Any way to play Doom on Windows 10 S?

Windows 10 S is the "lite" version of Windows 10 which only lets you run apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store. I don't have it, but I'm noticing that they're starting to sell laptops which only have Windows 10 S. Even though you may upgrade it at any time into Windows 10 Pro, I'm wondering if there still are ports for Doom (or Freedoom) so you don't need to buy full Windows just to play Doom on those computers. Preferably if they also let you load PWADs (if not also the IWADs if you have them too).

I really hope it stays that way. Walled Garden Windows needs to die.

It is very unlikely that a Doom port will be ported to this platform.

The restrictions of these Windows Store apps are just too invasive and too severe to allow easy porting of old Win32 code, or even of old code making use of the C runtime library's I/O capabilities. The biggest obstacle will be that it only has Direct3D, correct me if I am wrong, but I think only the more recent versions 11 and 12,  as a video display API so good luck with porting over the entire low level code to such an incompatible-with-everything platform. Not even iOS went this far in shutting out all old code.

1 hour ago, printz said:

but I'm noticing that they're starting to sell laptops which only have Windows 10 S.

Good thing I got my lappy when I did, fucking M$.

1 hour ago, dpJudas said:

I really hope it stays that way. Walled Garden Windows needs to die.

M$ is going to develop Windows Polaris, which will lack native Win32 support, resulting in lower performance.

So I f***ing hope that those Microsoft Store-only Windows projects just die in the hell as happened with Windows Phone.

Windows will not even get new features starting by 2020 if I'm not mistaken.

So let them simply die in hell. They are trying to accomplish their wet dream of making a walled garden.

So, by 2025, I will abandon Windows and go to Linux but not macOS as Apple might pwn it's customers later.

F***ing M$, literally.

Soon, Full windows 10 will become free Later this year *I think*.

LOL. @cacodemon345

Your inept FUDing is actually more funny than scary.

It's clear what Microsoft is trying to do here: Just another inept attempt at moving people over to UWP. They failed before and they will fail again. By now it should be clear that this is not what people are buying a computer for, the mere consumers have long moved over to smartphones.

Concerning Win32, rest assured that it won't go away. Microsoft's entire well-being depends on continued support for the old API, bad as it is. The worldwide software industry would eat Microsoft alive if they abandoned it and move to Linux, rather than UWP. They'd have to reprogram all their software anyway and I seriously doubt they would choose the prison option.

The only thing this will create is customer backlash of those who got tricked into buying Windows CE (i.e. Crippled Edition) and have to pay double to make their system usable.

Ok, to stop all the paranoia: Windows 10 S is Microsoft's attempt to head off the threat of Chromebooks in education. They're concerned that so many kids are being given Chromebooks in schools that they'll stick with them in college and adult life. They needed an OS that had the same locked down feature-set as ChromeOS, so Windows 10 S was developed.

It is not meant to replace full Windows or be part of some 10 year plan to get rid of Win32 compatibility. Believe me, Microsoft does not think 10 years in the future. They change their mind on stuff faster than a hyperactive toddler.

Source: My job, here in Redmond WA

^ why make a locked-down version of Windows to counter the Chromebooks, and not just use the ordinary full Win10? Seems a lot simpler than investing some actual effort into dumbing Win10 down, haha.

Maybe it's to cater to stupid American kids who can't use anything more advanced than the silly Chromebooks? I can't think of another reason, hahaha. :]

...also, you work in Microsoft?????? holy jesus christ almighty that's so badass

As far as the original topic is concerned...

It'll just take someone to either port Doom to UWP, or somehow publish the Win32 version on the Store (they do allow desktop apps, though they are sandboxed and it might take some cajoling to get a playable game). The latter option is probably easiest, but it raises a question of how to get an IWAD onto it... I don't have an answer for that, unless the port includes Freedoom.

10 minutes ago, bzzrak said:

Maybe it's to cater to stupid American kids who can't use anything more advanced than the silly Chromebooks? I can't think of another reason, hahaha. :]

It's actually the opposite: kids are smart, inquisitive, and will do everything in their power to break, subvert or generally fuck with any equipment that schools give them. 

Chromebooks are great because there's very little a kid can do to it to break it. They can't format the hard drive for the LOLs, install viruses because it'd be funny, or set it so every icon on the desktop is a giant penis. 

While a school could use full-fat Windows 10, they'd need to install so much security to lock down the PCs it'd be a total ballache. An OS that is already locked down is by far the preferable option.

Edit: Sorry for hijacking the thread OP! 

1 hour ago, Bauul said:

Ok, to stop all the paranoia: Windows 10 S is Microsoft's attempt to head off the threat of Chromebooks in education. They're concerned that so many kids are being given Chromebooks in schools that they'll stick with them in college and adult life. They needed an OS that had the same locked down feature-set as ChromeOS, so Windows 10 S was developed.

