Rumor: Windows 10 insider preview (Build 17686) might suggest an upcoming feature called "S Mode"

[captain_to_fire]

Sources: Ars Technica, Paul Thurrott

 

*screenshot sent to Paul Thurrott

 

Quote

Windows 10's S Mode, the locked-down mode that permits only applications from the Microsoft Store, started out as a separate edition of Windows 10 that was locked down as soon as it was installed and had a one-time irreversible upgrade to unrestricted Windows 10 Pro.

 

In Windows 10 version 1803, that changed to an install-time option for both Windows 10 Home and Pro. Again, this offered an irrevocable upgrade to the corresponding unrestricted version after installation.

 

The latest Windows 10 Insider Preview suggests that S Mode is changing again, and this time it looks like it's going to be a regular option that can be set at any time. Build 17686 includes a "Switch to S Mode" search item in the Settings app. The actual switch to enable S Mode isn't present in this build, so we can't be entirely certain of how it will work, but this is a strong suggestion that it will now be possible to put a machine into S Mode after the initial installation.

Just so everyone knows, the official insider build 17686 doesn't include an S Mode but it's just suggested that it might include it in the future as Paul Thurrott said in his blog:

Quote

Switch to S Mode doesn’t actually exist, at least not in this build. If you select this hint, you will navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Activation. This is where you can update your product key to change between Windows 10 product editions and perform other related tasks. But there’s no Switch to S Mode.

Personally, I wouldn't mind a Windows 10S mode in the next big stable release as long as it won't change my PC to S Mode without my consent. It's nice that individuals can change back from Windows 10 regular to Windows 10S and vice versa. But it raises the question, what will happen to programs Win32 apps outside the Windows Store already installed once S Mode is enabled? Do they simply not run? I don't think majority of the people in the forum will be running their PCs in S Mode. I can see three use cases of the S Mode and they're all security related:

1. Education - school administrators can lock down PCs to S Mode so that kids wouldn't run shady programs disguised as games
2. Enterprise - IT guys can now worry less about that phishing email with a spyware or ransomware attachment opened by a naive employee which can compromising workstations and backup servers thanks to S Mode.
3. Old People - just like in the enterprise example, a PC in S Mode is way less likely be infected by a virus just by clicking an unknown [newcursors.exe] disguised as a folder but be aware that even though Windows 10S is more secure than regular Windows 10, it can still be compromised by social engineering.

But as usual, it will bring so much compromise. Microsoft's iOS-style lockdown will force you to get all your apps in the Windows Store but the problem is that the Windows Store is by no means as bountiful as Apple's App Store. But for people using a Windows 10 on ARM device, I think they're better off with the S Mode instead of upgrading to full Windows 10 Pro for free since Win32 emulation has the performance of something like and Intel Atom.

At the moment you can try a little bit of Windows 10S by going to Settings>Apps>Apps & features>Under "Installing Apps", choose "Allow Apps from the Store only".

 

[WkdPaul]

As long as it's only a feature that can be toggled on and off, as say part of parenting features, I'm ok with that.

[Princess Luna]

2 minutes ago, wkdpaul said:

As long as it's only a feature that can be toggled on and off, as say part of parenting features, I'm ok with that.

Our PC world was doomed the day we started calling programs as apps.

[Christophe Corazza]

What does S stand for please? 

 

Windows 10 Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious ?

[captain_to_fire]

Just now, Christophe Corazza said:

What does S stand for please?

Windows 10Secure? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

I don’t think Microsoft ever said what the S stands for. If they named it Windows 10L it would’ve been obvious for “Windows 10 Lite” but they didn’t.  

[WkdPaul]

4 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

Windows 10Secure? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

I don’t think Microsoft ever said what the S stands for. If they named it Windows 10L it would’ve been obvious for “Windows 10 Lite” but they didn’t.  

maybe it's for Simple? or Shite? Who knows!

[captain_to_fire]

5 minutes ago, Princess Cadence said:

Our PC world was doomed the day we started calling programs as apps.

I think they’re pretty much the same and I don’t know why it’s an issue to some people. 

 

Program: 

 

Application: 

[Drak3]

11 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

think they’re pretty much the same and I don’t know why it’s an issue to some people. 

Connotation.

[Syntaxvgm]

21 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

I think they’re pretty much the same and I don’t know why it’s an issue to some people. 

 

Program: 

 

Application: 

I like the word application, not "app" as it was popularized with the iPhone, and people associate their understanding of an phone app with a pc "app"
 

[LAwLz]

As long as it is not enabled by default (which I am sure they will try sooner or later) and it isn't a paid unlock (which I am sure it will be) then I am fine with this. 

