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How about a non-Apple App Store: something like homebrew with a friendly GUI that's easy to navigate? I started using Homebrew Cask recently, and it seems like

How about a non-Apple App Store: something like homebrew with a friendly GUI that's easy to navigate? I started using Homebrew Cask recently, and it seems like a perfect workflow for the average user who just wants to download VLC or whatever. I'm imagining Grandma pulling up the "Application Warehouse", let's say, and clicking a download button under a VLC icon. It gets downloaded from a trusted source over HTTPS, gets checked against a hash, symlinked and Gran's ready to go, all without the hassle of shady installers from the search engine shitpile.

ShinyCyril 12y ago
Brew integration would be nice. There used to be a couple of non-Apple app stores, but most of them were killed off when the actual App Store came along. MacUpdate is still running one though: http://www.macupdate.com/desktop/ http://www.macupdate.com/desktop/
astrodust 12y ago
Microsoft really should consider making something like Ninite (https://ninite.com https://ninite.com) a native component of Windows 10. It skips all the garbage and installs the application.
- beamatronic 12y ago
  This would require Microsoft to take a stand on behalf of the consumer
- Someone1234 12y ago
  They are/have. In Windows 10 it is called "OneGet." It is a Linux-like package manager to complement their Windows Store (app store) which isn't going away.
gress 12y ago
How is this better than the Apple App Store? As soon as you have multiple ones, nobody knows which one to trust.
- riffraff 12y ago
  I don't think it's the same, you'd only have to trust one extra source for the new appstore (2? 3?), not one for each installed software. E.g. I trust the macports maintainers, even if I don't verify the sources for each thing I get through `port install`.
  - gress 12y ago
    Sure but using macports implies a level of technical understanding to evaluate trustworthiness. Most end users don't have that, and so they could just as easily be convinced to trust the CNET App Store.
evilduck 12y ago
https://www.cakebrew.com https://www.cakebrew.com is an open source GUI that makes homebrew easy to navigate. Though homebrew has no flashy screenshots or customer-oriented product description so I don't think it's a contender as a Mac App Store replacement for your average user.
- wcbeard10 12y ago
  Thanks for the tip. I just downloaded it with brew cask and feel like I've found the mobius strip of package management.

ShinyCyril 12y ago

Brew integration would be nice. There used to be a couple of non-Apple app stores, but most of them were killed off when the actual App Store came along. MacUpdate is still running one though: http://www.macupdate.com/desktop/ http://www.macupdate.com/desktop/

astrodust 12y ago

Microsoft really should consider making something like Ninite (https://ninite.com https://ninite.com) a native component of Windows 10. It skips all the garbage and installs the application.

beamatronic 12y ago
This would require Microsoft to take a stand on behalf of the consumer
Someone1234 12y ago
They are/have. In Windows 10 it is called "OneGet." It is a Linux-like package manager to complement their Windows Store (app store) which isn't going away.

gress 12y ago

How is this better than the Apple App Store? As soon as you have multiple ones, nobody knows which one to trust.

riffraff 12y ago
I don't think it's the same, you'd only have to trust one extra source for the new appstore (2? 3?), not one for each installed software. E.g. I trust the macports maintainers, even if I don't verify the sources for each thing I get through `port install`.
- gress 12y ago
  Sure but using macports implies a level of technical understanding to evaluate trustworthiness. Most end users don't have that, and so they could just as easily be convinced to trust the CNET App Store.

evilduck 12y ago

https://www.cakebrew.com https://www.cakebrew.com is an open source GUI that makes homebrew easy to navigate. Though homebrew has no flashy screenshots or customer-oriented product description so I don't think it's a contender as a Mac App Store replacement for your average user.

wcbeard10 12y ago
Thanks for the tip. I just downloaded it with brew cask and feel like I've found the mobius strip of package management.