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Microsoft Prepares To Kill the Windows 8 Store: No New Apps From November (arstechnica.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the funeral-planning dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Windows 8.1 dropped out of mainstream support earlier this year, entering the five-year extended support period in which it receives only security fixes. However, Microsoft is still accepting new software application submissions to the Windows 8 Store. Submissions for new Windows Phone 8 apps are also currently accepted. Today, Microsoft announced that this is soon coming to an end. After October 31, new applications will no longer be accepted for distribution through the store. Updates to existing applications will continue to be supported. However, there's now an end date for these, too: from July 1, 2023, Microsoft will cease to distribute any updates for Windows 8.1 Store applications. The deadline for Windows Phone 8 is sooner: updates for those apps will end on July 1, 2019.

47 of 86 comments (clear)

  1. Ya know by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm going to miss this as much as I miss my Zune.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
    1. Re:Ya know by JMJimmy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      People just roll with this shit without thinking about the millions in software licences that are forever lost. The store is so integrated into windows services now that the entire OS is likely to become unusable (well, more unusable).

      Store shutdowns like this should require DRM removed from anything sold at the very least.

    2. Re:Ya know by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The store shutting down doesn't affect the OS is the least, what are you talking about?
      You can disable the Store and still use Windows 8.1 without a single issue, same in Win10. The Store isn't a "vital" component of Windows, nor is it tightly integrated into it. It's just another feature in the same vein as Media Player or Internet Explorer, if you don't want to use it, there's plenty of ways around it and the OS will never remind you that it exist.

    3. Re:Ya know by Known+Nutter · · Score: 1

      Ignoring the rubbish that the OS will become unusable, I will point out that the 29 people who purchased an app from the Win 8 app store should have known better. And actually, they're okay too, as support is continuing until July 1, 2023.

      But I feel you, though. Fuck Microsoft in the neck, right?

      --
      Beware of the Leopard.
    4. Re:Ya know by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      Well, there's an end-date for update of applications too. That's a bad thing as it essentially means you upgrade to Windows 10 and redo all your apps, or downgrade to Windows 7 and go back to normal applications that are supported by their authors. Or don't keep the apps updated. Right now, I can continue running DOS apps if I want, though I have few of those; but I do run some applications that I got with XP.

    5. Re:Ya know by JMJimmy · · Score: 1

      Oh well if it's happening 5 years later it's so much better than if it's happening this year /sarcasm

      As to the OS becoming unusable - this is from personal experience with the OS utterly failing when the store decided it no longer wanted to function. Numerous attempts at clean installs were made and MS refused to support the issue because it was an OEM version. It's still not working to this day.

    6. Re:Ya know by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      They should support it at least as long as copyright lasts. I mean, they think it has value for life of the author + 70 years so that must be the minimum reasonable period to provide to others to get the value out of the products they license.

    7. Re:Ya know by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Pay what? For DRM I don't want? The ability to re-download because physically purchasable media isn't available anymore?

      It's all problems they've created for themselves.

    8. Re:Ya know by Mr.+Dollar+Ton · · Score: 1

      As long as the copyright lasts, I'm paying for it by allowing a monopoly to distort the market outcome.

    9. Re:Ya know by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I had a laptop like that, fully functional mind you, the only thing not working was the store application itself.
      It would be fine, except this is Windows 8.0, Windows 8.0 doesn't receive new updates anymore - the important ones from Windows Update that patch the real OS - and the upgrade to Windows 8.1 is downloaded through the store.

      I updated someone else's laptop from Windows 8.0 to 8.1. Before that I uninstalled a McAfee expired since 867 days (thanks for nothing!) and made sure Windows Defender ran. It went flawlessly.
      The only problem is you might not realize your OS is unsupported and has not received security updates for years. You're offered the update in the Microsoft store, but what if you never visit the store? Anyway I deleted the store and IE icons from the task bar and I installed Classic Shell. If you can use 8.1 and use it this way it's probably the best current version of Windows.

