MuseScore in Microsoft Store is outdated, still at 3.3.4; remove link on Download page

• Nov 20, 2020 - 07:28
Reported version
3.4
Priority
P1 - High
Type
Functional
Frequency
Many
Severity
S3 - Major
Reproducibility
Always
Status
closed
Regression
Yes
Workaround
Yes
Project

The MuseScore version in the Microsoft Store is still on version 3.3.4

Windows 10 users of the "S" version (School?) can install only from the Microsoft Store, so are cut off of updates currently and since quite a while.
Getting that version updated has been promissed since quite a while, yet it has not happened so far.

It might (not sure) be possible to use the PortableApp (fortunately available since 3.5, see #309861: MuseScore 3.5 is not available on the PortableApps.com site & Platform application), as a workaround


Comments

Regression Yes No
Workaround Yes No

We could not update MuseScore in Microsoft Store for now. Maybe it is possible to use MuseScore portable for Windows.

Regression No Yes
Workaround No Yes

That is a workaround indeed. Unless the installation prevents downloads and/or USB thumb drives, which schools for example might do

@epicPointer : what is preventing the version in the Microsoft store to get updated?
If we can't update it, it should get revoked, removed from the store, IMHO better than an outdated version and a broken (implicit) promise to keep it up-to-date

Title MuseScore in Microsoft Store is outdated, still at 3.3.4 MuseScore in Microsoft Store is outdated, still at 3.3.4; remove link on Download page

Since

a) this will not be fixed for 3.x (or seems to be a low/no priority)
b) the chances of it being done for 4.x are low (especially with 4.0 supporting 64-bit Windows 10 only

My recommendation is to change the issue

  • from “the binary does not exist on the Microsoft Store, please add”
  • to “remove links to the Microsoft Store since it is so outdate and basically orphaned”. If there is suficient capacity and capability on the MuseScore (company) side to reinstate a 4.x version, the link can be added back.

And optionally / if possible
* have it retracted/removed from the store.

Aside - is 32-bit a requirement for the store? I did some research but could not find a definitive answer, but what I found did not look good for 64-bit only apps.

In addition to the standalone portable app installer, maybe we should encourage the usage of package managers / installers like Scoop (Windows) and Brew (macOS), which

a) don’t do anything special to the installer. E.g. PortabeApps.com have to package/convert the file into their own .paf file -
b) the app is not hosted by them - they point to the original location on https://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/musescore-nightlies/windows/3x/stable/ (for example), whereas MS Store and PortableApps.com host the app
c) they basically perform an unintended install that does not require admin permission

As Audacity just recently got added to the Microsoft Store there may be hope that MuseScore, also belonging to the Muse Group, will too.

Fix version
4.0.2