We moved Quick Assist to enhance the performance and security of the app. You should see a significant improvement in passcode generation times and a reduction in application errors.
---------
How does moving an app to a different distribution channel enhance its performance and it's security ? So it's like saying something like Windows Defender would be better off being distributed through the MS Store since it would perform better and be more secure :( Come on, let's get real. Also Adding alphanumeric now , even though is tolerable, I think is overkill. Add a few more digits and you should be fine. Already the codes are only valid for 10 minutes, then when you connect, they see the email of the user that is requesting connection permission, and then also need to click and give you permission. It is not like RDP where as long as a remote user knows your IP/username/password they could get in. With Quick Access, it already needs to be synchronized and window of opportunity for any brute force attack is not huge.
I understand that there were security concerns for other various reasons. But they could have easily been addressed and rolled out as part of a regular windows update, to update the integrated app. Or just included it in the next Windows release (22H2).
Already in the last month, I have tried to jump through hoops trying to help 3 elderly family friends who live a decent distance away (one is even in another country). In the past it was simple to just launch quick assist and help them out. Now I have to "try" to guide them through to the microsoft store (which they have never used before), and navigate to find and install the new app (and needed to answer "yes" to 2 runprocess type UAC prompts in in the process). Then after you go through this painful process (since many are barely comfortable using computers), you have them launch it and realize it complains about the lack of the WebView II Runtime :( Great.. But obviously, it would make too much sense if that was ALSO available in the MS Store (or downloaded and installed automatically), but it is NOT. Then you get them to close the store, open a browser, do a search for "webview runtime", make sure they go to the correct web page, download the correct version for their machine. Then spend time having them locate the file they downloaded (since their browser was set to auto download without prompting). Then click the executable to install the Webview II runtime.
Needless to say, that many get so frustrated, that they just give up before you even get to installing the Webview runtime, and tell you to "forget it, too complicated, if you are ever in the area, let me know".
Complete failure, for something that could have easily addressed any vulnerabilities by distributing a NEW version as part of a normal Windows update (like it was done ages ago with Windows 7 and the MSTSC/RDP upgrades to address security issues also). And it would have been nice and transparent to most users.
Another poor decision, is that even if you do get it all installed, and then you connect and eventually PIN it to the start menu, all you see is the ICON, with no text saying "Quick Access". 99.999% of other icons have text saying "Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Calculator, Microsoft Mahjong, etc..". Hell even if you pin the CMD prompt to the start menu and is says "Command Prompt". Would it have been so difficult to include the App Name ? Now all you see is a plain blue icon with no description.
The other disappointment is this decision:
-------
Will Quick Assist only be available in the Store going forward?
The Quick Assist Store app will be preinstalled in the next update for Windows 11. Users who are currently part of the Windows Insiders program can test this today.
Note: Windows 10 users will continue to download the Store app.
---------
Why not also include it preinstalled with the next version of Windows 10 (22H2), and at the same time make sure that CTRL+WIN+Q shortcut brings up the new version.
And this is using it in home environments, where most people are setup as Administrators on their PCs. Must be a bigger nightmare for corporate helpdesks where most machines are locked down.
Hope Microsoft changes their mind and switches it back to an integrated application. Basic little application, but super useful when it is INCLUDED in the OS and you can count on it being there without explaining to a remote user how to install it and it's prerequisites.
