I've seen this: http://www.bebits.com/ and something ticked in my head. Maybe we could have a Software Map application that would present the user with a "COOL" way of selecting/searching/installing software.

It should have a category tree just like the site above BUT the "COOL" knob should be at 11. I'm thinking SVG animation on mouse hover... for starters

The other models here are:

• Linspire Click-N-Run http://www.linspire.com/lindows_products_categories.php

• Gnome Files http://www.gnomefiles.org/

• Klik http://klik.atekon.de/

Ubuntu is about community. What ever is the outcome, it needs to incorporate community member feedback. I'm thinking similar to Amazon's reviews of books/media, which I find very useful. -Tim

Here are some supplementary ideas that I aired on the forums a couple days ago. I envision an interface where software is divided into categories based on its purpose and origin, as in synaptic, but whenever a user clicks on a program in the list they will be presented with a screenshot (and a gallery of supplementary screenshots), a description of the program and links to user reviews of the software. This program would not deal with packages, but with applications. For a new user, installing the gimp package and then installing gimp-doc and gimp-printing and gimp-other stuff is confusing, so in this program, there would be one "Gimp" application they can click on, and when they do, they will be presented with a bunch of checkboxes they can mark to install printing functionality, RAW decoding and other features contained in supplementary packages. The package mechanics would thus be hidden from the user. Installing, uninstalling and updating would be done by clicking big bright buttons on each application's data page. There should probably be both simple and advanced interface modes. In simple mode, there would be maybe a list of programs on one side of the window, and the other side would have screenshots, description and reviews for the currently selected program, along with buttons to install, uninstall, etc. In advanced interface modes, the interface would look more like one of the software sites listed above, with lots of links and faster navigation. Library installation could be handled in a number of ways -- it could be done behind the scenes completely, there could be a simplified menu that lets users choose which libraries from a mutually conflicting set to use, or some other solution could be implemented. If Beagle is integrated into Breezy, it could be set up to search for applications. -- SolidAndShade

Ideas Dump

• MindMap Structure

• rating and Review System
• integration with Synaptic (show install status)
• single click install, update and removal of apps
• display screenshots for programs
• allow users to manage Gnome menus from within the program, easily adding installed apps the menus

• integration with BitTorrent (torrents for individual packages)

• maybe the deb cache could be shared via some kind of P2P network

• a cooler name than SoftwareMap

• ability to enter a mime type and get all programs that handle it
• ability to enter a file extension and get all programs that handle it
• integration into Nautilus's Open With menu

See also PackageManagement

PackageManagement discussion has focused on how safe it is to allow users to install software directly from their web browsers. I think a security scheme based on (roughly speaking) digital signatures and secure connections to the download site should be used to ensure that only software from Ubuntu SoftwareMap is ever installed in this way. -- AndreOliveira (However, I think this is promoting the wrong idea to users; "But its ok to install something from this site? Whats wrong with badsite.com?". A seperate program would be better, more centralised, and logical - Although running over some sort of browser would be useful - Yelp? Gecko engine? -- KrisMarsh)

From RodrigoVieiraCouto Fri Apr 8 03:30:35 +0100 2005 From: Rodrigo Vieira Couto Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 03:30:35 +0100 Subject: autopackage Message-ID: <20050408033035+0100@https://www.ubuntulinux.org>

http://autopackage.org/ui-vision.html

From JohannesLanglotz Thu Jun 9 16:45:18 +0100 2005 From: Johannes Langlotz Date: Thu, 09 Jun 2005 16:45:18 +0100 Subject: autopackage Message-ID: <20050609164518+0100@https://www.ubuntulinux.org>

Autopackage would be really a great <b>addition</b> to synaptic! I tested it on Hoary and it worked like a charm.

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