WTF is a “Desktop Device App”

Apparently you now have to run the Windows App Certification Kit (WACK) on the software executables you publish in order to avoid a moderately scary warning from Windows SmartScreen.

Upon running WACK, you're presented with four options:

WindowsAppCertificationKit_StartScreen_DesktopAppDeviceHighlighted

  • Validate Windows Store App

  • Validate Windows Phone App

  • Validate Desktop App

  • Validate Desktop Device App

All of them seem pretty self-explanatory, except for the last one, "Validate Desktop Device App". It's described as "Test a desktop device app for compliance with value-added software requirements". Huh?

Searching Microsoft and MSDN for the phrase "value-added software requirements" turns up zero results. Searching for just "value-added software" (isn't all software value-added?) led me to this post on Raymond Chen's The Old New Thing blog which indicates that "value-added software" is the crapware/shovelware that's pre-installed on computers bought at, say, Best Buy.

I really wish Microsoft would focus less on consistent branding and more on actually explaining things. Incidentally, I gagged a little bit when I read the phrase "Validate Desktop App".

About Jeff Fitzsimons

Jeff Fitzsimons is a software engineer in the California Bay Area. Technical specialties include C++, Win32, and multithreading. Personal interests include rock climbing, cycling, motorcycles, and photography.
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