Zero Install, the decentralised cross-distribution software installation system,
announced 0install 1.0 today, after 8 years in development. 0install allows software developers to publish programs directly from their own web-sites, while supporting features familiar from centralised distribution repositories such as shared libraries, automatic updates and digital signatures. It complements, rather than replaces, the OS's package management. As well as allowing developers to create a single package that works across Linux, BSDs, Mac OS X and Windows, it could help make software available on more minor platforms. OSNews covered
decentralised installation systems in 2007.
Member since:
2010-05-17
I covered Autopackage years ago in Tux Magazine and it seemed to have more potential to me than others, including 0install. One of the major barriers seemed to be Debian people, who went all religious on their 'ass', and even banned Autopackage developers from their IRC channels. That sort of thing was really demoralising, and despite the fact it had interest from parties like IBM, idiotic zealots from other projects killed it.
Sometimes we're our own worst enemies.
I wasn't nearly as much a fan of 0install last time I tried it (although I imagine it's much improved over the years) as the very familiar and intuitive interface as Autopackage, but heck, good luck to 'em.