That's true, but I still hope nobody ports to this sandbox platform because it will stack all the cards in Microsoft's favor. Make no mistake, if Microsoft got enough people to use their store, they'd try isolate new features and extinguish anyone not moving over. Capitalism dictates that they must try claim the 30% revenue of all sold software if they can get away with it.

Anyway, back to on-topic: porting Doom to UWP is probably easiest for the ports that only has the software renderer and uses libsdl2. As for getting the iwad into it, there is probably some kind of "Browse For File" API you can call in UWP to have the user select a file to be moved into the sandbox.

1 hour ago, Bauul said:

They change their mind on stuff faster than a hyperactive toddler.

That's why they stopped giving Windows 10 Mobile builds.

Anyways, as bzzrak said, it's really badass for you to work in Microsoft. If I remember correctly @Jon works for Red Hat.

Back to topic, 

9 minutes ago, dpJudas said:

Anyway, back to on-topic: porting Doom to UWP is probably easiest for the ports that only has the software renderer and uses libsdl2.

I don't think it is possible to port libsdl2 and Doom to Windows 10 S. It would require access to things that aren't simply available in Windows 10 S and it would end up being rejected in the Microsoft Store.

1 minute ago, Cacodemon345 said:

I don't think it is possible to port libsdl2 and Doom to Windows 10 S. It would require access to things that aren't simply available in Windows 10 S and it would end up being rejected in the Microsoft Store.

I haven't bothered checking if libsdl2 supports UWP already or not - there's some chance it does since the purpose of SDL is to try create an OS abstraction. If it doesn't, it is still easier to port from that than a port that uses direct Win32 calls or similar.

As for store rejection, there's always the question whether the GPL is compatible with the terms offered there. Given that I won't use the store for other reasons, I never bothered checking, but it is a nice illustration that you're not master in your own house when you target platforms based on stores.

2 hours ago, Cacodemon345 said:

I don't think it is possible to port libsdl2 and Doom to Windows 10 S. It would require access to things that aren't simply available in Windows 10 S and it would end up being rejected in the Microsoft Store.

If Minecraft works in UWP, there's zero reason SDL and Doom can't.

...now if only a merger of the three so-called UWP Minecraft apps were possible. Split Screen on PC and Tablets FTW.

In any case, the closest things I can find to UWP apps are https://github.com/PJayB/DOOM-3-BFG-DX11 and https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/d-gles-source-port-of-doom/9wzdncrfj87h

On a related note, kind of annoyed that split screen code hasn't been found in doom 3 bfg code for ANY of the included games.

On 1/28/2018 at 9:33 PM, Jerry.C said:

Concerning Win32, rest assured that it won't go away. Microsoft's entire well-being depends on continued support for the old API, bad as it is. The worldwide software industry would eat Microsoft alive if they abandoned it and move to Linux, rather than UWP. They'd have to reprogram all their software anyway and I seriously doubt they would choose the prison option.

They are already developing Windows 10 ARM with Win32 support. They will first make people move to it, add 64-bit support and when everyone starts developing software for it, then they will deprecate it and then slowly remove it from existence.

That way, the software industry won't eat Microsoft alive.

Forgive me if I am mistaken.

On 1/28/2018 at 8:20 AM, printz said:

Windows 10 S is the "lite" version of Windows 10 which only lets you run apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store. I don't have it, but I'm noticing that they're starting to sell laptops which only have Windows 10 S. Even though you may upgrade it at any time into Windows 10 Pro, I'm wondering if there still are ports for Doom (or Freedoom) so you don't need to buy full Windows just to play Doom on those computers. Preferably if they also let you load PWADs (if not also the IWADs if you have them too).

if i'm not mistaken, you shouldn't be play Doom in school. It seems like they targeted that for schools  because kids these days get laptops in school. Heck, I had a laptop as early as 2004!

Don't forget there is a Home Edition.

This topic seems sort of irrelevant as Microsoft has decided to bake Windows 10 S into newer low-end PCs starting with Windows 10 RS4: https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/151582/exclusive-windows-10-s-dead-long-live-s-mode

Also, Walled Garden OSs needs to die.

Linux is in my future, M$ will sacrifice enthusiasts and gamers in favor of the general public as they continue to compete for their arch-rival, Apple. They won't make any sudden moves so as to upset everyone all at once, gotta drip feed it, like all other scum in power are known to do.

On 1/30/2018 at 1:01 AM, Cacodemon345 said:

They are already developing Windows 10 ARM with Win32 support. They will first make people move to it, add 64-bit support and when everyone starts developing software for it, then they will deprecate it and then slowly remove it from existence.

That way, the software industry won't eat Microsoft alive.

Basically this, I repeat.

Microsoft will only focus on general public and not gamers and enthusiasts and try to win over Apple. They will probably try to make sure people first are content with what they got with Windows 10 ARM and Windows 10 Polaris, then kill off Win32 support gradually.