The thing about free and open source apps is that anyone can take the source code and create their own version of an app with little (or no) modification. Many open source licenses even allow you to redistribute your version of an application. It’s no surprise, then, that app stores are sometimes filled with unofficial versions of popular apps…sometimes with “developers” charging money for apps that are normally available for free.
In order to clamp down on this, Microsoft recently updated its Microsoft Store policies to prohibit the sale of open-source apps available for free from other sources (such as the developer’s website or GitHub). But some free and open source software developers do make their software available for free download from certain places while charging a fee for the same software when downloaded from app stores… so Microsoft has got some recoil.
Now Microsoft said Georgio Sardo the company will delay enforcing the new policy until it can “clarify the intent”, although it’s unclear whether the issue is related to the intent or the impact that it will take on the actual developers.
A Microsoft Store policy update prevents developers from selling open-source apps that are usually available for free elsewhere. It is intended to prevent copycats from making a quick buck. But it also affects FOSS developers who were selling apps. https://t.co/Mj02MjLT44
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) July 11, 2022
Star Labs’ upcoming StarFighter laptop will be a Linux laptop with a 15.6-inch 4K 16:9 10-bit matte IPS display, 45-watt Intel or AMD processor options, support for up to 64GB of RAM and up to 2TB of storage. https://t.co/4Xju2NQ849
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) July 11, 2022
LG exited the smartphone business before the company officially launched the LG Rollable, which would have been the first phone with a drop-down display. But this short hands-on video would show it in action. https://t.co/S9AYVpjIA5
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) July 11, 2022
Google One subscribers who pay at least $10/month for the 2TB (or more) storage plan now get some premium Google Workspace features, including Google Meet group calls for up to 24 hours, voice filtering, background noise and call recording to Google Drive. https://t.co/Rv3hvmJwXR
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) July 11, 2022
Apple releases public betas for IOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura and watchOS 9. https://t.co/sVrkvoLSj3
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) July 11, 2022
The Steam Deck beta update brings better support for external displays, an option to automatically schedule night mode, a Kana keyboard option for Japanese input, and a software channel update picker. https://t.co/ka0ca7zUaK
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) July 9, 2022
Production has begun for the Popcorn Computer Pocket PC, a Linux laptop with a 5-inch 1080p display and thumb keyboard that was first announced three years ago, and is up for pre-order for 299 $. https://t.co/prGrQBUPgH pic.twitter.com/mwl5qoQwAd
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) July 9, 2022
GNU-like weekly #MobileLinux Update (27/2022): Summer time or #postmarketOS on Pixel 3 https://t.co/qzkFN9Lwm4#PinePhone #Librem5
— LINux on MOBIle (@linmobblog) July 11, 2022
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