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  • Canonical Unveils The Ubuntu Software Store

    Phoronix: Canonical Unveils The Ubuntu Software Store

    Beyond pushing out a new graphical boot screen just before the feature freeze went into effect for Ubuntu 9.10, Canonical released the first public version of their own app store, previously codenamed AppCenter, but now known as the Ubuntu Software Store (or software-store as its package is called). Canonical does have some grand plans for the Ubuntu Software Store and in this article we have some screenshots of what it looks like currently and how it functions along with some of their plans for the future.

    Phoronix, Linux Hardware Reviews, Linux hardware benchmarks, Linux server benchmarks, Linux benchmarking, Desktop Linux, Linux performance, Open Source graphics, Linux How To, Ubuntu benchmarks, Ubuntu hardware, Phoronix Test Suite

  • #2
    Awesome that everything will be rolled into one, but what's up with all these app stores across all these platforms? Sun, Google Android, Microsoft, Apple... And you don't even buy anything with Ubuntu so how is it a store?

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    • #3
      Originally posted by V!NCENT View Post
      Awesome that everything will be rolled into one, but what's up with all these app stores across all these platforms? Sun, Google Android, Microsoft, Apple... And you don't even buy anything with Ubuntu so how is it a store?
      They might sell proprietary apps through it. Or perhaps paid services associated with the package you're looking at.

      The "store" model (even if everything is free) is more familiar to most users than thinking about packages and versions. People understand you don't need to download 'installers' to a phone, so tapping into that would prevent issues for new users.

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      • #4
        It depends on how you view the word "Store". You could view it as a place that sells items or has items in storage. In this case the "free" software is in the "store" or software storage.

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        • #5
          Canonical is hoping that all of the capabilities of the update-manager, Synaptic, the computer janitor application, gdebi, and other package management-related programs will be merged into Ubuntu Software Store.
          So why did they switch to KPackageKit in Kubuntu? Just because Kubuntu always comes after? Why don't they make use of PackageKit?

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          • #6
            I think that it's a bad move, it's gonna simplify installing software but most linux users that are runing distros with package kit (which is IMHO somewhat similar to ubuntu store) are pretty pi**ed off, if synaptics remain as an option I don't think that adding these feature will hurt...

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            • #7
              Having the App Store as an optional extra program, or as a replacement for the "Add / Remove Programs" app isn't a bad idea. But replacing Synaptic, gdebi, etc? Terrible idea.

              The current system provides a good balance between usability and advanced features. It also makes it reasonably easy to add or remove third party repositories, etc. If they end up putting everything in one application, they'll likely either end up removing features (in favor of ease of use or simpliciy), or making things too cluttered.

              More importantly, if Canonical stops supporting Synaptic, gdebit, etc it will drasticly increase the workload for downstream distributions. As long as they keep them in the repositories, it wouldn't be a big deal. But obviously downstream distros aren't going to want to have the "Ubuntu Software Store" be the main mechanism for software management in thier distros. I know we'd be keeping it out of Nexradix.

              I'm also not a fan of Canonical's move toward blending software sales and services into their OS. I think ideas like their online backup service and their legal DVD playback software are valid ideas, however they should be seperate and distinct offerings from the OS.

              Making it "easy" to buy these things from within the desktop has the side effect of basically lacing the OS with ads. More troubling, it reinforces the Microsoft / Apple concept that you should rely on your software provider for future products and services, rather than promoting the more traditional GNU/Linux structure of self-managed software. While this is no doubt good for Canonical, if we are not careful, it could bring about the acceptance of "Software as a Service" as viable choices. If that happens, the demand for (and therefore support of) Free Software will plummet, and oppressive technologies like DRM will be even more widespread.

              Granted, this is only a small piece of the puzzle, and isn't the end of the world. But Canonical's move to replace essentially the entire package management infrastructure of Debian isn't something we should take lightly.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by combuster View Post
                I think that it's a bad move, it's gonna simplify installing software but most linux users that are runing distros with package kit (which is IMHO somewhat similar to ubuntu store) are pretty pi**ed off, if synaptics remain as an option I don't think that adding these feature will hurt...
                I don't know... the appstore seems a lot easyer for newbies and people that are not noob are probably blindly doing F12+sudo apt-get update+pasword+y+'arrow up''backspace'"grade"+Y+"exit" blindly anyway ^^, It's so much faster

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by TwistedLincoln View Post
                  Having the App Store as an optional extra program, or as a replacement for the "Add / Remove Programs" app isn't a bad idea. But replacing Synaptic, gdebi, etc? Terrible idea.
                  Doesn't that completely defeat the idea of unification? Personally I don't know what "advanced" features having all these seperate GUI installation apps provide. But I don't use them so I guess it wouldn't matter anyway.

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                  • #10
                    This is interesting. As I see it, this could be a really nice feature for newcomers and such. Also, I think to be financially successful, which Ubuntu likes to be, you have to offer some kind of an all-in-one package system, much like how Android or Apple does it.

                    I also guess this isn't the greatest feature for power-users, as they most likely already know how to do handle there system and find new software, but for a real mass market, this seems to be the way to go.
                    I remember back than, when I first started to use Ubuntu Linux on a regular basis, it was quite hard and took a long time to know all those important package names and handle the package tool properly.

                    Lets see how it turns out. I for some reason like the idea.

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