The Windows Store is a Cesspool of Scams

CountMike

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Microsoft’s Windows Store is a mess. It’s full of apps that exist only to scam people and take their money. Why doesn’t Microsoft care that their flagship app store is such a cesspool?
It’s now been more than two years since Windows 8 was released, and this has been a problem the entire time, and it is getting worse. If Microsoft was trying to offer a safe app store to Windows users, they’ve failed.
The Store is Full of Scams, And They’re Easy to Find

This problem isn’t a secret. Search the Windows Store for any popular app and you’ll see all kinds of junk.
The Windows Store is a Cesspool of Scams ? Why Doesn?t Microsoft Care?

I have run into some of those "Payed" Apps and after a closer look noticed that some of those real programs are actually free while as Apps you are asked to pay for them. Since I couldn't / wouldn't pay for them any way I gave them a slip anyway.
Did anybody else see any of those ?
 

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Yeah, but has anyone ever actually paid for a Win 8 app? :)
 

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I did. A weather app.

It quit working. :(

Never again--- beingsick.gif
 

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No doubt that the MS app store isn't "pure", just as any store. I've been in the Store many a time and, yes, there are crap apps, no doubt. This is not really anything new. I noticed a lot of crap apps in Play Store when I had my Droid. All I can say is “buyer beware” just like anywhere on earth, including B&M stores. On the other hand, there are some great apps in the Windows Store.

Notice that most of those VLC apps are by none other than Google Chrome?

Screenshot 1.png

Perhaps MS is skimping on quality for app count. Not coming to their defense, but like I said > Buyer beware. Look at the description and read the reviews. Most reviews will describe the app better. Most apps will do what it says it will do. That’s not to say there are not scams.

Perhaps I missed it, but nowhere in the article does it guide the reader to make a good choice > No > No concern for the reader > Let’s just slam MS and leave the others out. Not to state that two wrongs make a right, but look at these, just to post a few:

Scam Android Apps Plague Google Play - InformationWeek

The #1 paid app in the Google Playstore "Virus Shield" is a complete scam - Neowin

Apple Expels 1,000 Apps From Store After Developer Scam | Gadget Lab | WIRED

These apps are clearly using Apple’s official iTunes graphics without permission, and some of them have screenshots of the iTunes desktop application on their app page.

How does the author know that they’re infringing on rights? Why doesn’t he reference it? Does he have a law degree? Besides, Android, iOS, and VLC are open source, are they not?

We wish Microsoft actually cared about the Store and the apps in it. The Store is supposed to be a nice, safe environment for average Windows users. They should be able to open the Windows Store and download apps without getting malware — it could be safer than getting apps from the web. Instead, these normal users might just end up purchasing scam apps instead of getting infected by malware.

Yeah, some of the links on this site look really safe! Free Win Xp / Vista / 7? Hmm….. :think:

Screenshot 2.png


Just for grins > Do you know why the milk (dairy) is in the way-back corner of a B&M food store? So you buy more items while walking to or fro from it. Buyer beware.
 

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Those false Apps are certainly not coming from MS, those are some shady third party Apps. The only thing that MS can be blamed for is not checking their legitimacy and quality. Even your friendly corner grocery shop has to be careful of what they are selling, if they sold rotten tomatoes and potatoes, they would not last long.
Why don't they care ?. Obviously it's not high on their priority list. Besides, I imagine it would take a lot of manpower to go thru all of them just to check for their legitimacy, let alone quality. Just few days ago they claimed that there are more than 300,000 Apps in the Phone store alone.
As far as that article is concerned, it just shows the state modern journalism is.
 

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I know most are 3rd party and agree that MS should pull shady apps from the store or at least for some have the developers better describe their apps so a buyer knows exactly what they're getting.

I'm glad you posted the article and I learned something from it. To me most modern journalism has a political slant as I feel this article does. What gets my goat is that the author singles out MS and their Windows Store when in fact it happens in other Stores also. I just think it would have been better to comment on all of them as a whole to educate users. That to me would be fair. The whole online tech industry seems to be going to hell in a hand basket. Scams everywhere.

Sure, most here would know how to keep our systems clean and most times spot a scam, but what about the commoners? I feel a commoner would read that article and think all others are ok to download and install from. Just not true. There's good and bad with them all, including MS, Apple, Google, and others.
 

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Hi there

I HATE the whole idea of these "Stores" - it's the same with Google PLAY store (perhaps they should rename it to PAY store).

However I've never paid for ANY mobile phone app. I now use Linux 99% of my time - just running Windows from a VM when I need it. The best way to install anything is to get it direct from either a PROPER repository or the developers / manufacturers own site. You don't have to use the store to install Windows products.

And PLEASE if I see one more piece of software saying "GO PRO" I'll throw the whole computer out of the window --just be up front and say "The PAID version has more features" -- or wouldn't it be nice if some software actually came up with "GO AMATEUR - you haven't used the extra features so we'll give you a refund if you re-install the FREE version !!!!).

In any case who ever installs VLC from the Store --what's wrong with the VIDEOLAN site.

VideoLAN - VLC: Official site - Free multimedia solutions for all OS!


Cheers
jimbo
 

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In any case who ever installs VLC from the Store --what's wrong with the VIDEOLAN site
The app if far worse - although to be fair they do say it is beta. I like the ipad app though.
 

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In any case who ever installs VLC from the Store --what's wrong with the VIDEOLAN site
The app if far worse - although to be fair they do say it is beta. I like the ipad app though.

Hi there

Where on the Videolan site does it say it's a BETA -- Seems fine to me and the download Mirror (University of Kent) is a legit University site. VLC is available for other OS'es as well from the same site or the various Linux repositories such as PACKMAN (for OPENSUSE) - also reasonably well organised.

11. Software Repositories - Adding and Managing Package Repositories

Cheers
jimbo
 

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Where on the Videolan site does it say it's a BETA
Here:VLC for Windows 8 app for Windows in the Windows Store
Notes

In this new update, we rewrote the music library, using SQLite. You can also set the directories of your audio and video collections in the preferences.

This should fix numerous bugs, notably the crash on start, on music database creation and on launch from explorer.

Remember, this is still a beta version...
The desktop version (like in your picture) is superior to the app - that is what I was saying.
 

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Where on the Videolan site does it say it's a BETA
Here:VLC for Windows 8 app for Windows in the Windows Store
Notes

In this new update, we rewrote the music library, using SQLite. You can also set the directories of your audio and video collections in the preferences.

This should fix numerous bugs, notably the crash on start, on music database creation and on launch from explorer.

Remember, this is still a beta version...
The desktop version (like in your picture) is superior to the app - that is what I was saying.

Hi there

Sorry - Misunderstanding - I thought you were referring to the Videolan version not the one in the store !!!!

Very easy to mis-understand stuff on the net !!

Cheers

jimbo
 

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