If you were earning millions and millions, would you want to give 30%+ away to MS or Valve, for very little beyond a billing system and content hosting?
Not really greed, just good business sense, IMHO.
This, 100 times this.
Regardles of what gui you perfer or if you think Linux is a pile of crap or amazing, the main reason to use windows is because it has all the software and an OS is primarilly just a tool to run software.
Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
The Linux developer who touts the convenience and safety of his distro's repository isn't in a position to complain when other operating systems move in the same direction.
I have absolutely no problem with app stores having a curated listing of items. Its when that stores is the only method I can get software I have an issue. That's why I don't mind Google's Play Store (for apps), while its the default on my phone I can easily enable side-loading of apps on to it.
And that's exactly how my Linux distro's work as well ...
Valve does not prevent a developer from distributing games through any other mean, and there is no lack of concurrence in the Digital Game Delivery market. Self-publication is very cheap, and platforms like Steam are intended for developers that are ready to invest money to respect Valve's conditions, in exchange for an improved revenue through a better exposition to gamers that are used to buy their games.
This is quite different from the current Microsoft and Apple tactics of using their power as an OS provider to extract a "gatekeeper tax" on all programs sold for their platform.
While I agree Windows without the ability to run Windows programs is fucking POINTLESS what's sad is everybody getting their panties in a wad about "ZOMFG WinRT won't be able to download anywhere but the appstore....just like Apple, which everybody camps out around the block to buy ZOMFG!" oh the irony is thick and juicy when it comes to everyone having a fit over THAT.
What I wanna ask this guy is "Where the FUCK were you man when Apple was pulling the very same shit? I was pointing out it was a walled garden and sucked ass and wouldn't have their products for free because of it, where are YOUR complaints and pledges not to buy Apple Notch?"
Double standards are double standards and this is NO different than what Apple does, and considering that pretty much the entire Ballmer tenure as head of MSFT has been to see what Apple does and then copy it poorly (Zune,Kin,Sidekick) is this REALLY surprising that they would ape the living shit out of Apple? After all Apple is the biggest company in the world, people just throw money at them and their appstore, why shouldn't MSFT ape somebody that makes money?
If you don't like the MSFT appstore please, join with me in not buying anything WinRT. But at least have the honor and decency of not being a hypocrite and boycott all Apple products that likewise use a locked down appstore as well. I hereby pledge that I Hairyfeet will NEVER own a WinPhone, WinTab,iPhone, or iPad. Not if you were to give it to me , not if I can buy one and get one free, I will not take them on a boat, I will not take them with a goat, I will not take appstores in a can, I will NOT take them Sam I am!
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
Just because you can hack around a policy doesn't mean that policy should be widely accepted. I don't want my support status, or even legal status, reduced to blind luck.
You can crack a game to get it to run properly and hardly anyone will know, but if a business starts getting in involved with hacks and tricks just to get their damn software to function, they could be staring into a potential lawsuit... provided they're unlucky enough to get caught.
I get really pissed when people say walled gardens aren't a big deal because it's wicked easy to get around them. Of course they're a big deal... to certain types of people. Some people are unlucky enough to get slapped with million dollar lawsuits because they got caught downloading a file. If 99.9% of people don't get caught, does that mean it's not a big deal if that small percentage practically have their lives destroyed by chance? Will the majority still stick up for the rights of the minority, or is it every person for himself?
How to get around the policy is not the problem. The policy is the problem, and people certainly should be more vocal about it.