I did it, I tamed it, alhamdulillah. Just for you, my dear nostr:npub1drqqpmltrhlc0mr986hwqaceklsdf53dxawf4tuh4ev67q6c4wyscsyx6e , haha. Nah, kidding. It was a workout. Two whole days of workout.
I had no clue about the state of Windows 11, since I haven't touched Windows since XP. This is what you have got to do now if you want to download and install unsigned software on Windows:
(Sorry, screenshots are in German)
Step 1: You download the software like normal.
Step 2: Even though you've already downloaded it, the browser doesn't write it to your hard drive. It yaps about "trust" and stuff. You have got to click "Show more."
Step 3: Only then do a trash icon and a three dots icon show up in the download bar, but just on mouseover.
Step 4: If you click the three dots icon, a context menu pops up, and one of the five options is "Keep."
Step 5: But that's still not it. Another popup comes up where you have got to click the three dots next to the "Delete" button.
Step 6: There, a pulldown menu opens with "Keep anyway" in the nicest design.
Step 7: NOW it finally writes the file to your downloads folder and generously lets you run it.
So you run the setup. But hey, Windows isn't done yet.
Step 8: A blue window pops up yapping about "Defender Smartscreen" with only a "Don't run" button. It's the same blue as the Blue Screen of Death. If it wasn't, they'd probably make it flash red and orange.
Totally user friendly and logical, right? You have got to click the "More info" link...
Step 9: ...so the "Run anyway" button shows up.
Step 10: And only then does the setup program start.
That's some top notch dark UX.
So, what's the deal? I didn't buy a code signing certificate. That costs about 300 to 500 Euros a year. A year! That's why my app got this special treatment.
At the same time:
- Windows 11 Copilot/Recall takes screenshots of everything you do
- Telemetry is almost impossible to fully turn off
- Cortana, OneDrive, Microsoft Account get shoved down your throat
Apple's got a similar system:
Gatekeeper plus Notarization
- Unsigned apps: "Can't be opened because the developer can't be verified"
- User has to right click Open or allow it in System Settings
Costs:
- Apple Developer Account: 99 bucks a year
- With that, you can sign AND notarize (Apple checks the app automatically)
Difference from Windows:
- One time 99 bucks a year for everything (not per certificate)
- Notarization is automated (no hardware token needed)
- Easier to integrate into CI/CD
But:
- Apple reserves the right to remotely block apps
- M1/M2 Macs are even more restrictive
- For open source, Apple's actually a bit cheaper and easier than Windows. But it's the same principle: Pay up or your users see warnings.
Ubuntu Linux has a warning in its app center too, but it still lets you install the software easy. And 'sudo dpkg -i filename.deb' still works in the terminal with no warnings.
It's 2025. This is the state of our home computers.
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