S Mode | Microsoft Windows 10 & 11 | Steam app

[Megatron]

I think it would be good if there was a Steam app for Microsoft Windows 10 and 11 within the Microsoft Store application. Any thoughts?

[Cathulhu]

And what good would it be if you wouldn't be allowed to download and install games through Steam as S mode prohibits that?
You'd be limited to features you can already do through a web browser, so just do that.

Not to mention that this is effectively sideloading and explicitly forbidden for MS store apps.

[nullable]

It sounds like you don't really want to use Windows S Mode since you're trying to think of ways to get around the explicit limitations and the whole point of that version of Windows.

Use the version of Windows that's appropriate for your needs.

[Megatron]

Originally posted by Snakub Plissken:

It sounds like you don't really want to use Windows S Mode since you're trying to think of ways to get around the explicit limitations and the whole point of that version of Windows.

Use the version of Windows that's appropriate for your needs.

I have both Windows S Mode, normal mode as well. It was a suggestion of a Steam app on the Microsoft Store that is all. I personally use both S-Mode and non S-mode on different PCs and was just making a suggestion.

[Cathulhu]

A suggestion which would cause Microsoft to ban Valve instantly from the Windows store.

[nullable]

Well my thought is it would end up like the Android and iOS clients. I'm not sure that the value of that on Windows would be. And I'm not sure S-Mode users are a demographic that Valve is that worried over.

I'd also argue S-Mode and the Windows store have existed for quite a long time. If there was any interest there on Valve's part one would wonder where their Windows Store client is. No client would suggest a continued lack of interest.

[Megatron]

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

A suggestion which would cause Microsoft to ban Valve instantly from the Windows store.

Maybe so..

[Crashed]

Originally posted by Megatron:

I think it would be good if there was a Steam app for Microsoft Windows 10 and 11 within the Microsoft Store application. Any thoughts?

If you have Windows with S Mode, please follow these instructions to enable Steam or other non-Store apps:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/switching-out-of-s-mode-in-windows-4f56d9be-99ec-6983-119f-031bfb28a307
Note this process is permanent.

S Mode only runs sandboxed Microsoft Store apps and is thus not suitable for a gaming PC.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

S mode sucks because it's a restriction by Microsoft only they approve what you're allowed to do in it, if you want more control, and freedom to manage your PC, leaving S mode is the best option as allow you to do almost anything you want really.

You lose nothing l when you leave S mode besides having mass restrictions lifted.

[HuggyDeathBunny🐰💀]

*Waves from Windows 7*

[Megatron]

Originally posted by Dr.Shadowds 🐉:

S mode sucks because it's a restriction by Microsoft only they approve what you're allowed to do in it, if you want more control, and freedom to manage your PC, leaving S mode is the best option as allow you to do almost anything you want really.

You lose nothing l when you leave S mode besides having mass restrictions lifted.

Apart from the 22H2 update crippling my low spec laptop, I left S Mode and upgraded to Windows 11 Pro so performance wise there is not much difference either way S mode, no S mode..

[lightwo]

Be more careful when you buy a computer or a version of Windows that it isn't a S/N version, or use Linux. S/N are literally useless. Don't fall for the awful ecosystem.

As for if I think it is a good idea, no. S/N is so useless that a lot of third-party software/games you would like to use wouldn't work due to missing components. It would probably not be possible either way, proprietary application stores (what a joke) usually require sales tax of their own.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Originally posted by Megatron:

Originally posted by Dr.Shadowds 🐉:

S mode sucks because it's a restriction by Microsoft only they approve what you're allowed to do in it, if you want more control, and freedom to manage your PC, leaving S mode is the best option as allow you to do almost anything you want really.

You lose nothing l when you leave S mode besides having mass restrictions lifted.

Apart from the 22H2 update crippling my low spec laptop, I left S Mode and upgraded to Windows 11 Pro so performance wise there is not much difference either way S mode, no S mode..

Yeah there isn't gonna be any performance differences lol, but as long get off S mode you're free to do whatever you want on your system, without being told can't install something that was not whitelisted by microsoft for the Windows store.

[Crashed]

Originally posted by lightwo:

Be more careful when you buy a computer or a version of Windows that it isn't a S/N version, or use Linux. S/N are literally useless. Don't fall for the awful ecosystem.

As for if I think it is a good idea, no. S/N is so useless that a lot of third-party software/games you would like to use wouldn't work due to missing components. It would probably not be possible either way, proprietary application stores (what a joke) usually require sales tax of their own.

S Mode is removable, and the N version is specific to regions where Microsoft has faced legal troubles for bundling multimedia software and codes. The latter can be fixed too by downloading an optional feature.

[Haruspex]

S Mode is an experiment by Microsoft to try and lock down the Windows ecosystem. This push towards a more walled-garden type environment really started with Windows Vista's implementation of UAC, in which only applications Microsoft approved of would be allowed to run. They said this was for "safety and security", but I don't believe that was their motive.

Microsoft wants Windows devices to work like the iPhone, where every piece of software you buy is purchased exclusively through their storefront, and absolutely no third party software will be permitted to run. They can't do it all at once, because people will revolt, but they can do it very slowly, boiling us frogs alive until we're all using the locked-down Windows walled garden and didn't even realize it until it was too late.

Valve realized this around the time of Windows 8. It's why they pivoted to get Windows games running well under Linux by developing Proton. It's an escape hatch. You don't have to sit there and boil with the rest of the frogs. You can climb out and hop your way to an open-source Linux pond, and all your games are still there and still work as you would expect them to. (In theory. We're almost there.)

[Crashed]

Originally posted by 8bitbeard:

S Mode is an experiment by Microsoft to try and lock down the Windows ecosystem. This push towards a more walled-garden type environment really started with Windows Vista's implementation of UAC, in which only applications Microsoft approved of would be allowed to run. They said this was for "safety and security", but I don't believe that was their motive.

Microsoft wants Windows devices to work like the iPhone, where every piece of software you buy is purchased exclusively through their storefront, and absolutely no third party software will be permitted to run. They can't do it all at once, because people will revolt, but they can do it very slowly, boiling us frogs alive until we're all using the locked-down Windows walled garden and didn't even realize it until it was too late.

Valve realized this around the time of Windows 8. It's why they pivoted to get Windows games running well under Linux by developing Proton. It's an escape hatch. You don't have to sit there and boil with the rest of the frogs. You can climb out and hop your way to an open-source Linux pond, and all your games are still there and still work as you would expect them to. (In theory. We're almost there.)

UAC isn't "walled garden" but instead only a means to set user accounts to be unprivileged by default.

Microsoft actually backed away with the release of Windows 11 Store, by allowing in the Store apps that are distributed by third parties and that the Store loses control of once installed. UWP has been all but deprecated, with most of its core APIs opened up to standard Win32.

Smart App Control in Windows 11 22H2 is strictly optional, and only activates after an evaluation period after a clean install. It is unavailable on systems upgraded to 22H2, if the evaluation period detects that SAC would be intrusive, or if it has been previously disabled by the user.

S Mode can be disabled, and once disabled can never be re-enabled.