[captain_to_fire]

7 minutes ago, Syntaxvgm said:

I like the word application, not "app" as it was popularized with the iPhone, and people associate their understanding of an phone app with a pc "app"
 

Probably started when Apple pushed a software update to the 2007 iPhone which enabled the App Store. Then probably got worse when they release this ad for the iPhone 3G.

 

[Syntaxvgm]

3 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

Probably started when Apple pushed a software update to the 2007 iPhone which enabled the App Store. Then probably got worse when they release this ad for the iPhone 3G.

 

yah that phrase basically. I hate the idea of a centralized 'app store' on a desktop. Fuck off with that. When people call a desktop thing an app, to me that can only refer to the windows store thing.

[captain_to_fire]

Just now, Syntaxvgm said:

yah that phrase basically. I hate the idea of a centralized 'app store' on a desktop. Fuck off with that. When people call a desktop thing an app, to me that can only refer to the windows store thing.

Well Microsoft has brought Win32 programs like Spotify and iTunes to the Windows Store as apps so there's that. It's Microsoft's way to make Windows 10S (aka I wanna be as secure and walled as iOS) less shitty. 

[BurnedPriest]

1 hour ago, Christophe Corazza said:

What does S stand for please? 

 

Windows 10 Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious ?

Start Working Properly mode

[yian88]

shat mode on, oh wait it was already on by default since win10 conception, so now i can turn off shitty mode?

[Christophe Corazza]

59 minutes ago, BurnedPriest said:

Start Working Properly mode

 

They'll need a bit more updates than this one to pull that one off though 

[GoodBytes]

I would like to clarify something:

• S Mode: Runs apps ONLY from the Store. All apps currently installed outside of the store, will be removed or can't run (we will see).
   
• The option in the Settings panel under Apps: Runs all your CURRENTLY installed apps, and they can update via their auto-updater, however, any future apps you run that is not from the Store, will be blocked. This is great to lock a computer down once setup for people who have tendency to run funny_image.jpg.exe from e-mails, and links online, and other malware and viruses. So you can install Firefox or Chrome or whatever you want, lock it, and those will still work, but anything else they want must be validated by MS via the Store, reducing the chances of getting compromised.

[suicidalfranco]

just like cancer, slowly spreading and when you finally notice it, it's too late

[AlTech]

4 hours ago, wkdpaul said:

As long as it's only a feature that can be toggled on and off, as say part of parenting features, I'm ok with that.

It's rumored that the "S Mode" is the replacement for Windows 10 S actually. Microsoft has either implied or said at one point that they'd eventually remove Windows 10 S from their Windows 10 Edition lineup.

[Zodiark1593]

1 hour ago, GoodBytes said:

I would like to clarify something:

• S Mode: Runs apps ONLY from the Store. All apps currently installed outside of the store, will be removed
• The option in the Settings panel under Apps: Runs all your CURRENTLY installed apps, and they can update via their auto-updater, however, any future apps you run that is not from the Store, will be blocked. This is great to lock a computer down once setup for people who have tendency to run funny_image.jpg.exe from e-mails, and links online, and other malware and viruses. So you can install Firefox or Chrome or whatever you want, lock it, and those will still work, but anything else they want must be validated by MS via the Store, reducing the chances of getting compromised.

This would be great for the laptops I loan out to siblings or parents.

[AlTech]

4 hours ago, captain_to_fire said:

I think they’re pretty much the same and I don’t know why it’s an issue to some people. 

 

Program: 

 

Application: 

To me at least, I see an app as a simple piece of software designed to do a very specific thing.

 

A program to me is essentially an app but with more advanced features or functionality. E.g.  I'd call Netflix's App an App but I'd call VirtualBox a program. For another example, I'd call Discord an App but I'd call GIMP or LibreOffice as a Program.  

[jagdtigger]

4 hours ago, captain_to_fire said:

Windows 10Secure? Swiss-cheese ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

FIFY....

[Ubleron]

Make G mode. Special windows with a lot of crap stripped out, only the barebones required to game and browse the web.

[descendency]

6 hours ago, wkdpaul said:

As long as it's only a feature that can be toggled on and off, as say part of parenting features, I'm ok with that.

I can't see how toggleable S-mode actually makes sense. 

 

If it can be toggled, then why not have the OS natively toggle it on user actions that require external applications and toggle it on again when the application closes? 

 

Wouldn't this be more secure?

 

5 hours ago, Syntaxvgm said:

I like the word application, not "app" as it was popularized with the iPhone, and people associate their understanding of an phone app with a pc "app"
 

This is how I use 'app' (meaning smartphone/tablet application - ie feature stripped apps), and 'application' for robust desktop stuff.  

[Nowak]

Windows 10 Seriously why would anyone use this?