[besson3c]

I'm wondering if Apple has been overzealous in the rollout of this...

I'm seeing several new projects and several existing projects that haven't embraced distribution on the Mac app store. For one, I don't think it is possible to transfer existing licenses to the store so that updates to existing paid-for apps can be migrated to the app store, but I'm also seeing some developers complain about not being able to provide features they developed on the store due to Apple's policies. Postbox 2.5 is a good example in its add on, iCal, and iPhoto integration support: Postbox Frequently Asked Questions

With the built-in software mechanisms that many/most apps already have, and my uncertainty as to whether people are learning about these apps on the app store or via Google searches, I'm not sure whether or not to deem the store a success. I know that Apple will tout their download figures and I don't doubt that it has been somewhat of a success, but is it all it could have been? With so many users programmed into years and years of download software via websites, is Apple expecting too much of developers to deploy their apps on the app store? Are novice users finding new apps there? I understand all of the perks to app store development, but again, I ask if Apple has done a good job in making the app store all it can be?

Just wondering what your thoughts are, I'm ambivalent, but I don't think Apple has hit a home run with this.

[turtle777]

Do you EVER think Apple has hit a home run with ANYTHING ?

Really, the points you bring up have been discussed a lot in existing App Store threads.

The restrictions for apps that need to install files outside the user's home folder is well known, and IMO, unfortunate.
It might change at some point, or not. As long as Apple allows for apps to be installed the classic way, I really don't see a problem.

For most programmers, the app store is a God sent. They would have never been able to gain the same exposure w/o it.

-t

[ajprice]

Growl the system notification add on is going to the App Store on Lion, with changes to take out the Mail and Safari notifications. These parts will be separate .pkg installs from the growl website though, so not completely lost in the changeover.

Interview: Growl's project lead on coming to the Mac App Store | TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Yesterday, we heard that some of the more technical Growl services would be dying off because of the switchover, but Forsythe says that's not exactly true. While perception has it that the Mac App Store is ruling out a few Growl services, many of the changes are just so he can focus his team on what customers actually use, and not as much on edge use cases. Services like GrowlMail and GrowlSafari won't be officially supported in the Mac App Store version, but anyone who wants to use those services will still be able to download a .PKG installer from the Growl website and be off on their merry way. That's good news for average users like myself and others. Forsythe plans to put his team working on the core Growl app, and let other developers deal with the more complicated function and addons.

[imitchellg5]

I like having one place to update apps. Beyond that, it's, well, an App Store. Nothing terribly exciting or revolutionary. But it works, and works fairly well.

[Waragainstsleep]

I used to wonder a long time ago why 3rd parties didn't get to use Apple software update.

My understanding is that you will still be able to circumvent the app store entirely if you prefer to do so and stick with the old methods, the point is that there is now a single trustworthy point of contact for searching for software. Sure we've had versiontracker and macupdate for years but they will post any old crap on there, the app store review system is much better.
The app store is yet another example of Apple doing what is best for casual consumers. Apple has never served the technical elite or the computer enthusiast because they(we) have always been a minority. The app store provides a safe way for people to find software to do whatever they need without the risk of installing malware or viruses.

Its not so much a home run as a no-brainer.

[freudling]

The Mac App Store is about the future: security.

Read the headlines these days, hacking has become a major media story. Everyone is getting hacked. This way, you can be sure that a program you download isn't laced with poison.

[hayesk]

Apple needs to do a few things to help the app store:
- patching rather than download the full app each time
- time-limited demos. This shouldn't be hard to do
- upgrade/crossgrade pricing.
- update notifications

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

I like having one place to update apps. Beyond that, it's, well, an App Store. Nothing terribly exciting or revolutionary. But it works, and works fairly well.

I'd like to have on place too, but it looks like some developers are deciding to not use the store, or cannot use the store, so...

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep 

I used to wonder a long time ago why 3rd parties didn't get to use Apple software update.

My understanding is that you will still be able to circumvent the app store entirely if you prefer to do so and stick with the old methods, the point is that there is now a single trustworthy point of contact for searching for software. Sure we've had versiontracker and macupdate for years but they will post any old toke on there, the app store review system is much better.
The app store is yet another example of Apple doing what is best for casual consumers. Apple has never served the technical elite or the computer enthusiast because they(we) have always been a minority. The app store provides a safe way for people to find software to do whatever they need without the risk of installing malware or viruses.

