The New App Store

It offers easy access to thousands of free applications. It offers the ability to purchase applications. It launched in October 2010. It's...

Ubuntu Software Centre 3.0

Didn't see that one coming, did you?

During their press conference the other day, Apple announced their new Mac App Store. While it may seem to be the first centralized app store for a desktop operating system, it actually isn't the first. Apple would be the first company to make an app store well known though. I'll explain.

For years, Linux distributions have used package management. Package Management is a system where you can use an application or utility to search for, download, and then install applications. The package management system also handles software updates. In more detail, all linux distributions have repositories (servers, and other servers mirroring their contents). The package manager allows one to search for software, it'll automatically search for and select other pieces of software that it depends on, download, and then install it.

Back in late 2009, Ubuntu replaced their previous add/remove software application with the Ubuntu Software Centre. Since then, it has gained the ability to show additionally added repositories (PPAs), handle installer files (this was previously handled by the gdebi application), showing related applications and add-ons, and to purchase software.

Thunderbird entry in the Ubuntu Software Centre

Currently, there are only 2 applications available for purchase in the Ubuntu Software Centre. There is the Fluendo DVD Player, and a puzzle game called Brukkon. It's not much, but you've got to start somewhere, right? The Fluendo DVD Player was included in the Ubuntu Software Centre store at launch 13 days ago, and Brukkon was added to the store just yesterday. Vendetta Online is reported to be coming to the Ubuntu Software Centre store soon.

Now, on to the recently announced Mac App Store.

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Apple announced that they're developing an App Store for Mac OS X which is supposed to launch within 90 days. They'll offer both free and paid apps. While Ubuntu and Linspire were first to offer a desktop App Store, I think Apple will be the one to make the idea successful. Just like with the iOS App Store, they're splitting the cut with 70% of revenues going to the developer and 30% going to Apple.

Now, the App Store for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad have gotten flack for having a funky approval process with lots of restrictions. On those devices, the App Store is the only way to get apps onto the device without jailbreaking the device. Similarly, the Mac App Store also has restrictions, although here you don't need the App Store to get applications.

There are quite a few restrictions that will cause an app to get rejected from the Mac App Store. Here are just some that stand out to me:

• It is a demo or a trial.
• It duplicates the functionality of other apps in the store.
• It is not packaged using Xcode.
• It has metadata that mentions the name of any other computer platform (Is this not anticompetitive or what?)
• It looks similar to Apple applications.
• It changes user interface elements or behaviours of Mac OS X.
• Your game portrays realistic images of people or animals being killed or maimed, shot, stabbed, tortured, or injured. Your game portrays realistic images of people or animals being killed or maimed, shot, stabbed, tortured, or injured. Your game portrays realistic images of people or animals being killed or maimed, shot, stabbed, tortured, or injured. (That eliminates Resident Evil 4, any Legend Of Zelda game since A Link To The Past, if jumping on mushroom-based enemies count then that takes out just about every Mario platformer game in existence. Need I go on?)

So will Apple's Mac App Store take off or will it die out? Considering all of these restrictions, I'd think a lot of developers would want to avoid it considering all of the restrictions and hassles.




* Image taken from apple.ca