    10. Re:Ya know by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Well, maybe it helps teach people not to buy (sorry, rent) their software in stores that can revoke the privilege of using software you paid for at a whim?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    11. Re:Ya know by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Windows 8 is already a second class citizen. A lot of new software and hardware doesn't support it. Take a look at AMD graphics cards, the 400 series was the last to support Windows 8. Now it's just 7 and 10.

      I have a couple of machines running Windows 8 and it's fine. Didn't want 10 because of the spyware, 7 doesn't support eDrive, Linux is still Linux... Fuck.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    12. Re: Ya know by jrumney · · Score: 1

      There are other options too. Upgrading to a flavor of Linux, for example, it if you are ready to replace your hardware, OSX is also an option. As long as people keep seeing other versions of Windows as their only options for dealing with Microsoft's EOL decisions, what incentive does Microsoft have to keep their older ecosystems alive?

    13. Re:Ya know by JMJimmy · · Score: 1

      It was an early implementation of UEFI that had the short memory bug. Other OS' wouldn't install as a result. The best I can do is run Linux off USB but I was gifted another laptop (someone's hand me down) that was actually pretty decent so I never bothe

    14. Re: Ya know by Merk42 · · Score: 1

      Upgrading to a flavor of Linux, for example, it if you are ready to replace your hardware, OSX is also an option.

      What "flavor of Linux" is supported indefinitely?

    15. Re: Ya know by jrumney · · Score: 1

      Free upgrades for life is not support?

  2. And nothing of value was lost... by ELCouz · · Score: 2, Insightful

    n/t

  3. Two guys with 8 will be terribly disappointed by perpenso · · Score: 1

    The two guys with 8.x on the Microsoft Store will be terribly disappointed. Then again, they are likely used to disappointment.

    Who did not downgrade to 7 or take the free upgrade to 10? Outside of rigidly controlled corporate machines that probably aren't buying much on the Microsoft Store.

    1. Re:Two guys with 8 will be terribly disappointed by mrclevesque · · Score: 1

      2018 July

      Win10 - Win8 - Win7
      45.4% - 6.9% - 23.1%

      https://www.w3schools.com/brow...

    2. Re:Two guys with 8 will be terribly disappointed by perpenso · · Score: 1

      You missed the "on the Microsoft Store" qualifier :-)

    3. Re:Two guys with 8 will be terribly disappointed by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      I got the upgrade to windows 10, I just never installed it. 8.1 Pro is fine with me,and the $15 price was good. Smaller and faster than Windows 7, and yet it's not Windows 10 which is a plus.

    4. Re: Two guys with 8 will be terribly disappointed by Thundercat007 · · Score: 1

      I got the notification on Win7 to go to 10. Clicked ok on my virtual machine. Went all the way through.... failed. Thankfully it was only a virtual machine, mounted my 7 ISO, reinstalled 7, then Never10. Problem solved. Even after they claimed they stopped pushing 10 update, I still see the update file appear on my 7 updates.

    5. Re:Two guys with 8 will be terribly disappointed by renegadesx · · Score: 1

      I upgraded to Windows 10 thinking it was just 8.1 with a Start Menu.

      --
      Make SELinux enforcing again!
    6. Re:Two guys with 8 will be terribly disappointed by NotSoHeavyD3 · · Score: 1

      If you want to make it even better install classic shell on 8.1. It's the best version of Windows yet.

      --
      Did you know 80 to 90% of the moderators on slashdot wouldn't recognize a troll even if one dragged them under a bridge.
    7. Re:Two guys with 8 will be terribly disappointed by mrclevesque · · Score: 1

      Exactly. Sorry about that.

    8. Re:Two guys with 8 will be terribly disappointed by unixisc · · Score: 1

      One of my friends didn't upgrade to Windows 10 when it was first available. He's looking at doing it now, after other problems w/ his laptop.

    9. Re:Two guys with 8 will be terribly disappointed by perpenso · · Score: 1

      One of my friends didn't upgrade to Windows 10 when it was first available. He's looking at doing it now, after other problems w/ his laptop.

      Too bad, the upgrade is no longer free.

  4. Whats the point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Of buying devices/software if they kill of its lifecycle. This makes me more inclined to move to Linux, and away from cloud based tech.

