Do We Really Want AppCenter On Ubuntu?
In the past, I have been an advocate behind the idea of a Linux App Store. The basic idea, while fairly sound, will need more however than merely tossing together a prettier face to existing package management options. Frankly, I want to begin to see a means for proprietary apps that want to jump over to this platform with a means of integrating into userland without needing to “hope” that people find their apps elsewhere on their own.
While I am certainly not advocating bundling proprietary apps with Linux distros by default, I think there is nothing wrong with taking an app store approach to where I may one day be able to purchase commercial software, should I choose to.
For now though, Ubuntu devs have their own ideas long this train of thought. And to some extent, the argument for further simplifying makes a lot of sense. So long as the experienced users is still free to use a CLI should they choose to, I see no problem with taking the simplicity behind Add/Remove in Ubuntu and making it even easier than it is now.
7 Comments
What’s Your Favorite Commercial? | Chris Pirillo
August 26th, 2009
at 9:48am
[...] Do we really want AppCenter on Ubuntu? [...]
Dette
August 26th, 2009
at 12:33pm
I like the idea. I use ubuntu along side windows and I agree an app store would be very nice.
Dean
August 26th, 2009
at 12:35pm
Synaptic and gdebi should be enough at the GUI. You can use those tools for displaying liscences and agreements. You can aquire payed for software buy downloading…
Canonical not making enough money or something?
If it aint broke… then run Debian or compile Gentoo or Funtoo. Some of the dumbing down of Ubuntu has already annoyed me and it takes poking around to put things back how I’m already used to them. The focus should be more on supporting more hardware configurations, not idiot proof GUIs when the GUI itself is already not hard for anyone who’s used a computer after 1995.
Justen
August 26th, 2009
at 12:43pm
It’s against Ubuntu’s basic principle to package or offer non-free software in the base distro. There’s nothing wrong with downloading proprietary software if you want to, but with Ubuntu you have to manually add in proprietary repositories to “opt in” to that. There’s a good reason for it too; Ubuntu is meant to be used anywhere in the world, and that can open up a can of licensing worms for proprietary software that is licensed for use only in certain countries.
Personally I’m against the basic idea, anyway. Besides cutting-edge games you can get software to do almost anything you could possibly want in Linux for free. Bundling a commercial software store may encourage users to buy without looking for a free alternative, based on the faulty assumption that commercial is better (and more than likely a lot of slick packaging and marketing, instead of product quality).
Matt Hartley
August 26th, 2009
at 1:02pm
I agree, hence this above:
Quote: “While I am certainly not advocating bundling proprietary apps with Linux distros by default, I think there is nothing wrong with taking an app store approach to where I may one day be able to purchase commercial software, should I choose to.”
So I am guessing we are on the same page there?
LEGO Dad Outsmarts Ubuntu ~ Windows Fanatics
August 26th, 2009
at 7:23pm
[...] Do we really want AppCenter on Ubuntu? [...]
Ron Old
September 1st, 2009
at 11:05am
Yes…. Ubuntu needs an AppCenter. There aren’t any “free” equivilents (sic) for most of the specialized software my firm uses. Dealing with installing non-distro Linux apps for most non-techies is like having to learn how to build the motor before you can drive the car, GUI or not.