The company now says it will not stop selling open source apps after all. The original change to its terms and conditions under section 10.8.7 stated the following: “Not attempt to profit from open-source or other software that is otherwise generally available for free, nor be priced irrationally high relative to the features and functionality provided by your product.” However, that update to the policy angered many developers and users. Open source apps have been available on the Microsoft Store for some time. Moreover, Microsoft has often positioned itself as a champion of open source app developers.
Reversal
It seems Microsoft has taken note and reversed its decision, at least for now. Giorgio Sardo, the General Manager of Apps, Partners, Store at Microsoft, says the company did not intend to stop offering open source software (OSS) on the store. Instead, the aim was to cut down on “misleading listings”.
— Giorgio Sardo (@gisardo) July 6, 2022 For example, while many people think OSS apps are free, many are less than clear about associated costs. Sardo is suggesting Microsoft just wants developers to be clearer when an open source app is paid software. Microsoft is now postponing the decision to change its policy. However, it is likely the company will revisit this plan, at least in some capacity. That means commercial OSS apps will remain in the store for now. Tip of the day: Though many VPN providers have their own apps, you can in many cases connect to a VPN in Windows without any third-party software. This is ideal if you have a self-hosted VPN or if you’re using a PC with restricted permissions. In our tutorial, we’re showing you how to connect to a VPN in Windows.
