Linked by Kostis Kapelonis on Sat 14th May 2011 15:43 UTC
Application stores are growing everywhere like mushrooms. While users have initially embraced application stores because of the ease they offer with application installation, developers have several complaints. Division of profits from paid application and ineffectiveness of the screening process are among the major issues. Are application stores the best distribution channel possible? Can they satisfy both developers and users?
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RE: repos and appstores are different in one major imo
by Vanders on Sat 14th May 2011 20:28
in reply to "repos and appstores are different in one major imo"
Member since:2005-07-06
Repository:
- the OS/packaging group assembles the apps, compiles them, tests them, etc, and distributes them
- the OS/packaging group assembles the apps, compiles them, tests them, etc, and distributes them
For your distribution upstream repository, sure. There are lots of non-distribution repositories, though, and users can easily add those third party repositories. It's easy to build your own repository, too.
RE: repos and appstores are different in one major imo
by emilsedgh on Sat 14th May 2011 22:32
in reply to "repos and appstores are different in one major imo"
Member since:2007-06-21
RE: repos and a - third party repositories
by jabbotts on Sun 15th May 2011 00:01
in reply to "repos and appstores are different in one major imo"
Member since:2007-09-06
On the repository side, one can have the best of both worlds.
Debian's standard repositories for stability and consistency; Main, Contrib, Non-free.
Plus
Third party repositories for developer managed packages (availability); Webmin, Mondo Rescue, Firefox 4 (iceweasel 4) and so on.
Subversion or similar methods can provide developers with a way to ship distribution neutral programs also if it's something like Metasploit that benefits from having the latest additions and isn't targeted at user's who'd have any issue using svn or scripting it into a system wide update process.
In general, the first two options, distro and third party repositories, can easily cover average user needs.
I'd also suggest that App Store style repositories could stand to deliver more consistancy. Something between Apple's heavy handed but staff and business strategy limited system and Google's easy to exploit wide open system.
RE[2]: repos and a - third party repositories
by toomuchtatose on Sun 15th May 2011 04:52
in reply to "RE: repos and a - third party repositories"
Member since:2011-05-15
My opinion that multiple repositories (such as free, contrib, non-free) is non-consequential to the lay customers, the target Appstore is suppose to service.
Most "repository" related suggestions fail to take note that multiple repositories only serve to increase distro fragmentation and loss of customer mindshare. The is one of the reasons why Linux desktops for the masses fail to take off.
One also should not assume that commercial vendors and software developers are capable and ready to maintain multiple repositories (if they want to, in the first place).
As of now, application distribution is best provided via standardisation and formalised application store logic. Following the path of least resistance, customers with exceptional demands may get additional "application fixes" via manual sideloading or "informal" repositories (e.g. kinda like PPAs for ubuntu)
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Member since:
2006-05-21
Repository:
- the OS/packaging group assembles the apps, compiles them, tests them, etc, and distributes them
App Store:
- the app developers submit their own apps to the app store
#1 is good for consistency (most of the times), while #2 is good for availability (users don't have to wait/hope/pray for the OS/repo people to package an app they want but isn't available).