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The Windows App Store is Full of Pirate Streaming Apps (torrentfreak.com)
Ernesto Van der Sar, reporting for TorrentFreak: When we were browsing through the "top free" apps in the Windows Store, our attention was drawn to several applications that promoted "free movies" including various Hollywood blockbusters such as "Wonder Woman," "Spider-Man: Homecoming," and "The Mummy." Initially, we assumed that a pirate app may have slipped past Microsoft's screening process. However, the 'problem' doesn't appear to be isolated. There are dozens of similar apps in the official store that promise potential users free movies, most with rave reviews. Most of the applications work on multiple platforms including PC, mobile, and the Xbox. They are pretty easy to use and rely on the familiar grid-based streaming interface most sites and services use. Pick a movie or TV-show, click the play button, and off you go. The sheer number of piracy apps in the Windows Store, using names such as "Free Movies HD," "Free Movies Online 2020," and "FreeFlix HQ," came as a surprise to us. In particular, because the developers make no attempt to hide their activities, quite the opposite.
Whats the news here?
Is Microsoft still trying to push some kind of app store on Windows users? Has anyone really been there yet?
The windows App Store is a terrible thing for corporate it. People want it and we of course have to be the bad guy and say no but there's no good software in there save for a couple new office 365 tools that ms won't release as win32 packages.
It's a wasteland of copyright infringement and blatant theft of trade dress. There's no way in hell I'd give my systems access to it, but I have no problem letting company devices use apples or googles stores because it is far better controlled.
Apple and google stores are not perfect on this front but MS is a joke.
And how many of these DOESN'T contain malware?
- Don't do what I do, it's probably not healthy nor safe. -
Perhaps Britain should declare war on Windows the same way they have on Kodi. It would make at least as much sense.
How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
I compare the Windows app store to going to a garage sale. It's just a bunch of stuff people didn't want but still want to recoup some money out of it.
My issue with Microsoft has always been, good ideals that are poorly implemented and their modeling seems backwards doing things like Windows 10S before creating a livable store for apps. Or creating a workable mobile OS before launching mobile phones that simply are not impressive. Whoever does planning at Microsoft is completely backwards in priorities.
It doesn't work.
Come on, how can this be new to anybody.
Are you living under a rock?
I think the news here is that someone actually browsed the Windows Store
Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.
Proof that nobody bothers with the Windows app store. If even the RIAA/MPAA don't bother with it, you know it's dead.
(An advertisement for Windows?)
Still not going to run Windows on my PC.
Got rid of that chain 10 years ago. Not going to shackle myself again.
Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
Free Software and/or Open Source Software
Gotta promote at the bottom somehow, right?
See even Microsoft doesn't care much about it. Their own employees don't look at it enough to remove illegal apps.
The thing is, Microsoft have a TV and movies section to compete with iTunes/play/amazon.
Pirate apps would thus deprive them of revenue.
Perhaps msmash meant to use the term copyright infringing streaming app. That is the correct legal definition.
Using the word "pirate" to describe "copyright infringement" frames the argument. Any first year debate student understands the tactic.
I prefer my news to be factual and free of biased terms.
If the RIAA/MPAA aren't filing takedowns on this software, then the only two reasons that make any sense are:
A. Nobody browses the Windows Store, even the RIAA/MPAA orMicrosoft's 'content monitoring' team.
B. These apps are up there to provide a source of illegal services so that Microsoft's remoting monitoring and anti-piracy services can flag the end users in order to send more of those copyright infringement shakedown letters to people who are both stupid enough to still be using windows, and doubly stupid enough to be using 'free video' apps from the Windows store (no doubt being mentally handicapped enough to be unable to install software the old fashioned way, or do install steam, gog, or another media download service that already provides alternatives.)
There's also apps called 'browsers' who can be used to buy knives, guns, viruses, chemicals, bomb-building materials, cars to run people over..., not only apps violating some imaginary 'intellectual' 'property'.
That's good news. Usually, the malware is inside Windows ; now it's outside.
Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
Who doesn't want a continuous stream of rapey pirates issuing from their device?
I pretty much spoiled it with the subject line, but when you get to this point of the article, it's obvious why the "problem" is happening:
WTF is a screening process? Why would Microsoft have one?
