Ask Paul: February 2 (Premium)

Happy Friday everyone. Here is another round of questions and answers, including one that dates back to December.
Yubikey vs. Windows 10
Back in December, Polycrastinator asked:
So I just received a Yubikey. I’m rather surprised and disappointed to discover that Microsoft doesn’t support the FICO U2F standard that Google, Facebook, DropBox et al do, especially having now discovered how easy and seamless it is to use. Does Microsoft have any plans to support this in the future?
I asked Microsoft about this. The short version is that Microsoft plans to fully support FIDO 2.0 webAuthN APIs and CTAP (which is 2.0 version of U2F) in Windows. But here is the full reply.
Passwords have outlived their usefulness, so Microsoft is helping champion a better way - making the user the password. We use cloud-based intelligence, combined with hardware and software innovation, to end passwords – first on its own network, and then in close partnership with the industry, applying the same model to many of the devices and services people use every day by collaborating with others in the technology industry via the Fast IDentity Online (FIDO) Alliance. Windows plans to fully support FIDO 2.0 webAuthN APIs and CTAP (which is 2.0 version of U2F), which allows a relying party to move their users to a completely passwordless world on Windows. Microsoft is leading that with [Azure Active Directory] and [Microsoft account] as relying parties adopting FIDO APIs.
No word on timing, sorry.
What apps should be included in Windows 10?
Polycrastinator asks:
To riff off your UWP article [Lead by Example], what UWP/Store apps would you like to see Microsoft develop apart from the obvious mail, contacts, calendar?
This is an age-old question. And Microsoft has vacillated over time between a fairly minimalist set of built-in apps and a larger collection of more full-featured apps. Put simply, I think Microsoft needs to do three things: Match what the competition is doing, modernize its existing apps (make UWP versions of applicable Win32 apps, plus make the built-in UWP apps more professional), and then provide unique value that the competition can't match.

The first point refers to both desktop platforms (macOS and Chrome OS) and mobile platform (Android, iOS). What apps are Apple and Google bundling? Windows needs native versions of all of those.

The middle point is obvious. Paint is a good example: There should be a UWP version of Paint (no, not Paint3D) that provides all of the features of the legacy app. Period.

So what's unique value? I think Microsoft needs to bundle improved/more modern versions of the UWP Office applications with Windows and enhance the level of functionality that they provide for free. They can still do more with an Office 365 subscription, of course. But these apps should be why many customers choose a PC: They know they're going to get the best experience.
OneDrive Files on Demand
wolters asks:
I'm happy that "place ho...

Gain unlimited access to Premium articles.

With technology shaping our everyday lives, how could we not dig deeper?

Thurrott Premium delivers an honest and thorough perspective about the technologies we use and rely on everyday. Discover deeper content as a Premium member.

Tagged with

Share post

Please check our Community Guidelines before commenting

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Thurrott © 2024 Thurrott LLC