Free tools copied as a paid app are blocked in MS Store

Finally, it can be said. Microsoft has changed the guidelines for developers. Because lately it has happened more and more frequently that open source tools have appeared in the Microsoft Store as a paid application.

An example of this is burnbytes from Belim, which was listed as the “Disk Cleaner Pro” app for $1.79. she figured it out raphael and had informed Belim. Surely they’re here more in the middle. Since I often look there, I have noticed some applications that are also sold very expensive. Either by coincidence, or perhaps because of this, Microsoft will be changing the developer guidelines on 07/16/22.

So it says: Change under 10.8.7 that prohibits charging in the store for open source software or other software that is generally available for free, preventing unreasonably high prices. Also new: “New in 11.3.3 has been added a policy that prohibits products intended to provide content related to real-world information, news, or current events from spreading misinformation.”

With free tools, for example from GitHub, it’s always something like this. Because it always depends on the license under which this tool was released. With multiple licenses, there is a chance that a copy can be made and also sold for money. App developers have freedom for these apps here.

But that is now prevented by the new directive. One can only hope that Microsoft will take this new guideline seriously during the review and eventually drop such apps or disallow them. After the mess with all the tutorial apps that have now been removed and also the “cryptojacking apps“ Another good decision.

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