Thread: I cannot find all the N9 apps on Ovi Store, N900 does better on this
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My-Maemo.com is offline My-Maemo.com
2011-11-29 , 17:31
Posts: 15 | Thanked: 56 times | Joined on Dec 2010
#9
Mikael,

Our aim is just to be the easiest way to find the hottest apps. No need to browse categories etc. In this regard it's not really meant to be a index or search engine, it's just for checking if there's some cool new apps available, and participating by commenting and voting.
First of all, please let me note that I wasn't complaining about your site, just mentioning the additional features (IMHO useful) offered by mine, while at the same time stressing that your site indeed looks much nicer. So please don't take it personal.

Regarding your post, I wouldn't say that availability of functions like searching, filtering by application type (free/paid), software categories, etc., make a site a "search engine" or a "feature-bloat" as you said. They're additional, useful features one may use or not, in addition to just browsing the software catalog. And that we list nearly 740 apps (I guess all there is) rather than 70 is surely an advantage, not a drawback... That's simply its PURPOSE.

I guess that over time you will also find functions like searching, filtering or categories INDISPENSABLE for this kind of content. Maybe now, with just 60-70 apps listed, simply browsing one long list seems easier and quicker, but when you reach many hundred or thousand of applications (like in case of our MeeGo and Maemo catalogs) then you'll surely realize that such a huge database becomes almost unusable without categorisation, filtering or search function.

I also guess that My-MeeGo does not make it harder than n9-apps to quickly find out if there are some new hot apps. The default view of the Software Catalog is the "Latest" view showing all apps in chronological order (from newest to oldest), so just taking a look at its first page gives information about all new software released lately (usually on the same day). And as we instantly list EVERY new app, I guess it does the job pretty well.

To make it possible to quickly get apps, I take a different approach. Cross-linked, but also accessible individually, are separate "Software catalog" and "Downloads" sections. If one wants to get familiar with existing apps in more detail, then the Software catalog is the place to start, providing screenshots, descriptions, people's comments. From each application page, one may go to a download page. On the contrary, if one just wants to just quickly download software, the "Downloads" section provides direct access to download links, as it lists all apps with shortened descriptions and direct download links. But if one wants to check the full description and screenshots then link to a corresponding page in the Software catalog is also provided.

I guess the site structure simply takes a bit of getting familiar with, and then it's quite simple and straightforward to use.

Just like your site, my catalog also makes it possible to vote and comment on apps. We've got nearly 1000 comments and 1500 ratings in total at the moment. And even though the apps are added by ourselves rather than developers (as this is IMHO the only way to assure that all apps are listed instantly), the developers have already realized that the catalog is very popular (Google PR4 in just two months, over 4000 unique visits daily, ~ 56.000 downloads) and many of them participate in discussions and answer people's comments, too.

Developers are submitting a few every day, but it's too slow. It kind of beats the purpose of the site
That's why I chose to do it myself, rather than waiting for developers to do it. Manually adding all apps myself takes a lot of time and effort (much more than just approving developers' submissions), but the result is a complete database of all existing apps (except for those RSS-based which I do not intend to list) updated daily.

Anyway, my opinion is that there's plenty of space for many different websites covering the Harmattan platform. And IMHO, the more of them exist the better for this niche platform/product that badly needs support. Different flavors, designs and functionality gives people a choice so that everyone can choose what suits him the most. I guess there is no need to compete, especially in the bad sense of the word.

lanwellon,

so many different sites, is there a united site that I can find all the apps at once ?
As I mentioned, on My-MeeGo.com we list all apps, and it is currently the biggest Harmattan (N9) software directory on the Internet with nearly 740 apps listed, both Ovi store apps and individual projects.

The only exceptions, which we do not intend to list, are all those hundreds of RSS-based so called "apps" filling up the Ovi store, which are not true software but "Ovi Store Wizard Apps" basically displaying an RSS feed.

So if you want to see all available N9 apps then I guess that My-MeeGo Software Catalog is the most complete resource ATM.

Best regards,
Michal Jerz
http://My-MeeGo.com