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JayAgostino

macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2020
267
232
Massachusetts
Incidentally, as someone stated earlier, you can still turn on the "Allow apps downloaded from: Anywhere" option.

View attachment 2025444
I'm pretty sure it automatically turns itself off after a certain period of time.
"tie all of our products together, so we further lock customers into our ecosystem" is the point, obviously.

No, it's for the same reason that you can only install iOS/iPadOS applications from the App Store.
These are almost always free and they are rarely in the app store.
Unless it's the Microsoft Store, the Epic Games Store, Steam, or the Snap Store?
https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/vtxr9r/_/ifb7hgk
DaVinci Resolve
That's available in the Mac App Store.
Libre Office
That's available through NeoOffice (which is an application in the Mac App Store).
 
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ArkSingularity

macrumors 6502a
Mar 5, 2022
928
1,130
I'm pretty sure it automatically turns itself off after a certain period of time.

No, it's for the same reason that you can only install iOS/iPadOS applications from the App Store.

Unless it's the Microsoft Store, the Epic Games Store, Steam, or the Snap Store?
https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/vtxr9r/_/ifb7hgk
That's available in the Mac App Store.

That's available through NeoOffice (which is an application in the Mac App Store).
I'm not entirely certain I understand your point. Yes, there are SOME open source applications on some app stores. We aren't talking about the Steam store, nor are we talking about the Snap store or the Microsoft store. The fact is that there are many applications for Mac OS that aren't on the app store, both paid and open source apps. And I'm not one for shaming developers for where they decide to publish their applications (there's a 30% commission for publishing on the App Store, so I honestly don't blame developers who choose to publish apps elsewhere.)

We could make Macs into an ecosystem similar to iPads or iPhones if we wanted. I would be running for the hills faster than a New York second if they did this, as would much of the developer community that would be crippled by this. Ask any developer who has ever used Homebrew, they will tell you the same.
 
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JayAgostino

macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2020
267
232
Massachusetts
I'm not entirely certain I understand your point. Yes, there are SOME open source applications on some app stores. We aren't talking about the Steam store, nor are we talking about the Snap store or the Microsoft store. The fact is that there are many applications for Mac OS that aren't on the app store, both paid and open source apps. And I'm not one for shaming developers for where they decide to publish their applications (there's a 30% commission for publishing on the App Store, so I honestly don't blame developers who choose to publish apps elsewhere.)
Sorry, I just thought I'd bring it up.
 
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BeatCrazy

macrumors 603
Jul 20, 2011
5,119
4,480
For a simple "couch" laptop, absolutely.

For my main machine, I do need a few more specific apps like Plex, Handbrake, SnagIt, iZotope RX9. But outside of those 4, I can stick with only App Store stuff. I actually prefer it. No need to 'find a key' to get my app authorized. I can just go down my app purchase history and quickly download just what I need when setting a new machine up from scratch.
 

JayAgostino

macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2020
267
232
Massachusetts
Libre Office
That's available through NeoOffice (which is an application in the Mac App Store).
 

bogdanw

macrumors 603
Mar 10, 2009
6,104
3,020
That's available through NeoOffice (which is an application in the Mac App Store).
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/neooffice/id639210716
1.“NeoOffice 2022.1 Professional Edition is still based on LibreOffice 4.4”
https://github.com/neooffice/NeoOffice/releases/tag/NeoOffice-2022_1

Now LibreOffice 7.2.7 / 7.3.4 https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download/

2. “Mac App Store users: some features are not available in the Mac App Store version in order to comply with Apple's Mac App Store security requirements”
Notes https://github.com/neooffice/NeoOffice

3. Up until May 2022, NeoOffice has been at least 5 USD in the AppStore, LibreOffice has always been free. https://appsliced.co/app?n=neooffice&l=list

4. Collabora Office is the official LibreOffice in the AppStore
https://apps.apple.com/app/collabora-office/id918120011
https://www.libreoffice.org/download/libreoffice-in-business/
 

JayAgostino

macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2020
267
232
Massachusetts

eltoslightfoot

macrumors 68030
Feb 25, 2011
2,539
3,086
Just wondering if anyone can survive with only apps from the Mac App Store. I personally don't see a point why there is such a setting.
View attachment 2024739
No.

Edited to add, Alfred, Firefox, NetNewsWire, LibreOffice, Wordpress, Cyberduck, VSCode, Aldente, Devonthink, Shottr, Dropbox, Nextcloud are just the few that I have from outside the Mac App Store. :D :D :D
 

JayAgostino

macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2020
267
232
Massachusetts
I'm pretty sure that actually is available in the Mac App Store.
LibreOffice
That's available through NeoOffice (which is an application in the Mac App Store).
 

eltoslightfoot

macrumors 68030
Feb 25, 2011
2,539
3,086
I'm pretty sure that actually is available in the Mac App Store.

That's available through NeoOffice (which is an application in the Mac App Store).
NeoOffice is debatable is a project by comparison to Libreoffice. Last I checked it was backed by one developer on an old version? I'll give you Alfred. LOL. I have used it for so long that I didn't even know they added it...

