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Microsoft Removes Google's Chrome Installer From the Windows Store (theverge.com)
Not too long after Google published a Chrome app in the Windows Store, Microsoft removed it, claiming it "violates our Microsoft Store policies." The Verge reports: Citing the need to ensure apps "provide unique and distinct value," Microsoft says "we welcome Google to build a Microsoft Store browser app compliant with our Microsoft Store policies." That's an invitation that Google is unlikely to accept. There are many reasons Google won't likely bring Chrome to the Windows Store, but the primary reason is probably related to Microsoft's Windows 10 S restrictions. Windows Store apps that browse the web must use HTML and JavaScript engines provided by Windows 10, and Google's Chrome browser uses its own Blink rendering engine. Google would have to create a special Chrome app that would adhere to Microsoft's Store policies. Most Windows 10 machines don't run Windows 10 S, so Google probably won't create a special version just to get its browser listed in the Windows Store. Google can't just package its existing desktop app into a Centennial Windows Store app, either. Microsoft is explicit about any store apps having to use the Edge rendering engine.
And they wrote chrome for iOS....
Mike @ The Geek Pub. Let's Make Stuff!
No alternate browser to diagnose Edge failures.
To the three people who still use the Windows store.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
in the middle of the night with a huge sigh of relief. He'll be able to keep his job for years.
It's a pain when the platform monopolists refuse to play well with each other.
OTOH if they did get too close, that might be alarming (think Russiagate). So this is just as well.
Long live Firefox.
my last Windows operating system I will use. I have 1 workstation at my office and one in my home office. I will not move to Windows 10 in any form.
I also run OS X, iOS and of course Linux workstations. All my servers are Linux servers.
In my mind this is a great move by Microsoft they have finally pushed things to the point that I won't keep a Windows Workstation around in the future.
Look, you can hate me for being a Facebook user, I don't give a shit. My life, not yours.
That aside: Facebook's port of their iOS app to Universal Windows Platform doesn't use EdgeHTML, either. They bring a full port of the WebKit engine, on top of their own reimplementation of the Cocoa Touch (iOS) APIs (which Facebook got by acquiring a stealth-mode startup called OSmeta in 2013.) WebKit is clearly used, in DLLs JavaScriptCore_osmeta.dll, WebCore_osmeta.dll, WebKit_osmeta, and WebKitLegacy_osmeta.dll. It becomes more painfully obvious if you e.g. make a post or comment with a link to a page that displays the browser's User-Agent, as opening the link in-app should (by default, unless configured otherwise) use the in-app webpage preview, revealing the User-Agent string for the WebKit engine embedded and used, instead of Microsoft's EdgeHTML.
If Microsoft was to be truly fair, Facebook's apps would get yanked from the Microsoft Store as well.
Microsoft was determined "to cut off Netscape's air supply" in the day. Don't use Windows 10 S, or Chromebooks, or any "browser is the OS" system. We need independent browsers and net neutrality. Mozilla need to stop screwing up their opportunities as well.
Wow, Microsoft have balls vs Google? That's so un-Nutella...
I can't count how many times I've encountered mobile versions of websites that crash both safari and chrome on iOS, but works fine in Chrome on Android. I can sometimes get around it on iOS by loading the desktop version of the site, but not always.
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
I seriously doubt that any slashdot member is going to be using Windows 10s, so this is a non event.
Well congratulation on MIcrosoft shooting itself again. Microsoft already has problem attracting people to write for Window Store. Windows 10 S will be like Windows Phone and Windows RT
Fuck Microsoft.
This is one small example of what happens when vendors are given a venue to leverage their positions in order to dictate terms. No doubt with all of the spyware baked into Edge they don't want anyone cutting into or otherwise disrupting their spyware.
All OS vendor app stores should be banned outright for being anti-competitive or vendors should be required to provide a viable mechanism to support alternative stores with alternative policy.
Emulate the entire Chrome browser in pure Javascript inside Edge. Then submit the entire 200MB monolithic mess to the Windows Store and watch Microsoft roll over with approval.
It would be a fantastic April Fool's Day joke. "We met your store policies and produced this for fun to show the entire world that you are being ridiculous. Maybe just accept Chrome?"
What's a "Windows Store"?
> claiming it "violates our Microsoft Store policies."
They really mean "It violates our monopoly." The DOJ's prosecution of Microsoft for Anti-trust was farce. A slap on the wrists after they let them keep the bank they'd stolen.
> "he primary reason is probably related to Microsoft's Windows 10 S restrictions. Windows Store apps that browse the web must use HTML and JavaScript engines provided by Windows 10, and Google's Chrome browser uses its own Blink rendering engine. Google would have to create a special Chrome app that would adhere to Microsoft's Store policies. Most Windows 10 machines don't run Windows 10 S, so Google probably won't create a special version just to get its browser listed in the Windows Store."
Oh the humanity!
Google should just delist Windows 10 S from their google searches. Or delist Microsoft entirely. Love it when titans battle. Pass the popcorn.
Just like every other stupid, non-standard Windows version ever produced.
It's a waste of time, effort, money and people's patience with Micro$3it.
