> There is still no central repository for useful applications. Managing and keeping all software updated takes a lot of manual work.

And this is why I tend to ignore most commentary on Operating Systems. You know the moment that Windows releases a centralized repository, there will be a thousand cries of "walled garden!" and "embrace, extend, and extinguish". It's literally impossible to satisfy everyone, given how many mutually exclusive needs exist out there.

Not if it were a repository a la Linux, distributions, where:

- You can still install applications manually, and there are no special permissions lost for doing so.

- You can access it using your choice of application, instead of only the MS-approved tool

- You can add 3rd party repositories

If that's what the "Windows store" was, I'd absolutely use it (if I still used Windows). If it comes along with a bunch of other crap, then yeah, there will be pitchforks.

Didn't know this existed. I'll definitely consider it if I ever go back to using Windows.

I didn't spend enough time to verify if it satisfies the "can use other clients" and "can add 3rd party repositories" criteria. But assuming it does, I bet tons of people would happily use it, if Microsoft blessed it as the official standard for managing Windows applications / installed it by default.

The official package manager of windows is winget.

https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli

I like scoop though personally.

https://scoop.sh