diff --git a/plugins/c9.ide.metrics/metrics.js b/plugins/c9.ide.metrics/metrics.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff19b8f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/c9.ide.metrics/metrics.js
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+/**
+ * Stub for collecting workspace/service metrics.
+ * 
+ * For logging metrics to a service like datadog.
+ * 
+ * Actual metrics are implemented by an external plugin that has
+ * many dependencies, including dependencies on VFS.
+ * VFS and other plugins have dependencies on "metrics".
+ * This stub plugin breaks the dependency cycle.
+ */
+define(function(require, exports, module) {
+    "use strict";
+
+    main.consumes = ["Plugin"];
+    main.provides = ["metrics"];
+    return main;
+
+    /**
+     * Collects workspace/service metrics.
+     */
+    function main(options, imports, register) {
+        var Plugin = imports.Plugin;
+        var plugin = new Plugin("Ajax.org", main.consumes);
+        
+        var api;
+        var delayedCalls = [];
+        
+        var apiFunction = options.hosted
+            ? function(apiName, varArgs) {
+                  var args = [].slice.apply(arguments);
+                
+                  if (!api)
+                      return arguments[1] && delayedCalls.push(args);
+                      
+                  var name = args.shift();
+                  return api[name].apply(api, args);
+              }
+            : function() {};
+        
+        function publishApi(newApi) {
+            api = newApi;
+            delayedCalls.forEach(function(args) {
+                var name = args.shift();
+                api[name].apply(api, args);
+            });
+            delayedCalls = [];
+        }
+        
+        plugin.freezePublicAPI({
+            /**
+             * @internal @ignore
+             */
+            $publishApi: publishApi,
+            
+            $setRequestApi: apiFunction.bind(null, "$setRequestApi"),
+            
+            /**
+             * Increment a metric value for this user/workspace,
+             * e.g. increment the number of times the user was disconnected by 1.
+             * 
+             * These metrics get logged to a service like datadog,
+             * namespaced in c9.ide.metrics.
+             * 
+             * Example:
+             * 
+             *     metrics.increment("disconnected", 1, true);
+             * 
+             * @param {String} name
+             * @param {Number} [value]
+             * @param {Boolean} [now]
+             *      Whether to send it within 50ms (or
+             *      when we have a connection) or some time between now
+             *      and up to 5 min or so.
+             */
+            increment: apiFunction.bind(null, "increment"),
+        
+            /**
+             * Set a metric value for this user/workspace,
+             * e.g. the time it takes to load this workspace.
+             * 
+             * These metrics get logged to a service like datadog,
+             * namespaced in c9.ide.metrics.
+             * 
+             * Example:
+             * 
+             *     metrics.log("load_workspace", Date.now() - start, [500, 1000, 5000]);
+             * 
+             * @param {String} name
+             * @param {Number} value
+             * @param {Number[]} [levels]
+             *      If specified, splits up the metric into different levels, e.g.
+             *      for [500, 1000, 5000], a 'value' of 600 would
+             *      log a load_workspace_500 metric. A 'value' of 6000
+             *      would log a load_workspace_over_5000 metric.
+             * @param {Boolean} [now]
+             *      Whether to send within 50ms (or
+             *      when we have a connection) or some time between now
+             *      and up to 5 min or so.
+             */
+            log: apiFunction.bind(null, "log"),
+
+             /**
+             * Get the latest metrics collected, or null if not available yet.
+             * 
+             * @internal
+             * @ignore
+             * @return {Number}
+             */
+            getLatest: apiFunction.bind(null, "getLatest"),
+            
+            /**
+             * Get the last vfs ping time.
+             * 
+             * @return {Object}
+             */
+            getLastPing: apiFunction.bind(null, "getLastPing"),
+        });
+        
+        register(null, { metrics: plugin });
+    }
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/install-sdk.sh b/scripts/install-sdk.sh
index 88794bf0..ebfd1b48 100755
--- a/scripts/install-sdk.sh
+++ b/scripts/install-sdk.sh
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ updateCore() {
 }
 
 installGlobalDeps() {
-    if ! [[ -f ~/.c9/installed ]]; then
+    if ! [[ -f ~/.c9/installed ]] && ! [[ $os == "windows" ]]; then
         curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/c9/install/master/install.sh | bash
     fi
 }