It seems to me that the world of Windows package m...

Your assessment is spot-on regarding Windows package managers. Here's why this situation exists:

1. Fragmentation and Lack of Standards:

   • Windows historically lacked a unified package manager. Microsoft introduced their own (winget) relatively recently. Prior to this, third-party solutions (Chocolatey, Scoop) emerged, leading to fragmentation.

2. No Guarantee of Inclusion:

   • Unlike Linux distributions, where inclusion in the primary repositories (e.g., apt in Debian-based systems) is a major goal for most software developers, Windows package managers don't have the same "gravity" or community-driven momentum.
   • Linux developers see inclusion as essential for visibility and credibility; in contrast, Windows apps traditionally rely on direct downloads from websites or official app stores.

3. Optional Nature:

   • On Linux, package managers are fundamental to the OS design. Conversely, Windows still primarily relies on manual installers (.exe, .msi files) or official stores. The package managers are often optional, niche solutions.

4. No Default Integration:

   • winget is gradually becoming standard, but many users aren't aware of it or don't use it. Unlike macOS's brew, which is essentially the de-facto standard despite being third-party, Windows lacks an undisputed leader.

To summarize, the "clunky mess" you describe arises from fragmentation, optionality, and historical reliance on manual software distribution methods. This contrasts strongly with the centralized and community-driven approaches taken by Linux distributions.