Edited to add, so we are good on all the other apps I listed. Guess I won't be going App Store only anytime soon. :)
 

JayAgostino

macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2020
267
232
Massachusetts
NeoOffice is debatable is a project by comparison to Libreoffice. Last I checked it was backed by one developer on an old version?
What about Collabora Office?
 

bogdanw

macrumors 603
Mar 10, 2009
6,104
3,020
Well, at least it's free now!

Okay, that definitely looks better. Nice find!
Let me tell you a story to understand the main problem with the App Store.
In 2015, Collabora launched LibreOffice “Fresh” into the App Store as LibreOffice Vanilla. Its price varied and it was considered more of a donation towards the development. At one point it was free and I downloaded it out of curiosity, as I use the non-App Store LibreOffice stable version daily. At some other point, Collabora decided to remove LibreOffice Vanilla from the App Store. Now, I don’t care about it and the moral is not about this particular app. But the people who paid for it, or for any such app for that matter, might want to be able to download it again. They can’t. And that’s the main problem with the App Store, you pay for nothing, as the developer or Apple can remove the app at any point.
So, break the chains of the App Store and enjoy software from anywhere :)
https://www.collaboraoffice.com/community-en/libreoffice-vanilla-mac-app-store/
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/libreoffice-vanilla/id921923693
 

JayAgostino

macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2020
267
232
Massachusetts
Let me tell you a story to understand the main problem with the App Store.
In 2015, Collabora launched LibreOffice “Fresh” into the App Store as LibreOffice Vanilla. Its price varied and it was considered more of a donation towards the development. At one point it was free and I downloaded it out of curiosity, as I use the non-App Store LibreOffice stable version daily. At some other point, Collabora decided to remove LibreOffice Vanilla from the App Store. Now, I don’t care about it and the moral is not about this particular app. But the people who paid for it, or for any such app for that matter, might want to be able to download it again. They can’t. And that’s the main problem with the App Store, you pay for nothing, as the developer or Apple can remove the app at any point.
So, break the chains of the App Store and enjoy software from anywhere :)
https://www.collaboraoffice.com/community-en/libreoffice-vanilla-mac-app-store/
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/libreoffice-vanilla/id921923693
Wow! Really? I remember it being available in the Mac App Store just a couple of months ago. I guess there weren’t many people purchasing it.

Also, I’m pretty sure you can reinstall any macOS applications you’ve purchased from the Mac App Store.
 

ian87w

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2020
8,704
12,638
Indonesia
MS Office and all its apps (OneNote, OneDrive, Outlook) are all available in the App store, so those are covered.
The biggest problem is Google. It's highly annoying that Google doesn't make their apps available on the app store (and instead using their own resource hog updating daemon for their apps). Google is notorious in this. They also refused to make their apps available on Windows Phone, imo leading the OS to its demise (who wanted a platform without Youtube app?).

VLC is another app I wish available in the app store. They made it available on Microsoft Store and iOS app store, so I don't understand why they won't do it for MacOS app store.

In short, for me personally, not yet. But I can see many who can survive fine.
 
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JayAgostino

macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2020
267
232
Massachusetts
MS Office and all its apps (OneNote, OneDrive, Outlook) are all available in the App store, so those are covered.
The biggest problem is Google. It's highly annoying that Google doesn't make their apps available on the app store (and instead using their own resource hog updating daemon for their apps). Google is notorious in this. They also refused to make their apps available on Windows Phone, imo leading the OS to its demise (who wanted a platform without Youtube app?).

VLC is another app I wish available in the app store. They made it available on Microsoft Store and iOS app store, so I don't understand why they won't do it for MacOS app store.

In short, for me personally, not yet. But I can see many who can survive fine.
In 2022, Google still doesn’t put its applications in the Microsoft Store. I think they might hold a grudge against Microsoft.

For a brief period of time, Windows Phone did have an official YouTube application.

As for VLC, I assume they have a legitimate reason as to why they can’t put their application in the Mac App Store. The Microsoft Store isn’t strict whatsoever.
 

eltoslightfoot

macrumors 68030
Feb 25, 2011
2,539
3,086
Look it isn't like the App Store is a problem. It just isn't the only solution. I love it for my Affinity apps, Better Snap Tool, Omnifocus, etc., just not the only thing. Scrivener and Scapple are both available, but I prefer direct from Literature and Latte as I can get upgrade pricing, faster updates, less issues, etc.,

Upgrade pricing is a HUGE reason not to use it though.
 
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eltoslightfoot

macrumors 68030
Feb 25, 2011
2,539
3,086
Wouldn’t updating VIA the Mac App Store be just as fast (if not faster)?

Also, what does “less issues” mean? Could you elaborate?
It has to do with Apple's approval process. They can insert themselves into the process and complicate a simple update. It has happened to nearly every developer. Just search for it in their support forums. That's just one for instance.

So, Lit and Latte can just put their update on their website, but they have to wait for Apple to approve even minor updates for the App Store.
 
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