[Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

Hi,

the first version of the appdownloader, a download-assistant for applications in extras, is now available in extras-devel. Everybody who want to have a first look can try it out.

Find the details in my blog-post.

And here a screenshot:

http://danielwilms.files.wordpress.c...reenshot06.png

(NOTE: Please be aware that this is just a first preview. If you want to avoid the activation of the extras-devel repository, please wait a bit until the software is stable enough and available in extras-testing)


Daniel

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

Great job ! Just wondering, how stable is the REST API in the download assistant (e.g. can it be used in other projects without fear of breakage) ?

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

Extra-repos is crap. I prefer a program that let me see what's in Extras-Test and Extras-Devel....they have more interesting apps.

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

Please don't send people to extras-devel if the application is ready for people to test then put it in extras-testing.

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

Probably worth moving the thread to Development until such time.

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

It is meant as a preview, how far the status is, as many people ask. GeneralAntilles is right, let's move this to development to avoid confusion.

Daniel

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

If you use Qt you can use the separate library, to avoid any breaks, as soon as it is in testing. Otherwise the part, which is based on the ocs-standard, should be stable enough to use. But better to wait, until everything is ready. Some parts are still under development. Preferred way is to use the library.

Daniel

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

I'm just curious and can't try because I'm without my N900 ATM:

If I understand this correctly, the application communicates with downlaods.maemo.org and not directly with the repository, right?

Doesn't this mean that a user will always see only the english language description of a package? Or is there a mechanism that would pull in translated package descriptions?

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

It is a partial implementation of the OCS content API. More will be added as we go :-)

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

ATM it takes just the english description that is right. No localisation is done right now. But this is the limitation of the current implementation back- and front-end. The ocs-standard bergie mentioned supports language options.

Daniel

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

I'm not entirely certain I understand the purpose of the application. Is it meant as a 'better application manager', i.e. replacing it, or is it for some other purpose? From the screenshots it looks a bit like what you see if you hit the 'ovi store' downloader.

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

The application manager focuses more on the installation process, and management of the installed apps, like in a bit more technical way. It handels for example still the installation of the applications. The appdownloader focuses more on the content and feedback of the applications, to make the discovery easier, by showing the top ten as n example and giving with the screenshots a better picture of what the application is about.

I hope this answered the question.

daniel

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

Would this run on Diablo as well?

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

Hi,

after some improvements in all parts, the "appdownloader" is now available in extras-testing. All the details you will find in this blog post.

So if you find some time, please install it on your device and let me know what you think about it. Special thanks again to Bergie, Niels (server-side API) and Andrew (UI-design).

Daniel

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

Congrats ! One practical question - how stable is libqt4-appdownloader-comm ? As in, can we start using in our packages, too, once it lance in Extras without fear of breakage ?

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

This is pretty stable...it should be a bit more configurable, but this I try to do without API breaks. Otherwise I will announce that. But I have to work on the documentation before I guess.

Daniel

Re: [Announce] Download-assistant for extras-applications
 

Would be possible to reuse most of the appdownloader to help browsing, voting and commenting on applications still on testing?

Maybe even go a step further and have a version that allows the same for the applications on development.... going one step crazier would be even nicer if we could also have the comments about the applications, at least the ones still on development, also make to the "announcement" thread....

I wonder how many n900 users have extas-devel enabled, regardless of all the big warnings. I would assume a big chunk have and could benefit from some more information before deciding to install an application (rates, comments, ...).

The benefit to the applications on testing for me is even more obvious. It would help getting more people to participate and by that improve the application's quality that make to extras and speed the process.