An emerging app store could help Ubuntu and Debian push deeper into the consumer and corporate markets, where Linux novices and curious VARs are seeking simple ways to track down, install and evaluate applications. But here’s the twist: The emerging app store, which offers Ubuntu Linux and Debian applications, wasn’t built by Canonical. Here’s the scoop from The VAR Guy.
Still in beta, the store is called apperi. As of July 21, the online destination claimed to have nearly 120,000 indexed packages for Debian 4.0 and 5.0, and Ubuntu 8.04, 8.10 and 9.04. The apperi site also tracks the top 25 software packages — apparently based on user popularity.
No doubt, just about everyone in the software industry has been trying to emulate Apple’s wildly popular App Store — which has managed 1.5 billion downloads, 65,000 applications and 100,000 developers since debuting a year ago.
Shopping for Open Source
Back in Ubuntu and Debian land, apperi isn’t saying much about its own app store strategy. A simple “about us” statement offers this info:
Apperi provides a simple way to search and install applications on your Debian or Ubuntu Linux computer. By using the official repository package lists and apt-url it allows for one-click installation of every official package in it’s supported distributions. Apperi was developed by Ryan Quinn who is also the founder and lead developer of the currently dormant GNU/Linux distro SymphonyOS.
In an effort to monetize the site, apperi seems to be built on an advertising model.
Is this the start of something big? Too soon to say. And there’s no guarantee of success: Don’t forget, Red Hat’s own online exchange for applications has had hit-and-miss results with customers and partners. Ultimately, Red Hat diversified its distribution strategy by co-launching the Open Source Channel Alliance.
Still, an online destination featuring Ubuntu and Debian applications could be different, since Ubuntu is mainly popular as a desktop operating system. The VAR Guy believes the Ubuntu market remains eager for a centralized, commercialized destination that allows users and partners to find, discover, download and install new applications.
Canonical’s own online store contains some Ubuntu-related software, But, um, it leaves much to be desired. And Canonical itself has indicated changes are coming.
In the meantime, apperi is in beta. The VAR Guy is curious to see how the site evolves.
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Var Guy, nice job spotting this. I expect to be completely distracted today checking out apperi. You are correct to say that Ubuntu users want a service like this (assuming it works and has staying power).
Frankie: Let us know what you find, what you like, and where you’d like to see improvements.
So here’s the concern with an un-official site like this. Do you know what its using for repository sources? How much of the software listed is from official Ubuntu repositories? How much is from launchpad PPAs? How much is from external repositories that are unknown?
There are some deep concerns about implied trust when it comes to package repositories. The fact that this site potentially mixes and matches packages from different repository sources but doesn’t inform you which repository you’ll be configuring you attempt to use the apt url link has some serious implications for end-user security. I’m not sure you should be advertising this, without trying to get a comment from the Ubuntu Technical Board about how this potentially impacts user security.
-jef
Apperi’s website is useless. The contents are no different than what is already available directly from Ubuntu’s package manager applications, which are a lot more trustworthy. The apt-url links served up by Apperi are links back into the official repositories anyway, so Apperi isn’t even providing additional software!
The reason Canonical’s store doesn’t have a huge selection is because all of the things available there are commercial add-ons that can’t just be downloaded from the repository. Red Hat’s Exchange looks the same way – it’s all commercial software, not stuff that’s already available for free.
Apperi adds nothing! It’s useless.
Jef, BW: The VAR Guy has a weakness for independent people who try to do something new or different. In this case, our resident blogger will be watching Ryan Quinn and his apperi effort closely. If it bombs, The VAR Guy will report it. In the meantime, our so-called pundit is giving Quinn some time to take the site from beta to production… …
The Var Guy:
I’m not saying an independent way of doing things isn’t appropriate. I’m saying the trust and security of repository structures is a difficult issue one that currently apperi may be ignoring in its current interface design which hides the repository information. There’s been a running discussion inside the Ubuntu community itself about how to expose PPAs in a way that is more usable without compromising implied trust and security associated with the official repositories. You should read up on that for some perspective on the trade-offs of apt url usage.
-jef
If you’re interested in emerging Ubuntu Linux App Stores, you should probably also give allmyapps a try. I’m biased talking about it because it is my website but, to be short, we tried to make it fun and user-friendly for users to find and install new applications on their system. I’d be glad to hear from you if you have any feedback!
Hey Thibauld allmyapps looks very promising. The apps could have some more detailed descriptions etc. Maybe if there becomes one centralized location as this one, developers will be interested in keeping up with there apps and providing info, screenshots etc,
[...] http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/07/21/the-ubuntu-linux-app-store-fact-or-fiction/ [...]
Most of the applications available are in the Ubuntu repositories. Any newer ones are available via getdeb.net or through one of the personal package archives (PPA) available from the maintainers on Launchpad. Commercial vendors are starting to get the hint and release proper Ubuntu deb packages, so with those it’s download and right click install.
At this point you most likely don’t need a centralized application store since anyone can setup there own repository for distribution and software updates. What would be nice is one click repository add and key verification so you can update all of you applications from multiple sources hassle free.
