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by mdasher 3758 days ago
Microsoft isn't rent-seeking with Windows 10. They are attempting to build a secure and trusted platform, just like Apple did with iOS. That platform and the store for the platform are valuable. I applaud them for moving in this direction and applaud them some more for doing it without sacrificing the openness of Win32 on the PC (at least for now).
2 comments
zmmmmm 3757 days ago
> They are attempting to build a secure and trusted platform,

They could do that in a lot of ways without creating a locked down OS with all software distribution centralised through microsoft with a mandatory fixed cut. They just happened to choose the way that eventually puts them in the position to take a 30% slice out of the entire software industry revenue.

It's rent seeking.

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makomk 3758 days ago
The Windows Store has been stuffed full of fake apps trading off the names of other, genuine big-name apps with various levels of malicious content for years. It's definitely rent-seeking, and not in any way a "secure and trusted platform".
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mdasher 3758 days ago
Your proving my point. When the store was first launched it did have a problem with misleading apps. But today those problems are far less. MS tweaked their submission policies and tossed the misleading app. That shows continued work on the trust and security of the store, a value add, and thus not rent-seeking.
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