  5. MOTD by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

    "And nothing of value was lost." -- The Critic

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  6. Re:8 is great by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Faster than 7, less Googly than 10. No forced upgrades.

  7. Umm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Can you please kill the Windows 10 one while you're at it?

    1. Re:Umm by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Or at least allow us to do it?

      And while you're at it, could we get rid of Cortana, too?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  8. Bricking RT/S devices by xack · · Score: 1

    Use proprietary stores, get locked out. Meanwhile Windows 98 still keeps going thanks to open source software like kernelex.

  9. will the same happen on MacOS? by jecowa · · Score: 1

    If people don't like the store on Windows, maybe the same is true of users of the Mac App store. The store worries my. I fear they are trying to force us to get our apps through their storefront like they do on iOS.

    --
    my opportunity to freely express myself with the potential persecution and hangings and such
  10. Re:Why are windows 8 apps different? by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 1

    Why are Windows 8 apps different than other Windows apps? Why does MS have a store that segregates different versions of Windows apps? Why isn't it just one store that can detect your Windows version? Is this what we can expect with Windows 10 going forward?

    Because it's really hard. You need to hire genius minds of a quality available only to the likes of Google, Apple or Linux distros in order to run a multi-version store.

  11. Re:8 is great by johnsie · · Score: 1

    This is true. All you need to do is install "classic start" on 8 and you get something that is way better than Windows 7 or 10. Faster, less telemetry, less bugs and not that horrible black monstrosity at the bottom of your screen.

  12. Re:And this a is a Bad Thing? by johnsie · · Score: 1

    Edge isn't that bad. It's also pretty good on Android.

  13. Re:Windows 7 is The Best Windows by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    XP64 suffered from anemic driver support. Otherwise it would have been a great OS.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  14. Re:Like nobody remembers anyways. by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    Yes, I'm old. Old enough to remember the MCP when he was just a chess program. He started small, and he'll end small.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  15. And it's gone by kbg · · Score: 1

    Great so all the software you bought for Windows 8 is now just gone. So I guess we know what will happen to all your software that you will buy for Windows 10, it's all gone in a couple of years.

    1. Re:And it's gone by Merk42 · · Score: 1

      Great so all the software you bought for Windows 8 is now just gone.

      Yep, they come to your mom's basement and uninstall all the programs!

    2. Re:And it's gone by kbg · · Score: 1

      Yes kinda, when you want reinstall Windows 8 in your mom's basement the are all gone.

  16. This is a warning by ilsaloving · · Score: 1

    So after years of Microsoft trying to force their stupid store down people's throats, they're just going to shutter it and screw people out of their money?

    This is an important warning for people regarding how Microsoft operates. I hadn't planned on using any Microsoft store anyway (Microsoft has a long and cherished history of not supporting their non-core products), but this is just more evidence that Microsoft is no different than an abusive boy/girlfriend. They claim to have changed, but they really haven't.

  17. Lesson Learnt thanks to Games for Windows Live by decipher_saint · · Score: 1

    I bought all the DLC for Fallout 3 via Games for Windows Live (I didn't have a lot of options mind you) that service has since been discontinued and as a result I can't actually load the DLC anymore. Apparently the activation keys are installed as part of the software but unless I had the DLC already installed I couldn't get the keys back.

    So I ended up buying the "GOTY" edition just to get my whole game back, I don't particularly enjoy paying for the same game twice even at a significant discount but lesson learnt. Virtual products suck, virtual products through services that don't last suck more.

    --
    crazy dynamite monkey
    1. Re:Lesson Learnt thanks to Games for Windows Live by kbg · · Score: 1

      Yes we have to all realize that you are not really "buying" online software you are just renting it until the landlord decides to throw you out.

  18. Can they also kill Windows 10 store? by iamacat · · Score: 1

    I installed Windows LTSB to be rid of junk and nagware on my gaming rig. Popups to try Office 365 in the middle of VR can LITERALLY make you puke. But would prefer to have an official clean solution instead.

  19. Neither user could be reached for comment. by jonadab · · Score: 1

    Though experts suggest both Windows 8 users may notice the effect within the coming months.

    --
    Cut that out, or I will ship you to Norilsk in a box.