Convert the settings window into an independent top-level window with its own taskbar icon and open-or-focus semantics. Removed Owner/anchor/toggle semantics from SettingsWindowService and added ScreenReferenceWindow for centering; settings windows now ShowInTaskbar = true and are truly destroyed on close. Added SettingsWindowPlacementHelper and tests for placement/centering. Main window now respects an AppSettingsSnapshot.ShowInTaskbar flag (new setting exposed in GeneralSettings UI) and slide/visibility animations and "back to Windows" behavior no longer affect the independent settings window. Updated various callers to use OpenIndependentSettingsModule, adjusted window transitions/X offsets, and added/updated spec files documenting the feature and animation boundary.
Introduce a new LanMountainDesktop.Shared.IPC project implementing a public IPC host and client (LanMountainDesktopIpcClient, PublicIpcHostService), IPC constants and routed notify IDs, DTOs and DI helpers for registering public services. Update Plugin SDK to allow plugins to contribute public IPC services and registrations, add related descriptors/records and extension helpers. Migrate Launcher/App to use the new public IPC for startup/loading notifications and wiring (including TryConnect helper), switch LoadingStateReporter to use the external notification publisher, and add host-side public services (app info, shell control, plugin catalog). Include integration tests and spec/checklist/docs for the external IPC public API.
Introduce a per-user OOBE state model and hardened launch/elevation handling. Adds OobeStateFile/OobeLaunchDecision models, OobeStateService (persisting %LOCALAPPDATA%/.launcher/state/oobe-state.json), and LauncherExecutionContext to capture elevation and user SID. CommandContext now normalizes/infers launch-source values (normal, postinstall, apply-update, plugin-install, debug-preview) and exposes maintenance checks. LauncherFlowCoordinator propagates richer launcher context details for diagnostics and suppresses OOBE for elevated/maintenance contexts. PluginInstallerService avoids requesting elevation for user-scoped installs and returns a clear error when installation target is outside the current user's LocalAppData. LauncherClient maps and surfaces result codes, UpdateWorkflow and installer invocation now pass explicit --launch-source values, and WelcomeOobeStep persists OOBE completion via the new service. Adds unit tests (CommandContext, OobeStateService, PluginInstallerService), docs/specs/checklists for the contract, and makes internals visible to tests.
