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Ubuntu Plans New System for Installing Applications
A Launchpad spec targeting Karmic Koala (the next release of Ubuntu) describes specifications for a unified application for installing software on Ubuntu. To be clear, everything will still be based on Apt, so this isn’t a significant backend change, but rather a focus on a better user layer.
In the short term, this new application, currently called AppCenter, will basically be a cleaner Add/Remove Programs with an update manager built in. Synaptic and the other software installation tools will still be avaliable in Karmic. In addition to the new software, though, Canonical will be promoting the use of apt:// links. Apt links have been around for some time, but are not heavily used. They allow you to click on a link in your browser and have a dialog box open, asking if you would like to install some package. For example, click here to install Epiphany.
Things start to get more interesting when you look a few releases forward. In Ubuntu 10.04 (Karmic+1), AppCenter will replace Synaptic and Update Manager. In 10.10, AppCenter gets really interesting. It is supposed to becomes a true “app store,” complete with reviews, ratings, and support for non-free (as in money and, most likely, freedom) software. In addition to all of this, there will be an easy way of adding third-party repositotires (other sources of software) to AppCenter, along with a system for marking trusted sources.
Beyond 10.10, the specifications are somewhat vague, but there may be support for downloading a package once and installing it on many computers easily, which is very important for enterprises Finally, they will “investigate” the possibility of including screensavers and/or Windows applications.
It’s safe to say that AppCenter will unify the software installation system in Ubuntu within the next two releases. It remains to be seen, though, if AppCenter will become a truly unified app store for Ubuntu. In order to pull this off, it is essential that all applications be able to easily get their latest version, no matter if it’s the first beta or version 12, into AppCenter.
If AppCenter becomes a marketplace for all applications, it will revolutionize application installation on computers. Yes, the idea may be inspired by the iPhone app store, but an app store on a tightly locked-down phone and an app store on computers are very different things.
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[...] Studio One Billion Downloads of Firefox! Canonical to Offer Ubuntu Desktop Support and Services Ubuntu Plans New System for Installing Applications AppCenter Dispute between Linux gurus Alan Cox and Linus Torvalds SFLC: Microsoft violated the GPL [...]
The name AppCenter is all ready taken. Not that it’s a big deal as I’m sure only a few hundred people know about and use Symbol/Motorola CE devices that can use AppCenter.
Symbol AppCenter is used on CE devices to ‘lock’ down the device and is then customised to only allow certain apps to run which are presented as icons on the AppCenter screen.
…. you learn something new everyday.
I have said it a million times,until the Linux community adapts to the idea of one click install for programs they will never really grow.
The world just wants a refrigerator not a space shuttle. By that I mean when I want a beer I open the frig and get one. I don’t want to know how the frig works I just want a cold beer.The gazzillion distributions we have are fine but a “one install fits all” standard will go a long way in the cause cuzz.
Here here for the app center.
BroBob – Just to play devil’s advocate, Linux has the closest thing to a one click install of anyone. In fact, most Linux distributions implement a two-click system. I don’t think the problem is that installing Linux applications is hard. Instead the problem is that new applications and non-critical updates to existing applications are not handled well. Perhaps even more problematically, the way you install Linux applications is very different from the way you install Windows or OS X appliations.
Well, hopefully Firefox will add that protocol to their browser sometime soon, as I get the following error when clicking on the link above:
Firefox doesn’t know how to open this address because the protocol (apt) isn’t associated with any program.
Emil – Try installing the package ‘apturl’.
[...] Studio One Billion Downloads of Firefox! Canonical to Offer Ubuntu Desktop Support and Services Ubuntu Plans New System for Installing Applications AppCenter Dispute between Linux gurus Alan Cox and Linus Torvalds SFLC: Microsoft violated the GPL [...]
[...] A Launchpad spec targeting Karmic Koala (the next release of Ubuntu) describes specifications for a unified application for installing software on Ubuntu. To be clear, everything will still be based on Apt, so this isn’t a significant backend change, but rather a focus on a better user layer. More here [...]
website works great from n97
the mockups are so cool, trully artistic, hehe
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/AppCenter
anyway is very interesting, seems like a mix of package-kit and mint’s software center.
hopefully they will resolve the backend issues:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=2144