Center App Store

[Ivan Denisov]

We can start with a developer profile for users can register and upload components. This can be done with a several PHP scripts without changing of current repository structure. Helmut, does your hosting supports PHP scripts?

I will start some experiments with our Center server.
http://apps.blackboxframework.org/

If you will like this system, we can discuss how to install it in your domain later.

[Josef Templ]

What exactly is the goal of this App Store?
In other words, in which sense will it go beyond Helmut's CPC collection?

Helmut has done an excellent job in maintaining the CPC collection
and should be involved in this topic.
It cannot be our goal to have multiple competing app stores.
This must be coordinated from the beginning.
Here are some spontaneous questions to Helmut regarding the app store idea.

@Helmut:
Do you have any long term strategy regarding the CPC collection?
Do you want to get rid of it?
Do you see any severe drawbacks or deficiencies in the current CPC collection?
Do you have any ideas how it could be substantially improved?
Do you want to support the CPC collection in addition to the Center's envisioned App Store?
Do you want to be the maintainer of the Center's envisioned App Store?

- Josef

[Ivan Denisov]

What exactly is the goal of this App Store?
In other words, in which sense will it go beyond Helmut's CPC collection?

From my point of view it should have search and more freedom for publisher (with postmoderation strategy).
It also should be automated (binds to GitHub, Bitbucket etc.) and keep versions history.
Also it should have some monetization mechanism for users be able to donate for important components.
It should also has API for access to data directly from BlackBox like a JSON or XML structure with all components descriptions.

Helmut has done an excellent job in maintaining the CPC collection
and should be involved in this topic.

For sure.

It cannot be our goal to have multiple competing app stores.
This must be coordinated from the beginning.
Here are some spontaneous questions to Helmut regarding the app store idea.

I want to initiate this discussion. I had brief discussion with Helmut and explained him some ideas.
My idea is to keep one repository on his well known domain and him to be moderator.
However for this we need to evolve it during the discussion here.
I think, that he should give his response and vision here.

[Ivan Denisov]

Today I prepared some draft version of profiles and search.
http://apps.blackboxframework.org/
It is allowing users to register, manage profiles and publish information about components without uploading any files except photo.
All files strategy should be well discussed.

[DGDanforth]

I have a slightly broader goal.

Advertise Component Pascal and the BlackBox environment to the world.
The App store would be a part of that.
The marketing campaign would need multiple avenues to make an impact.
It would have to be done in such a manner that we (current us) are not overwhelmed
by requests.

I see the lack of "Oberon" programming as due to poor marketing. It has always been
an academic exercise. We need to change that.

-Doug

[DGDanforth]

Today I prepared some draft version of profiles and search.
http://apps.blackboxframework.org/
It is allowing users to register, manage profiles and publish information about components without uploading any files except photo.
All files strategy should be well discussed.

Good start.

[Ivan Denisov]

I had added ability to upload components. File format is automatically checking to be starting from StdCoder.Decode.
All versions are saving to server. Now only last version is shown in the description.
Download link contains md5 hash of a component file for distinguish components versions.

Two links are providing. One for open encoded file in browser, another for download file to PC with pretty file name according current database name of component.
For the example, please see:
http://apps.blackboxframework.org/component/CpcTabs

[Zinn]

Do you have any long term strategy regarding the CPC collection?

I’m satisfied with the CPC collection. CPC uses static html files which I maintained in BlackBox with the subsystem Html. It doesn’t use cookies, SQL, PHP or any other web programming tools. Currently I work on a redesign of the subsystem Html. The new version works much better than the old one. I use already the new version, but I haven't published it yet.

Do you want to get rid of it?

No.

Do you see any severe drawbacks or deficiencies in the current CPC collection?
Do you have any ideas how it could be substantially improved?

The CPC collection is easy and secure. I see one drawback. It has no pictures. The reason is that I can’t handle picture easily with my subsystem Html. Yesterday I add a link to the BlackBox Framework Forum on the CPC starting page.

Do you want to support the CPC collection in addition to the Center's envisioned App Store?

As long as I receive e-mails with changes or new components for CPC.

Do you want to be the maintainer of the Center's envisioned App Store?

No.

[Robert]

It cannot be our goal to have multiple competing app stores.

| agree!

[Ivan Denisov]

Helmut said that he want to keep everything as it was. So there is no possible changes.

From my point of view, this decision makes hard to lead goals of Center of popularization of BlackBox and we need some modern project for components distribution.

Anyway now we have several competing places of components distribution and many components are unpublished at all because of language barrier and barrier of premoderation.
Also I had feedbacks from Peter K. that it is hard for him to keep the version of SQLite up to date. My component CpcTabs is also outdated there.
So I see reasons to make integration with repositories, monetization etc.

I fill essential to continue BlackBox Components Store project. I see reasonable to keep this project in our server and discuss it here.
So if Josef, Robert and Helmut disagree, that this led Center goals, I think, that we need to make voting to see the opinion of each Center member.

The question is simple: "Should we continue project `BlackBox Components Store`?".

It cannot be our goal to have multiple competing app stores.

If Helmut do not want to make any changes we are not "having" his repository. It is totally Helmut's project and he said that he prefer to keep it his own.
So we need to have some repository of components we can influence on.