If it works similar to Ubuntu Software Center then it should be a very nice option for many people. I like being able to quickly download applications through the Software Center, while also having the ability to manually install packages or compile code when necessary. As long as those choices remain on OS X, it should offer a good balance for all user types.
Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X
151–160 of 229 posts
Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X
#1521. I hope I can still build my own custom Emacs.app from source and install it. 2. I hope App Store apps will be sandboxed and prevented from polluting the system. 3. I hope Adobe switches to the App Store model, and that it will mean that the behavior of the horrific Creative Suite installer will finally be reigned in (take a look in /Applications/.AdobePatchFiles and check how large it is).
Software distributed through the Mac AppStore is not restricted to a single user license so I doubt any higher priced applications will make the jump.
Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X
#153This is very exciting. The problem of distribution and monetization for desktop software is significant and largely unsolved. Steam is already proof that a digital store can make desktop users really happy, but it addresses gamers, who are cheerful early adopters. Most other people who don't game only know this model through their mobile device, but now they're ready for more. As for developers? For more than half of…
I see some potential negatives for developers (arguably positive for consumers). 1 - Price deflation. There is a bit of a connotation that App Store means lots of 99 cents apps. Yes, it's not the same platform as the iPhone, but people jumping from the iPhone App Store are going to have some preconceived expectations. 2 - Family licensing. You normally pay a premium for family licensing of a lot of Mac software. This…
Re. point #2: IIRC, in the talk today, Jobs mentioned that apps installed via the mac app store will work on all your personal macs.
Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X
#154Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm wondering what happens to AppBodega, now that Apple released an App Store for Mac (which I assume would be very tightly integrated with the OS).
AppBodega can continue along just the same. I think they serve very different purposes and markets, even though they are similar ideas. AppBodega is lots of indie/FOSS apps. It's more like MacPorts for applications, with purchasing.
Indie/FOSS apps should be in heaven on the iOS store, assuming changes needed to the app are minimal.
Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X
#155For users, Macs are great. But Apple has always had a contentious at best relationship with developers. Their tone has always struck me as small developers are a pain, and they would rather have fewer developers ergo less software.
That said, I think developers should be very concerned for a couple of reasons:
1. People will automatically associated this with the iOS App Store experience, which will drive prices way down for richer desktop applications. That was my very first thought.
2. Apple will justify a review and approval process for desktop applications on the basis of something like "application security" and "keeping viruses off your Mac". They went that direction with the argument of eliminating porn, which was silly.
In the end, this closes the software ecosystem. It may work for Apple, but I'm not sure I would want to be a part of it.
Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X
#156My big question, will non-App Store apps be able to use Home Screen?
edit: I mean Launchpad, not "home screen"...
Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X
#157Earlier quoted context omitted.
You don't have to look further than iOS to see that yes, it is a problem. Charging developers a yearly fee aside, excluding apps that Apple is not comfortable with due to competitive reasons is a HUGE problem. Also, a lot of us who develop on OS X actually use the unix tool chain. Something like homebrew or fink just won't fit into the app store framework. Edit: that said, I do see the positive aspects of it. So long…
The fearful comments are not from Apple developers, but from freetards who have hated apple for the past 20 years and been making the same kinds of comments for that same period. Meanwhile, those of us who have been developers for apple platforms during that time have never seen apple screw us over and find this kind of fear to be asinine. It makes for good press to boost your page views, though, and so any burp emin…
I've used Apple as a dev platform for the past twelve years, doing mostly UNIX application development. I do not have a blog. Thank you for making baseless assumptions and throwing around childish insulting terms. It really goes a long way towards stimulating good conversation.
As a multi-platform developer that doesn't use objective-c, but still finding OS X to be a great development platform, I am very much distrustful of Apple. Why? Because of how they've conducted themselves with iOS.
Is such fear reasonable? I feel it is. Mostly because I don't see users such as myself to be in Apples current or future target market. Few to no new features target users like myself, and the iOS platform is almost hostile towards anything that doesn't fit with Apple technologies and apis.
Not only that, but iOS has been extremely successful for them in terms of income. It makes a lot of business sense that they would want to push OS X towards the same highly profitable model. I do hope that they keep OS X as open as it is now, but I'd say the mistrust is very reasonable.
Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X
#158Hooray, I called it! I was asking when they were going to do this a few months ago. It seems like a pretty obvious step, of course - they have that Mac Software link in the Apple menu in Finder, but it just links to a fairly boring website.
Gosh, that must have been a really offensive post. Sorry.
I'd be happy to analyze how awesome this site is http://www.apple.com/downloads/ if anyone wants to have an actual discussion rather than just anonymously show vague disapproval.
Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X
#159This is very exciting. The problem of distribution and monetization for desktop software is significant and largely unsolved. Steam is already proof that a digital store can make desktop users really happy, but it addresses gamers, who are cheerful early adopters. Most other people who don't game only know this model through their mobile device, but now they're ready for more. As for developers? For more than half of…
I'm not so excited about this. Am I the only one who thinks this is Apple's first step in exerting more control over developers and users on the OS X platform like they do on iOS? EDIT: to all the replies about how you still have a choice of distribution on OS X: yes, you do right now, but who knows how long that will last? As I said, this might be the first step in locking down the platform. I don't believe this wil…
I wouldn't worry too much. In order for the Mac to continue to serve as a development platform, it can't be completely locked down. They're making it clear these days that they care a lot about the app ecosystem, so there will have to be a replacement before they take away the ability to install your own apps and get at the shell.
More likely is that more of Apple's product line, and more of everyone's computing, will shift to iOs.
Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X
#160Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's like boiling a toad. Lets hope it doesn't go that way.
IT is amazing that I can't go a week without seeing mainstream FUD about how apple is boiling a toad, meanwhile the countries economy is just shy of "roiling" and half the people are shouting "Turn up the heat!" Too much worry about Apple- which has been treating people well and going above and beyond the call of duty for decades, and no worry about the government which has just blown up the biggest bubble the countr…
As you said, when it comes to the Government, Bush turned up the heat from 120F to 212 in a matter of months. And no one is stopping it.
I'm not worried too much about Apple, but no one can contest that Apple leans towards being very controlling over their platforms.