[...] emerging app store, which offers Ubuntu Linux and Debian applications, wasn’t built by Canonical. Here’s the scoop. Filed under: OpenSource No Comments Comments (0) Trackbacks (0) ( subscribe to comments on this [...]
Oh come on. It just lists what is available in the repositories, and far less useful than Synaptic does at that. And if you really want to browse it through the web, there’s always packages.ubuntu.com and packages.debian.org, which do not sport ads.
Ubuntu, Debian and most popular Linux distributions were way ahead of Apple’s App Store ages ago (especially Ubuntu with Add/Remove), anyway.
Allmyapps at least looks nice, though. Still not sure if that’s really useful. The lists feature could be nice but it still makes me confirm each package separately. It also doesn’t seem to provide anything more than the default repositories.
All: The VAR Guy has been soaking up all of your comments and he’ll definitely offer some more perspectives on this topic later today. In the meantime, thanks for the comments and the constructive criticism. Our resident blogger certainly isn’t endorsing any particular open source oriented App Store. However, he’s very interested in the App Store trend and will follow up on the leads all of you have offered so far.
Is “the VAR Guy” aware of GetDeb?
http://www.getdeb.net/
There are already a number of sites like this. Mostly they offer just what is already available via Add/Remove programs, but they do so without the convenience or the security.
Windows users are often mired in the “applications are downloaded from the web using a browser” mindset, and it is often hard to get them away from this nonsense.
After almost 1 year of learning Ubuntu. I actually need more responsive support than apps. I am OK to pay for support as long as the cost is reasonable.
However, if there are equivalence of some Windows softwares such as 7Zip or Notepad++. I am very willing to pay.
Allmyapps looks good and should be adopted by Canonical.
I install 2 apps yesterday from their “app store”.
Click… Install… That easy!
Try it:
http://allmyapps.com/
DELL stopped selling Ubuntu Desktop (530N) computers, July 2009. Where do we get quality Ubuntu Desktops? Admonish Dell for being a MS stooge.
Chris K: You may be onto something… The VAR Guy checked http://www.dell.com/ubuntu and the only systems listed (once you drill down) were laptops and netbooks. No desktops.
To answer your question: you get quality Ubuntu desktops from http://www.System76.com and http://www.ZaReason.com.
If Dell is no longer selling Ubuntu Desktops, that’s definitely a setback for Canonical and Ubuntu. But let’s not accuse Dell of being a Microsoft puppet. Dell made an early move to Ubuntu. Where were the other PC makers???
The VAR Guy believes Dell would keep selling Ubuntu desktops IF there was demand. So, maybe there’s a problem with Ubuntu demand? Frankly, The VAR Guy isn’t sure and will need to check this out. Either way, The VAR Guy still has to confirm the news with Dell…
There is also http://www.appnr.com which is nicer in my opinion.
I would like some sort of ‘app store’, call it what you want.
Why? I want the ability to install, upgrade, downgrade, delete, re-install, any app safely and with confidence that it will work.
Why? I want to make it easier for developers to offer their software safely, paid or free, to as many people as possible.
I use Ubuntu 8.04, and have installed and upgraded (and downgraded a couple) many apps via the Launchpad PPA’s and they work well. It’s not designed for the average person, but the potential is there. Ideally, I like it to be as easy as possible, after all it is the year 2009, the technology is here, it just needs the desire and the will.
Oh, that is dissappointing that Dell is not selling the desktops. It didn’t even make it to Australia. Dell’s Ubuntu desktops really were aimed at Linux enthusiasts, and most of those people have the skills to make a PC themselves or goto a white store to order their own spec.
It is different with the laptops and netbooks. Acutally, Zareason ships to Australia.
Zak: To clarify… it appears that Dell is “refreshing” its Ubuntu desktop PC offering in the US, with sales to start soon, according to ComputerWorld. But Dell’s US web site currently only offers Ubuntu on netbooks and laptops. We’ll see how that plays out.
Separately, The VAR Guy loves your thoughts on the Ubuntu ‘app store’
The VAR Guy would like an Ubuntu app store for the same reasons you listed.
@jryan Talking about keeping screenshots, descriptions etc… up to date, I think we can inspire a lot from how windows developers keep their information up to date thanks to their PAD file. PAD support is something we are investigating.
@Vincent Concerning the repositories proposed, we added some other ones like medibuntu.org, the packages contained in these repositories will be available on allmyapps.com in the next release (august). Now concerning the need to confirm each package installation when you install your list, you’re right that this should be improved and we are willing to improve apt-url to support multiple packages installation.. we just lack resources to do that right now.
@Ricardo Thank you for your nice feedback
[...] The Ubuntu Linux app store: fact or fiction? The emerging app store, which offers Ubuntu Linux and Debian applications, wasn’t built by Canonical. [...]
http://wiki.ubuntu.com/AppCenter Anyone seen this?
Robb: The VAR Guy thanks you for that link. Our resident blogger will be sure to ask Canonical for more details and report back. Very, very interesting indeed.