03 July 2012
While the punditry and others are fixated on whether users can adapt to (or even enjoy) the new Windows Start screen and other new UX features, they are missing the real point of Windows 8 and WinRT.
A couple days ago my reasonably computer-savvy son wanted to do some art work, so he downloaded Paint .NET. Or so he thought.
These days most software for Windows is downloaded via the web. And any reasonably popular software has malicious clones with domain names, web sites, and even installers, that look similar to the real thing. This is absolutely the case with Paint .NET.
So my son downloaded what appeared to be a valid installer, from a domain name that seemed reasonable. And just like that his computer was infected with a bunch of Yahoo crap, along with a bunch of real spyware and malware. He’s still trying to get it all cleaned up.
I’ve done the same thing, and I’m extremely computer savvy. Sometimes even the most savvy user gets suckered by a very clever bad guy.
WinRT apps only come from a store. The Microsoft Store, or a corporate “store”.
To get into the Microsoft Store, developers must be registered, apps are screened by Microsoft, and if anything malicious does slip through, the app can be removed/revoked from the store.
To get into a corporate “store”, your employer must choose to put the app into that store. It seems unlikely that your IT department will put apps in their own store that they didn’t create or acquire from a known vendor.
As a result, you can imagine a “Paint WinRT” app that is like Paint .NET, but that my son would have found in the Microsoft Store, and installed from the Store. Effectively zero chance of all the spyware, malware, and Yahoo crap that comes with so much of today’s software.
Now think of all the PC users around the world who will be able to actually find and install software without the fear we all feel in today’s world.
Sure, Win8 and WinRT mean accepting some change. But personally I am entirely ready to embrace that change to get the benefits offered!