People are already installing Win32 apps on Windows 10 Cloud

[HEXUS]

Requires a bit of Bash and PowerShell jiggery pokery though.

Read more.

[Tabbykatze]

There should be a Cloud which is UWP only for the grannies and technical luddites out there and Cloud Pro for more savvy people to be able to run Win32 apps in a limited sense on a thinOS.

[Ozaron]

If the majority of installs for this OS version are in schools, businesses etc. running throwaway machines then this subversion of restrictions is pretty irrelevant. Chances are that you won't get to fiddle with Linux Bash on them anyway. Nice to know it's possible but sort of pointless.

I guess for someone who gets Cloud at home and desperately needs to install something it would be nice to have some WikiHow guide, haha.

[scaryjim]

... and Cloud Pro for more savvy people to be able to run Win32 apps in a limited sense on a thinOS.

So, Windows 10 Home then?

AFAICT the only significant difference between 10 Cloud and 10 Home is the ability to run Win32 apps...

[cheesemp]

I can sort of see the reason but forcing people to buy an upgrade to get their old apps etc to work is going to be annoying. Should have just made it a hidden advanced option for power users like android does with non-play store apps. I hate artificial limitations on what I can do with a product with a passion. It be slightly more bearable if it was a £5 upgrade to home but I'm guessing pro is the only option.

[Corky34]

AFAICT the only significant difference between 10 Cloud and 10 Home is the ability to run Win32 apps...

The odd thing is afaik 10 Cloud is closer to 10 Pro than Home, IIRC 10 Home doesn't come with Device Guard and from what i can tell that's what Microsoft are using to only allow UWP to run.

[Tabbykatze]

... and Cloud Pro for more savvy people to be able to run Win32 apps in a limited sense on a thinOS.

So, Windows 10 Home then?

AFAICT the only significant difference between 10 Cloud and 10 Home is the ability to run Win32 apps...

Aha, I didn't think of 10 Home, I only concern myself generally with Pro and above, good point!

There must be other elements that make the cloud os a cloud os than just W32 lockout though?

[kingpotnoodle]

The odd thing is afaik 10 Cloud is closer to 10 Pro than Home, IIRC 10 Home doesn't come with Device Guard and from what i can tell that's what Microsoft are using to only allow UWP to run.

Surely the traditional big feature difference between Home and Pro - that Home cannot join a domain - will also be the same with Cloud, there are a few other business oriented features that I would also expect are either missing or locked to a specific configuration. I'd expect the Cloud wouldn't include things like Hyper-V, frankly I'm surprised that "Subsystem for Linux" could be installed to get a BASH shell.

[EvilCycle]

"This version of Windows was made to help protect you and your device by exclusively running Windows Store apps"

But then!

"Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro' to get all its extra features."


Why can't they just be honest and say... "we blocked a load of features on purpose so we can give it away for free as a kind of trial version to stop you finding out you actually love a different device and OS, so then after that we can try and hook you into paying for the features you find you really need later on down the line."

Why not just call it windows 10 light/basic/free/starter, market it towards the less tech savvy and have a slogan like "windows that just works"... at least then the whole idea of "protecting your computer" wouldn't feel like a bent bit of truth!