> >Finally, not so much for the beta, but for the final release: >We will want to ship some apps. Esp if we make a .iso file and/or burn and >distribute CDs. >The apps that came with BeOS, for example, will need a rewrite. Or >something like them. >Also some apps that exist out in the community could well ship with a final >R1. >Someone needs to lead an effort to gather those apps, contact the developer >for permission, >get final builds, package them, test the installation, etc. Someone needs >to do that. I wanted to weigh in on this subject of apps, as it is something I have been thinking about since the "openSoftwareValet" thread a few weeeks back. I assume that as the aim of the project is to recreate R5, the same "bundled apps" will be included as part of openBeOS itself: openStyled Edit, openNetPositive, etc [hmmm, prefacing everything with 'open' could get a little tedious, eh? :-)]. Beyond this, however - I do think we should include apps on the openBeOS "distro" beyond the "bundled apps". No use having an OS without apps, right? But including "other apps" (ie non-bundled apps) on the distro raises issues which I would want to see sensibly addressed. Consider a few alternatives: 1. Include every (open)BeOS app there is - on a 650MB CD this would probably be possible. - Positives: every developer gets their app(s) in there, so they're all happy as far as that goes. - Negatives: I foresee MAJOR joe-user-experience problems with apps that don't really work yet, poorly documented apps, etc ... the whole thing becomes a bit hard for people without a computer science degree, and openBeOS is in danger of going into the "geek only" niche. 2. Include only a very few of the most commonly used apps: Productive, SoundPlay, etc. - Positives: Every new user gets commercial grade apps - good user experience. - Negative: hordes of pissed-off developers. "Why wasn't _my_ app in the distro??!!". ... and now ... thesis, antithesis and ... synthesis: 3. A two- or three- tier system: say three grades of "other app", something like 1. "commercial grade". 2. "1.0 or greater release" 3. "beta". This would require well-thought-out and clearly communicated criteria regarding app functionality, stability, documentation, un/installability, and so on. Developers have to be able to understand where their app grades, and what they need to do to get it up to the next tier, so they are kept happy. - Positives: balance between requirements of different users: joe user can just install the "commercial grade" apps, but the technical user can install all the betas he/she wants and play with them. - Negatives: More work to do in developing and communicating developer guidelines and criteria for the 3 tiers. Inevitability of _some_ conflict between some developers and whoever has final say in grading the apps. This issue will strongly affect the shape of the openBeOS ecosystem / economy - I think it merits some thought in advance. Just 0.02c worth from a non-developer. Anton _________________________________________________________________ Join the world?s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com