Last I saw, there are two important things going on with MS Windows:
1) Nobody gives the slightest fuck about quality. If you need quality software, it would never occur to you to use MS Windows. The bar is low.
2) Windows doesn't require its users to use a centralized repository the way that iOS does. The Windows Store is merely a reaction to Apple's store, not something that users want or need.
It would not make any sense at all for Microsoft to be "screening" the software on the Windows store. Users don't care about it, and on a platform with such low standards, nobody is asking for it. There simply isn't any incentive at all.
And that's ok. Caveat emptor. Microsoft doesn't owe their users any sort of "don't get yourself in trouble" help. It's up to the users to figure out which video apps are legal (and therfore probably "safe") and which are pirate (and therefore exposes users to liability). That isn't Microsoft's concern. If the users wanted to stay out of trouble, they wouldn't be using Windows in the first place, since Windows is the platform to go to, if you want to become part of someone's botnet.
If you want screening, use Debian or a derivative. And even then, screening can only take on certain forms (basic qualities, security, etc); you can't assume that your copy of rsync or whatever, has been vetted by a lawyer as not being able to pirate. Ultimately, for any platform, it's up to the user.
That the term "blockbuster" and "The Mummy" appeared in the same sentence together. That movie received much hype from the studious but absolutely none from anyone else. To be honest I forgot it existed. Maybe it's mentioned in the pirating apps because that is the only way anyone would ever want to see it?? hmm..
That's hilarious that they think of those examples, combined, as "multiple platforms." You damn well know that it doesn't just work on PCs; it's going to be Windows-specific PCs. Mobile is also going to be Windows too, and you won't find a shred of software for iOS or Android in the Windows store. This is basically about one platform. You can be charitable and say xbox is a second, but you are stretching to do Microsoft a favor when you do it, and everyone sees through your bullshit.
HAHAH!! Micro$oft, AMARIGHT?
And how about that airline food, boy does it suck!!! HAHAHA!!
So why not the Windows system?
Hence the reason why this is something worth reporting.
But, hey, you gotta get your hate-on and fit in with the "cool kids", don't you?
Who close down "pirate sites" because it's got rampant piracy, even if there is every attempt to keep piracy off it, but do not apparently know that windows app store is a far worse rampant pirate site, as shown by the fact that it's still open and Microsoft are not in the dock for trillions of dollars of infringement.
So, yes, it IS news.
Why would I go to the Windows App store to get free HD films when I can already get those in The Pirate Bay? /sarcasm
I think the poster is venting because they wasted precious time of their lives believing piracy is the end of creative content.
Let me play you a sad tune on this here fine cassette player, I recorded it from the radio. -no doubt it lost billions over the years.
(Almost posted without a much needed (by some) sarcasm flag. Phew!)
I beg to differ, they hid them in the best place possible, the MS App store! Guaranteed to not be seen by anyone!
I would have posted this on my Lumia 635, but as the browser keeps crashing, as it's ALWAYS done, had to post my Mint laptop.
Therefore not a target to go after, since there is no cash to be made and only the possibility of angering a "content provider" that plays ball with inserting trusted path that doesn't trust you, the owner, with the computer you bought. Piss MS off and they may not push such malware on all Windows OS users.
Piracy has always been microsoft's biggest ally...
They may pay lip service to anti-piracy efforts, but were it not for piracy microsoft wouldn't be in the position they are in today. Microsoft depend on lock-in and inertia, and a huge proportion of those users who are locked in got that way with pirate versions.
If you couldn't pirate windows or its applications, then millions of users would have found something else that they could obtain for free, which would likely have resulted in millions more linux users. Many users can't or won't pay for software, and in eastern europe, asia and africa pretty much all software is pirated.
If there were that many active linux users, there would be very little (if any) windows specific software out there, it would be much easier for users in the west to switch away from windows and many would do so. windows if it still existed at all would end up as an expensive niche brand, rather like osx is, running on expensive niche hardware.
http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
There are two different practical meanings of "copyright infringement".
The mainstream media often uses the term "piracy" for the former but not the latter. What unbiased term would you use to unambiguously refer to each of these two different shades of copying?
Windows doesn't require its users to use a centralized repository the way that iOS does.
Windows 8 did not. Windows RT did. Windows 10 does not. Windows 10 S does.