Its not so much a home run as a no-brainer.

I agree, but why aren't developers all getting their apps onto the Mac app store? Why do so many seem to be sitting this out?

How many of the apps do you use are downloadable in the Mac app store? For me, very few of them...

[besson3c]

Apps I use, app store availability:

- Adium: no
- iBank: yes
- Google Chrome: no
- Postbox: a crippled version is there
- Firefox: no
- iTerm2: no
- GitHub: no
- Virtualbox: no
- MacFUSE/Macfusion: no
- Microsoft RDP: no
- Last.FM: no
- Adobe CS: no
- XCode/iOS simulator: yes
- Twitter client: yes
- TextMate: no
- LibreOffice: no
- VLC: no
- Skype: no


Is it just a matter of not enough time having elapsed for these developers to jump aboard? An odd assortment of apps?

[Waragainstsleep]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

I agree, but why aren't developers all getting their apps onto the Mac app store? Why do so many seem to be sitting this out?

How many of the apps do you use are downloadable in the Mac app store? For me, very few of them...

I haven't needed to download very many either yet.
I suspect some devs will be waiting to finish their next major versions, a few will fail Apples criteria due to features and a good few more will not yet be convinced the extra exposure is worth the 30% Apple takes.
Most of them will gradually get over their objections one way or another. In a year or two software not on the store will start to be deemed untrustworthy unless it comes from a massive developer like Adobe or Autodesk or the like. Then devs will be all but forced to use it for paid apps.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

Is it just a matter of not enough time having elapsed for these developers to jump aboard? An odd assortment of apps?

Many of those have licensing issues, probably.

Some of those OSS efforts don't jive with App Store distribution license.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep 

I haven't needed to download very many either yet.
I suspect some devs will be waiting to finish their next major versions, a few will fail Apples criteria due to features and a good few more will not yet be convinced the extra exposure is worth the 30% Apple takes.
Most of them will gradually get over their objections one way or another. In a year or two software not on the store will start to be deemed untrustworthy unless it comes from a massive developer like Adobe or Autodesk or the like. Then devs will be all but forced to use it for paid apps.

You could be completely right, although I will point out that Apple doesn't have the same sort of leverage it has in the iOS world. Things may not fall in line exactly the same way.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

Many of those have licensing issues, probably.

Some of those OSS efforts don't jive with App Store distribution license.

Good point. I would think that Apple needs to do something about this then, if possible, cause Google Chrome, VLC, Firefox, possibly Adium, etc. are also pretty common.

The ones that are most puzzling to me are pretty new clients such as GitHub and iTerm2, clients like Skype and Last.FM that benefit from maximizing distribution, apps like TextMate that are pretty well supported, LibreOffice which requires a lot of bandwidth for distribution (although I believe it offers BitTorrent downloads as an option). They may all have their own stories, but I suspect that licensing only partially explains this.

[Spheric Harlot]

Anything released under GNU is iffy.

VLC App For iOS Removed From iTunes Store Due to Copyright and Licensing Issues | Latest Technology News Updates - TechChunks.com

(I'm assuming that iOS and App Store licenses are similar)

[hart]

One thing that bothers me is price monopolization. Sure, some things are cheaper, but some things are more expensive. If the app store becomes the only source then they set the price they want with impunity.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by hart 

One thing that bothers me is price monopolization. Sure, some things are cheaper, but some things are more expensive. If the app store becomes the only source then they set the price they want with impunity.

BEFORE the app store, online (download on company website) was for many apps the ONLY source, so if anything, they would have overcharged back then.

NOW there are at least two sources, the Apple App Store, and online.
The App Store and Apple do NOT aim to be the only way to distribute apps, so there is no danger of the App Store beccoming a monopoly.

And even if it did, things would be as bad as before, but not worse.

-t

[Brien]

Well, yeah. But I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Apple flipped a switch and made the App Store the only way to get apps in 10.8.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Brien 

Well, yeah. But I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Apple flipped a switch and made the App Store the only way to get apps in 10.8.

I would be surprised. Alas, nothing a OS X jailbrake couldn't fix.

-t