About Microsoft's Marketplace Kill Switch

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/09/windows-marketplace-for-mobile-kill-switch-details-clarified.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss' target='_blank'>http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/ne...tm_campaign=rss</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"We have a bit of troubling news from Windows world today as a developer in attendance at Microsoft's Tech.Ed New Zealand has relayed some interesting tidbits. Regarding the "Windows Marketplace for Mobile" - Microsoft's version of the Apple App Store - Microsoft has confirmed the existence of a &lsquo;kill switch' for apps. In the event an approved app is later removed from the Marketplace, the app will also automatically be removed from users' handsets. We're not sure what this means for paid apps, though we doubt refunds will be issued automatically as well"</em></p><p><a href="http://www.mobilemarketingwatch.com/windows-mobile-marketplace-to-have-600-apps-at-launch/" target="_blank"><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/ppct/auto/1253368286.usr7.jpg" style="border: 0px solid #d2d2bb;" /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/09/16/kill-switch-and-remote-app-deletion-confirmed-for-apps-sold-in-windows-mobile-app-store/" target="_blank">Boy Genius report</a> is skeptical that refunds would be given if MS decided to drop the app kill hammer, however other reports such as this <a href="http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/09/windows-marketplace-for-mobile-kill-switch-details-clarified.ars?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=rss" target="_blank">quote given to Ars Technica</a> seem to contradict this strongly:</p><p><em>"In the rare event an application from Marketplace exhibits harmful behavior or has unforeseen effects, Marketplace has the capability to remotely uninstall these applications. While we hope to avoid this scenario, we will make refunds available in such cases."</em></p><p>So yes, there is a kill switch, but no - users who buy something that gets killed won't be out money. Come on guys - give Microsoft some credit to do the right thing. <a href="http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/08/12/apple-will-not-refun.html" target="_blank">They aren't Apple after all</a>!</p>

[compboss17]

I think that Netshare incident was the exception rather than the rule. Anyone who wanted refunds for GV Mobile got 'em.

Edit: And it should be noted that Apple never removed anything off of anyone's device. They've only removed things out of the store. I still used Netshare for a long time after they pulled it from the store. That's not the same thing as what we're talking about here which is actually forcefully killing an app on the device. Apple's never done that.

[Pdaholic]

I guess if a piece of software is doing harmful things like giving out personal info, I would want it off my device ASAP. I have to admit, though, having MS do it feels a bit "big brother"-ish, and I would rather them just send me a warning and offer to have my money refunded. I never liked the idea of an "App Store," and I will never buy a device that demands I only use software from such a store.

[Fritzly]

If this will be confirmed I will never use MS store as well as I do not use the Amazon Kindle or whatever the e-book reader is called.
If MS discovers that a dangerous or harmful app has been sold to me I expect them to NOTIFY me about describing the issue not to act like a higher power and remove it.
If a problem is discovered with a product or a car you bought you will receive a recall letter, you will not see your car towed away.

[Jon Westfall]

If this will be confirmed I will never use MS store as well as I do not use the Amazon Kindle or whatever the e-book reader is called.
If MS discovers that a dangerous or harmful app has been sold to me I expect them to NOTIFY me about describing the issue not to act like a higher power and remove it.
If a problem is discovered with a product or a car you bought you will receive a recall letter, you will not see your car towed away.

While I understand your point here, I'd like to take a moment and play Devil's Advocate: If you trust Microsoft to make a device you place all of your private information into, why wouldn't you trust them to remove a malicious application that may be messing with or stealing that information? We're often skeptical about the "intentions" of big companies, yet by using their products we take a trusting stance initially.

[Fritzly]

While I understand your point here, I'd like to take a moment and play Devil's Advocate: If you trust Microsoft to make a device you place all of your private information into, why wouldn't you trust them to remove a malicious application that may be messing with or stealing that information? We're often skeptical about the "intentions" of big companies, yet by using their products we take a trusting stance initially.

Good opening but.... : I install a piece of software MS or another company sell; after that I set the parameters and decide what informations go out and come in.
Would you use a version of Windows knowing that the OS has a backdoor, which you cannot control, allowing MS or whatever other entities they give access to it, to get into your computer?
I would not as well as any business would not too.

Besides all my private information is not stored on "D:\Data on the HD; there are better ways to secure sensitive information and I bet you know and use them as well. :-)

[Jon Westfall]

Good opening but.... : I install a piece of software MS or another company sell; after that I set the parameters and decide what informations go out and come in.
Would you use a version of Windows knowing that the OS has a backdoor, which you cannot control, allowing MS or whatever other entities they give access to it, to get into your computer?
I would not as well as any business would not too.

Besides all my private information is not stored on "D:\Data on the HD; there are better ways to secure sensitive information and I bet you know and use them as well. :-)

There could be a backdoor in Windows that no one knows about that allows Steve Ballmer to personally alter my freecell scores for all I know. However I use the product because I trust the people who coded it not to do that. My confusion is why people then don't trust those same people to use a "kill switch" only in extreme cases where it warrents it. The fact of the matter is that MS is being far more open on the app-store thing than Apple or Google ever were.

[Hx4700]

I guess if a piece of software is doing harmful things like giving out personal info, I would want it off my device ASAP. I have to admit, though, having MS do it feels a bit "big brother"-ish, and I would rather them just send me a warning and offer to have my money refunded. I never liked the idea of an "App Store," and I will never buy a device that demands I only use software from such a store.
I think this M$ situation would be very similar to what Amazon did recently with Kindle, removing a bad(?) book for what sounded like a reasonable reason. You all know the backlash from the Kindle owners and the public. Final answer was: Amazon CEO apologized, said it was not the right "moral" thing to do, would never do it again, people that already had the product could keep the "bad" book or return it for a refund. Basically a marketing/reputation/publicity nightmare for Amazon. I really do not see any difference with M$ jumping in my device and killing something I owned because I paid for it. License issue beda.m.ed. It's mine. It would still be a publicity disaster for M$. And would I have it backedup a number of ways? - could be. :)
IMHO,
Ron...
Question - Would they use my telcom to get to my Smartphone, and I get charged minutes?