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I agree, though I might even go further? My controversial take (as someone who ran a very popular software market for a decade myself, which notably didn't do
by saurik 5y ago
I agree, though I might even go further?
My controversial take (as someone who ran a very popular software market for a decade myself, which notably didn't do what I am saying, though was effectively handicapped in its search for other reasons): they simply shouldn't have search or discovery of their own, as it is going to be some opportunity for the moral equivalent of a TOCTUO "parser differential" security issue that leads to malware.
If a user goes to Firefox's website and thinks they want to install Firefox, they shouldn't then go to an App Store to search for it and hope they find the same product: it should be essentially forced by the flow that users use direct links--which the user could get from any process, including offline mechanisms--to specific and individual products to install software, rather than assuming the store's search is of high enough quality to help the user not get phished.
But at least only having the somewhat-manually-browsed sections with highly-curated content (to be clear, in the UI as lists from the store developer, not the ability to install things on the device at all or even potentially from the store: you can have content that people can install that isn't in your curated lists) makes it very difficult to use the store itself to phish people.
- _jal 5y agoI actually agree. I never use app store discovery or search, and I don't think anyone who understands the app market does. I think it is mainly used by folks who don't know search engines work better, who are exactly the sort of folks who fall for fake apps and scams, because their flawed assumption that the platform gives a shit about it hasn't yet been corrected. The other problem, though, is that not having discovery is not really an option. Corporate incentives are such that they basically have to be built. ("Why are you leaving money on the table and control for someone else to grab?")
- nyanpasu64 5y agoIs "app store" discovery a viable option on moderated community platforms like Flathub or F-Droid, or "non-platforms" (primarily software distribution methods built around command-line installation, rather than UI-focused ecosystems with reviews and such) like Linux distribution packages?
- qwerty456127 5y agoDebian's Synaptic is great.
- qwerty456127 5y agoSounds reasonable. But why would anybody even need a store then?
- heavyset_go 5y ago> But why would anybody even need a store then? How else would Apple and Google tax the entire mobile software market? Getting a cut of all sales in the mobile market is a dream come true.
- qwerty456127 5y agoNevertheless, besides these (discovery and taxation), what is any value app stores are supposed to add?
- squarefoot 5y agoChecking for malware. ...In theory.
- saurik 5y agoThe "store" is in some sense a package manager and installation queue application; it still can provide value even without discovery... if nothing else, for paid products, it provides a convenient way for users to purchase the product with stored credentials and then an account mechanism to do license transfer to new devices (which is the reason why most developers used my payment system and most users wanted them to, even though I didn't force anyone to do so: I solved these problems well, which added value, particularly for the smaller development efforts that don't have the resources to pull that work in house to decrease their fee).