[Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

This thread is part of the Maemo Brainstorm 2010

What can we improve between now and six months from now in the application downloads interface for Maemo to ensure that it stays relevant in the MeeGo world?

Propose your ideas and suggestions here, let's talk about it, and summarise the best ideas and conclusions in the Brainstorm 2010/Downloads wiki page

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

One thing we're working on is porting the Downloads pages come straight from the Packages service. If Packages gets hooked up to OBS then Downloads could also be a source for MeeGo applications...

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

Could you elaborate what does this mean in practice?

I would like to see more statistics: per day, week, month and per category.

I would also like to see Jaffa's idea of donations interface http://lists.maemo.org/pipermail/mae...ry/023980.html

Generally it would be good that have some idea how Downloads and maemo.org relates to Maemo/MeeGo Harmattan (or what ever it is called). After all Harmattan is using Debian tools and the whole maemo.org is geared for that.

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

* Better performance than current Downloads UIs
* Newer OCS API for app downloads and analysis
* Ability to post screenshots to app page already during Testing cycle
* More freedom for adding new views and features to Downloads (old Downloads system was using a stock Midgard product listing component)

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

As mikkov says, I want one of the high-level goals to be a donation framework similar to addons.mozilla.org has, and I outlined in the URL above.

This feature, if added to Downloads would also be something we could offer the MeeGo community to reuse. This'd be an example of investment in maemo.org which wouldn't be wasted if we can all decamp to meego.com and be happy MeeGo users in 12 months.

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

I'm hoping for something like Cydia on iPhone, its also based on the debian system. I dont like the fact that the application page is drawn in HTML though cos you see commercials all the time. Also I would like it to start the download and install in backround like Ubuntu Software Center (also based on the same technology as Cydia and Hildon Application Manager).

Screenshot from Cydia:
http://iphoneindia.gyanin.com/wp-con...ydia-store.png

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

The ability to sort applications by 'Date Added' to allow viewing of the newest apps to the repository.

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

(Just compiling stuff complained about on IRC)
- What does this mean for third party repositories?

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

How is their payment system implemented? danielwilms has been working on appdownloader, a Qt-based application using the APIs bergie references.

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

I'm guessing this might be a bit more relevant for the brainstorm process then these brainstorming sessions but this had a lower barrier to entry :)

One thing for us to think about is what problems have Maemo 4.1 users had when Maemo 5 came out.

Some I can think of include

• Differentiating discussion, announcements, and bugs between platforms.
• Finding what apps are not abandoned (for longer term viability)
• Finding what are the new gems (Telescope, Maemo 5 theme, my applications ;) )
• Finding if the apps I use are available on new/old platforms for both transitioning and judging developer support.

So some things we currently do:

• A download site per OS with links to software for other OS versions
• Top rated and new applications lists
• Break apps up by category

And now my idea. It would be helpful for both discoverability of apps and discerning there relevance if we had a way to compare them. I would suggest at minimum we support statistics that are common to all apps that we can pull automatically plus links to feedback.

Stats I can think of

• Rating / Downloads
• Frequency of Update Metric (for if its still maintained)
• Platforms supported (beyond the "can I run it" seems like it can give a feel for staying power)

If we want to get fancier we could allow people to link common apps and produce side-by-side feature lists.

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

So this will exclude external repositories from download right ?

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

Hmmmm.Brainstorm....I think that maemo.org download area doesnt need so called completely NEW features. We should collect/look different webpages that already exists and provide downloadable stuff in different categories and just borrow the best features and implement them. After download section is even close to these ( e.g. softpedia.com ) then lets start brainstorming.

So first and the most important thing what download section needs is different sorting methods like epage suggested. Feels bit weird to even suggest these kinds of things to professionals. Shouldnt these be bare minimum what to do?

It's lovely that we have these conversations but i just hope that something really also happens.
Keep up the good work!

btw where i can see what things have been done here maemo.org in last 5 months? I do not mean writing wiki or conversations here in talk or brainstorming just changes/features/fixes to maemo webpage/repositories?

.edit
Okey. This is good start
fixed bugs in maemo.org since 2010-01-01. What else?

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

I would like a wish list or a maybe later list.

Not sure if this is possible but one thing I didn't like with my Android phone when browsing the market and now with my shiny N900 is that sometimes when searching for a specific program you see something you'd like to try - but later. (Because of large file size, usually, or dependency issues or because you want to read ratings before spending $$.) And half the time you forget until the next time you stumble onto it again.

Terry (who actually uses her Amazon wish list)

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

Getting an "install basket" on maemo.org Downloads could be done by building up a custom .install file for the user which, when they finally click Download sends them it containing multiple packages.

This would meet lcuk and terryowen's idea of picking your apps in a more friendly way. If your current basket was attached to your maemo.org account, you could pick on your PC before installing on your device.

Perhaps this'd give a more seamless experience without having to get users to use a different application manager.

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

Which is why I'd really, really like to see your name on the MeeGo User Enagagment Framework project page. :D

Unless of course you would prefer that be a totally distinct effort, in which caser I would excise it from the project to avoid confusion (or maybe just add as a reference?).

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

I thought it already was!

Happy for it to be done under the overall banner. I think the UXF is so wide-ranging it should be tackled as a series of loosely coupled initiatives towards an overall goal; rather than trying to get complete agreement on every aspect and then doing it as one mega-project.

I did? Bit you're quoting from me seems fine.

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

I meant your name on the project page, as a contributor/partner/etc: http://wiki.meego.com/MeeGo_User_Engagement_Framework_Project#Contributo rs

And you raise a good point: this shouldn't be a mega-project as much as it should be a META-project. However, none of the subinitiatives are currently posed as MeeGo community-driven projects (MUEF is the only one for now). But as more initiatives are formalized I would be more than happy to refactor the presentation of MUEF. In fact you have inspired me to perform another wiki edit to declare that...

And forget the last comment-- I typed before coffee kicked in. As evidenced by my mistake in editing instead of quoting the previous post. :o

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

I like the idea. Taken a bit further, you could maybe also share or publish your application lists, enabling people to compile their own sets of recommended apps, or apps related to a specific theme.

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

Thanks for reminding me bergie-- the feedback ecosystem I envision certainly needs to support what you're saying there. In fact I think we could borrow from Amazon's example for reviews, recommendations (maybe even wishlists)-- what they've done works, and works very well. Decentralized though.

Re: [Brainstorm 2010] Downloads
 

I'd love to see a more AJAX-ey experience in Downloads. Users should be able to rate wherever a rating is shown. Whether that's on the package's page, on the homepage or in a list. Users also need to be able to easily change their previously given ratings. Netflix gets this perfect here.