Alternatives to App-V for W10 Professional

[FoxEye]

So, upgrading to W10 Pro Anniversary Ed removes App-V 5.1. MS have said that this is now a feature exclusive to Enterprise Editions. If you were using it with W10 Pro - tough.

It was only when I started using it at work that I realised how brilliants app virtualisation is, even for home users.

It stops apps registering 1000s of crap COM objects in your registry.
No more hi-jacking Explorer, etc.
No more writing tons of stuff to WinSXS.
Can stop apps from creating thousands of services which always run regardless of whether the app is loaded (but the app needs to function).

In short, app virtualisation stops crappy apps (we all use them) from grunging up your registry and windows folder with masses of junk. And if you decide to stop using an app, it is trivial to remove all traces of it.

I've already virtualised some of the worst offenders that I use - stuff like Sony SonicStage, which sadly I need for my MP3 player.

But now MS has removed App-V from W10 Pro, so hopefully there is something else out that that does the same job?

 

[jpaul]

I do not know that much about virtualization, but is the overhead in providing virtualization of applications to solely yourself (as opposed to enterprise where would be delivering same app to many users) worth it, encapsulation, your time, server, disk space, app maintenance.
[instructive/educational - yes - especially if you are using at work]

For many of the crappy apps I typically replace them eg
google chrome -> firefox
windows media player - > MPC-HC
and otherwise for those you cannot live with out avira antivirus, google earth, urlsnooper, just ensure that you are aware of the tasks and internet use the app might make and control them

Cloudpaging seems to be an upcoming player in app virtualization; do not appear to have a home/free version though