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
Personally I've just never upgraded beyond Windows 7, as I just don't see any utility for any of the latest updates. Yes, I a am concerned about keeping my security updated. But other than that I just don't care. And of all the people I know that do use 10 I have not yet met a single person that gives a damn about the S version at all. The two people I know that had a device with S eventually got ride of the device entirely thanks to their dislike of the product as a whole.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
To be entirely honest, after using Windows 10 for an entire year at work, I've gone and acquired an app from the Windows Store exactly once only. That app? Ubuntu for the Windows Subsystem for Linux. I think this about sums up how relevant the Windows Store is.
The companies that were pushing for "Net Neutrality" are blocking products and services from each others' platforms.
Out of my many many many contacts NO ONE uses Microsoft Store. I don't see this as a problem. If you want Chrome just download it as simple as that.
If Microsoft's products were better then people would use them, instead of them hacking to resort to anti competitive practices
When an advertising company makes a free browser its not just a free browser, its an ad delivery system.
That browser is so ready for ads and tracking even Microsoft had to think of the user's privacy?
Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
I told you so! - Ajit Pai
Windows Store apps that browse the web must use HTML and JavaScript engines provided by Windows 10.
So all those apps include Windows 10 telemetry?
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
You still think it's about net neutrality, not handing the internet over to the cops via CALEA.
So Microsoft insists that all "browsers" on Windows 10 be backdoored with their internal, opaque, closed source rendering engine?
Windows 10 S is essentially Windows 10 RT for intel devices. I'm gonna go with no.
The only thing it violated was Micro$oft's ability to be a monopoly.
remember youtube on amazon echo? In the end, it is about google's indirect revenue model.
They want it all for themselves.
Lol. Windows 10 is for slaves.
This is the major reason most programmers ditch windows 10 and windows phone, Microsoft is not letting innovation happen; I guess it will be windows98 again, why to make innovative apps if Microsoft keeps making everybody at their own level? How to compete with their programsif they can do anything to make their apps look superior and if any program seems good they will make their own version.
I better keep making retris clones or rebranded Internet Explorer
When a company does something pushy like "mandate the Edge engine for web browsing" you have to wonder as a free citizen what kind of bad stuff the Edge engine is doing that Microsoft needs you to have it so badly. Is it the fastest at snooping?
Impositions are mostly meant to provoke failure, rejection even hate and, ultimately, losses. If you want to create some kind of monopoly to impose your rules, you should rely on a different approach; something on the lines of: coming up with a comprehensive but incompatible with anything else format, allowing everyone to freely rely on said format and, once most of people have accepted that format as the new standard, enjoying your monopoly-like benefits. A real-life example? What Microsoft could have done with Windows 10.
Imposition can only be delivered by those being relevant under the given conditions; a nobody in that context trying to impose whatever on others is a sad joke. Even in case of actually being in a position to impose something, having this behaviour is rarely a good idea because of its negative effects on your dominant position and rarely delivering the best possible outcomes. Nobody accepts impositions unless getting what they want; some people might even not mind lose something valuable to them on exchange of not tolerating random impositions. If you have nothing of value to offer to the given audience, trying to impose whatever isn't just non-optimal but plainly ridiculous.
Custom Solvers 2.0 = Alvaro Carballo Garcia = varocarbas.
I may be alone in hoping this drags on.
It's one of those cases where neither side deserves sympathy - it would be good if both could 'lose' after much public mudslinging.
Though as someone once said "when elephants fight it's the grass that gets trampled" - still nice to watch these two waste time, money and energy squabbling
Its disturbing to see Microsoft be so petty about Chrome. Clearly Microsoft is bitter about Chrome being so popular across all aspects of browser users. So much so Microsoft has begun to create this walled garden of Windows and the Microsoft app store. Play by our rules or you can't come in. This will all backfire on Microsoft in the long run I think.
I agree with everything you wrote. But because neither end users nor web developers are in a position to fix it, they must work around it.
End users End users can switch rendering engines by selling their iOS or Windows 10 S device and using the money to purchase a device capable of running a different rendering engine: either a desktop or laptop PC or an Android device. Web developers When only one web browser engine is allowed to run on a particular platform, and this engine has defects, I guess whether a web developer would find it worthwhile to attempt to work around these defects depends on the platform's usage share among the website's target demographic. As of fourth quarter 2017, iOS is probably worthwhile, while Windows 10 S isn't.When you can't complete, you just ban them. - Microsoft.
"I'll play that game" - Google
"Me too" - Apple
"Me three" - Amazon
I get it Microsoft, You want Windows 10s to be secure and use minimal battery and you can't do that if you allow every Centennial wrapped x86 application into the store, but you need to make allowance for Chrome or you will lose market share. We hate Edge because it's lack of extension support. Look at demographics and you see that schools and younger generation prefer Chrome. My wife is in college and their blackboard school software doesn't even render well on Edge. I get it that Windows 10s is a low cost, secure and curated environment; a competition to Chromebooks touted as Windows for Education. Maybe if UWP Apps catered to developers and were actual popular. But let's be honest. Windows 10s will NEVER build momentum without Chrome. and sadly as a Microsoft fanboy, I saw: "Let it die."
The restriction in question is listed under "Security" in the Microsoft Store rules so they are probably worried about 3rd party web engines being insecure if used to render arbitrary web content (e.g. think about the times devices like the iPhone and the PS4 were hacked into via a bug in WebKit)
With Edge they can push a fix for any such holes right away and not have to wait for 3rd parties to fix it (and while they wait for a 3rd party fix any locked down systems like Windows 10 S are potentially vulnerable to being "jailbroken" via the exploit)