It would not make any sense at all for Microsoft to be "screening" the software on the Windows store. Users don't care about it, and on a platform with such low standards, nobody is asking for it. There simply isn't any incentive at all.
The incentive for "screening" is to avoid liability for contributory and/or vicarious infringement on the part of developers who publish their apps to the Store.
I went there once. I was using the new calculator and wanted to report how much it sucked, so I tried the feedback button. Then windows told me it didn't know how to handle it and told me to check the app store. The app store couldn't find anything to do either, so I eventually found the windows 7 calculator from a 3rd party source
So you're saying that even with giving Linux away for free, people prefer to pirate Windows.
That's an odd thing for an advocate to be asserting.
Look at how they have to keep leaping from supplier to supplier to keep going. Yes, they've not yet been shut down completely. Then again, neither has TPB, but plenty of other places have been closed.
Torrentfreak is a problem since it doesn't allow the RIAA stance to go unchallenged.
It's an issue because Torrentfreak get hassled and there's nothing being done to microsoft's actual endorsement of piracy.
You shouldn't have tried to install Linux on your Lumia 635. Now it's buggy and unstable.
You know, MS says that if use there fancy Store, stuff like this doesn't happen.
This just proves app stores are a bad idea regardless of OS.
So you're saying that piracy is good for closed source software. That's an odd thing for an advocate of copyright to be asserting.
You sure you want to undo the copyright laws like that?
Is Microsoft still trying to push some kind of app store on Windows users? Has anyone really been there yet?
I've been there - both on the PC & phone versions of the store, & both are equally worthless. Most of the popular apps that are advertized are not there on either, and the ones that are happen to be pretty worthless!
Not only is Windows 10 Mobile dead, I suspect the same is almost true of Windows 10 on the desktop. My next desktop/laptop will be a Mac.
If you couldn't pirate windows or its applications, then millions of users would have found something else that they could obtain for free, which would likely have resulted in millions more linux users. Many users can't or won't pay for software, and in eastern europe, asia and africa pretty much all software is pirated.
Nonsense, at least when it comes to Windows proper. Pirating Windows 7 involved binary hacks and crap like unplugging the internet during activation, and blocking certain patches that would have negated it. MSFT did a pretty thorough job.
Like any anti-piracy scheme, it's a cost benefit tradeoff. How much engineering time do you want to put it, and how much can you inconvenience your users? Whatever you do, if there's a will, there will be a way.
I suspect the same is almost true of Windows 10 on the desktop
If you play PC games, you run Windows. There's no change to that on the horizon.
You don't seem very good at pirating. Here's how most people pirate Win7:
Step 1: Run DAZ loader and click the big activate button
Step 2; There is no step 2, you're already done...
Whooooosh.
What do you think that loader does? You know, computers are good at automated steps, especially when it only involves writing data to files.
Why help the copyright cartel.
To help build outrage in the general public as a means of encouraging them to make their own movies instead of relying on those produced by the cartel.
The Linux World is essentially a void, an unknown and a hostile place even to a lot of tech savvies. People just don't want to bother with too much technicality so they stick with Windows and pirate a lot of things. Without knowing there are actually better open source alternatives, I for one have tried to find the perfect Windows music player paid or not they all suck. Not until I went with open source and found Cantata.
The only thing that the windows store offers is updates to programs that happen without me having to click anything. Similar to how apps are updated on android tv
Does your 635 have Windows 10 on it? Theoretically not compatible unless you have the near-unobtainium 1G RAM version, but it works (thru Insider). 8 (when not using the browser) was more stable and could shoot vids, but 10 is cleaner otherwise (and the browser works) in between the weekly reboot. But then ... I mostly use it as just a phone/text/email device, so the lack of enough RAM doesn't really get in the way.
Does Linux actually work on a 635? In particular, does it still work as a phone? With Win10 support for 1511 (the last version of 10 that works on the 635) ending this fall, and the hardware still working, an alternative would be useful ... the main one otherwise being several $100 for an Android that will have to be thrown away in a year or 2.
Are you sure that's the browser crashing? Or is it the Slashdot mobile site?
You can always download, use SpeedCrunch: http://www.speedcrunch.org/, it's free, open source, and powerful.
I liked my ZuneHD. It work really well. Had a couple of fun games on it.
Now the Zune software needed to upload songs to it was a pile of steaming shit. Guess they wanted to be feature complete with iTunes.