Ubuntu's New Application Review Process

The idea behind software stores is by far not a new concept.  After the high level of success that was seen with the iTunes App Store and its distribution system, companies like Google opted to follow similar routes in order to distribute applications and services.  However, asides from traditional software repositories, we have yet to see this concept brought into play in the Linux scene.

This was, of course, until today when it was announced that developers would able to submit applications for review to be placed in the Ubuntu Software Center.  This process, which allows applications to be submitted in a much more efficient fashion, entitled AppReviews was blogged about today by Jono; one of the developers behind the Ubuntu Linux distribution.

In said blog post, Jono states that AppReviews is “a new process we are trailing which is easier and more accessible for application authors to get their apps in Ubuntu.”  Off the bat, this seems like a delicious idea, mainly because allowing developers to submit content would ensure that end-users would have a wider variety of software choices available.  This would ultimately help to solve the problem of people not being able to find alternatives to their Windows-based software, and would thus make it easier for people to migrate themselves from Windows to Linux.

Additionally, this further strengthens a point that Jeff made a few weeks back, when discussing the need to eliminate the Windows Installer.  This being, AppReviews will make developers more able to make their applications readily available to users, ultimately surpassing the ease-of-installation seen in Windows-based software.

Now, in thinking of “app stores”, many people immediately think of the Apple App Store.  And one of the things that people have discredited Apple for in the past is the fact that applications submissions are occasionally denied.  This is something that I immediately became concerned with when I first heard about AppReview, as I did not want to see the same negativities in an open-source market.  But lo and behold, Jono’s blog post states that the submissions would be handled by a “community-driven Application Review Board”, meaning that the people behind the review process will be striving to do what’s best for the open-source community.

All in all, I believe that by allowing submissions to the Ubuntu Software Center we will ultimately see a lot of talented small-time developers come out of the woodwork, and will ultimately see an influx of useful applications available for Ubuntu users.

Want to share your opinion?  Comments are always welcome!