Windows Defender, "Smart Screen" warnings and random bugs about stargate

[L3337]

Thanks for the feedback. I am actually in the process of acquiring code signing certificates, hoping to have them for Windows and MacOS in the next month or 2. I found some legal maneuvering that will allow me create a business for cheap with minimal ongoing legal and tax burden, that Microsoft Partner CAs will accept as a proper legal entity and display yet-to-be-determined business name instead of my name.

[webprofusion-chrisc]

Hi, reviewing your downloads you specifically call out SmartScreen in your docs: https://github.com/stargatedaw/stargate/edit/main/docs/troubleshooting/windows_install.md

While I can see you want to convey to your users that the signed installer is not strictly necessary the tone of the article is combative and conspiratorial which potentially gives the reader a negative impression of you/your project.

Consider rewording your docs to simply state a fact or policy rather than an opinion. e.g. It is not practical or cost effective for us to sign our Windows installer at this time.

While SmartScreen is a hinderance for developers it's also a genuine (if debatably effective) safeguarding step. Microsoft do not charge developers for these certificates and they don't require you to be a partner, the issuing Certificate Authority is the body charging a lot of money for the certificate and they generally equate this cost with the overhead of performing effective identity validation (which is obviously a strict requirement for certifying a developer/organisation).