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I love that it's an html5 app--it's the way to go imo, unless you're developing a game. And I was even more glad to learn about OpenAppMkt. It solves key proble

I love that it's an html5 app--it's the way to go imo, unless you're developing a game. And I was even more glad to learn about OpenAppMkt. It solves key problems with html5 apps: discovery and easy "installation" (icon/bookmark setup) for avg users.

djb_hackernews 16y ago
What's the point of OpenAppMkt besides the discovery aspect? if it's HTML5, why not just host it yourself? I'm confused.
- stan_d 16y ago
  We are hosting KhanApp ourselves. OpenAppMkt provides easy ways for end users to install or bookmark our app onto their phones. Plus it gives us install numbers and reviews etc.
  - izendejas 16y ago
    That last statement a key benefit of an app market. Tangentially, I've seen developers driven nuts by downvotes for bugs they fix in no time, but that can take days to get approved with native apps. Or on android, by fragmentation issues in which apps don't work well on certain phones.
  - djb_hackernews 16y ago
    You may host it but if i visit khanapp.com on my android it tries to make me install openappmkt. I should be able to just use the app. It's html, I have a browser that supports html, so let me use the app.
- izendejas 16y ago
  As a developer trying to reach a wide audience but that doesn't want to go through the hassle of getting apps and subsequent updates approved, OpenAppMkt is a possible solution. Your saavy user will know OpenAppMkt just creates shortcuts, but how do you explain such concept to your iphone-using mom who doesn't know what a browser is and thinks google is the internet and much less that a web site is really just a (web) app? And how do you create a shortcut to the khan academy app on yor home screen, anyway? At least on Android, I can think of a not so intuitive way that your average person won't easily stumble upon: 1) google such site/navigate to it directly; 2) then bookmark it on yor browser; and to create a shortcut (app button), 3) tap-hold an empty spot on your home screen; 4) select shortcuts; 5) select bookmarks and 6) finally, select the khan academy bookmark. Using OpenAppMkt is just like using the regular app market. The only problem, potentially a killer one, is getting your avg user to download it. But here, I hope social recommendations and links just like the one contained in the page above (which take you right to the download page on the respective app marketplaces) will help.
fr0sty 16y ago
Does anyone know of a way to run HTML5 apps in a standalone environment (on android specifically)? From all I have seen these "apps" are little more than bookmarks to a webpage which then open into just another tab in the browser instead of a seperate process that I can switch to directly.

djb_hackernews 16y ago

What's the point of OpenAppMkt besides the discovery aspect? if it's HTML5, why not just host it yourself? I'm confused.

stan_d 16y ago
We are hosting KhanApp ourselves. OpenAppMkt provides easy ways for end users to install or bookmark our app onto their phones. Plus it gives us install numbers and reviews etc.
- izendejas 16y ago
  That last statement a key benefit of an app market. Tangentially, I've seen developers driven nuts by downvotes for bugs they fix in no time, but that can take days to get approved with native apps. Or on android, by fragmentation issues in which apps don't work well on certain phones.
- djb_hackernews 16y ago
  You may host it but if i visit khanapp.com on my android it tries to make me install openappmkt. I should be able to just use the app. It's html, I have a browser that supports html, so let me use the app.
izendejas 16y ago
As a developer trying to reach a wide audience but that doesn't want to go through the hassle of getting apps and subsequent updates approved, OpenAppMkt is a possible solution. Your saavy user will know OpenAppMkt just creates shortcuts, but how do you explain such concept to your iphone-using mom who doesn't know what a browser is and thinks google is the internet and much less that a web site is really just a (web) app? And how do you create a shortcut to the khan academy app on yor home screen, anyway? At least on Android, I can think of a not so intuitive way that your average person won't easily stumble upon: 1) google such site/navigate to it directly; 2) then bookmark it on yor browser; and to create a shortcut (app button), 3) tap-hold an empty spot on your home screen; 4) select shortcuts; 5) select bookmarks and 6) finally, select the khan academy bookmark. Using OpenAppMkt is just like using the regular app market. The only problem, potentially a killer one, is getting your avg user to download it. But here, I hope social recommendations and links just like the one contained in the page above (which take you right to the download page on the respective app marketplaces) will help.

fr0sty 16y ago

Does anyone know of a way to run HTML5 apps in a standalone environment (on android specifically)? From all I have seen these "apps" are little more than bookmarks to a webpage which then open into just another tab in the browser instead of a seperate process that I can switch to directly.