If you've ever checked out our app download page you might have noticed something a little odd. We have two different apps for Windows computers.
What's the difference between these? And if you use a Windows computer, which one should you get? Read on, my lovelies. All shall be explained.
The difference
Showcase XE is directly downloaded to your computer as an .exe file. You "Run" the .exe file and it installs.
Showcase XE will work on Windows operating systems from 7 upward - that is, Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10.
The icon for Showcase XE looks like this:
Showcase ST is installed via the Windows Store - so it's not a file you have to "Run", the Store will do that for you.
Showcase ST only works on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, as those are the versions of Windows with a Store.
The Showcase ST icon looks like this:
Which to use? The short answer:
Showcase XE is your best bet for the majority of cases.
That was easy, wasn't it?! Unless your internal monologue sounds like one of the below, stick with XE and all will be dandy.
To download the .exe file for Showcase XE right now, head to the download page here.
"My boss/network/IT overlords won't let me download this sketchy-looking .exe file"
Well actually, it's not that sketchy - it's extremely legit! It's just that it comes in the same kind of package that sketchy apps sometimes use. For most corporate firewalls and IT policies, it is far easier to blanket-ban all downloads of .exe files than figure out which are legitimate app files developed by respectable developers like us.
If this is the case for you, but you are allowed to download apps from the Windows Store, then go right on ahead to Showcase ST - the 'Store' version. Easy. In fact, here's the link.
If you're not allowed to download either the .exe app or apps from the Store (or, you're not allowed to download .exe files and you're on Windows 7, which doesn't even have Windows Store), then get in touch with us, and CC your IT overlords. We can sort something out!
"I really love it when my PDF files open in a 3rd party app like Adobe Acrobat - then I can use Acrobat features on my files!"
Use Showcase ST, the Windows Store version. This will open any PDF files linked in your showcase in the default 3rd-party app for your device. In contrast, Showcase XE opens PDFs right there in the Showcase app itself - that is, it doesn't open another application in order to display the PDF.
Some folks love having their PDFs open up in a separate app entirely, and some people hate it. If you have no preference either way, or you have no idea what I'm talking about, don't worry! The recommendation to stick to Showcase XE as the default still stands.
And there you have it! A crash course in the differences between these two Windows apps. Go ahead and give one a spin, and if you have questions, you know where we are.