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How's the Mac App store going in your opinion?
- Thread starter mrsir2009
- Start date
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its ok. great idea to follow the iTunes App Store's success for the Mac, but there needs to be more quality apps in there, free or paid, like the ones that are always recommended for new Mac users (albeit the open source apps cant due to licensing).. but there is too much crapware and iOS ports there.
+1 for the iOS ports. Games designed for cellphone type devices aren't good on actual computers goddammit! Who wants to play something like DoodleJump on their Mac? Lame.
haha yeah iPhone game ports are sucky, but ones designed for Mac like Angry Birds are pretty good. if Doodle Jump is just like on the iPhone then blehhh
ive downloaded Twitter and Evernote from the MAS. its easy to download and handles the updates which is great. just need more quality apps in there!.. like the ones that you usually just download from a browser.
ive downloaded Twitter and Evernote from the MAS. its easy to download and handles the updates which is great. just need more quality apps in there!.. like the ones that you usually just download from a browser.
Well DoodleJump was designed for cellphones and it can't really be expanded. Those sort of applications belong on cellphones and should stay there. You can play DoodleJump on computers but its lame...
They need to get all the MacUpdate stuff in there
Currently I like MacUpdate far better than the Mac App Store because its been around a lot longer, its got better quality apps, the apps are either cheaper or free, and there aren't any crappy iOS ports. The only catch with MacUpdate is that you need to be a teeny tiny bit computer literate
It's alright, but most of the applications I use the most aren't there at the moment due to licensing, restrictions, etc. Looking at what's on my dock....
-MPlayerX is on the App Store and the new version re-won me over from MPlayer OS X Extended for now.
-iLife, which is on the App Store, but I didn't get it from there
-Pixelmator, which I had before the App Store, but is available on it
-uTorrent, which will probably never be on it
-VMWare Fusion, which isn't on it at the moment as far as I know
-R, which is open source and community-driven, with no central devs, so probably won't end up on it
-iWork, which is on it, but I already had it
-Subler, open source, maybe it'll be there in the future? I'm not sure about the restrictions
-MKVTools, same as above
-Jubler, same as above
-Mail.app, N/A.
-MPlayerX is on the App Store and the new version re-won me over from MPlayer OS X Extended for now.
-iLife, which is on the App Store, but I didn't get it from there
-Pixelmator, which I had before the App Store, but is available on it
-uTorrent, which will probably never be on it
-VMWare Fusion, which isn't on it at the moment as far as I know
-R, which is open source and community-driven, with no central devs, so probably won't end up on it
-iWork, which is on it, but I already had it
-Subler, open source, maybe it'll be there in the future? I'm not sure about the restrictions
-MKVTools, same as above
-Jubler, same as above
-Mail.app, N/A.
It's ok, kind of lacking software though, and most of what's there seems like low quality junk. It's only been a few months though, I'm sure it'll improve over time. I've found some cool stuff though like Pixelmator.
Actually, open source apps don't have any problems on the Mac App Store like they did on the iOS store, and there are several on there now, although some (like CyberDuck) decided to charge despite keeping the source available. I think there's a great selection of quality apps, such as Pixelmator, but more good apps never hurts.
jW
It's hard to see what is good or new, because there isn't much space to advertise all the great apps out there IMO. So I find when I land on the first page I'm not that impressed or caught up in the apps that are being highlighted.
This probably doesn't make sense.
This probably doesn't make sense.
I believe it may take some time before it begins to perform up to Apple's goals. Designed as an additional income stream, as well as an additional source of new customers, Apples clever enough to get what they want out of it. As a resource for power users it's of little value.
I was about to write the same thing, but instead I'll just agree with what you wrote. The last game app I downloaded would have actually been good, but, I kid you not, in the directions it kept referencing the device you were using as "your phone. " C'mon.
The App Store is really growing on me. I think I'm buying more software because of it's existence.
What I like about it:
- easy to purchase - all I have to do is enter my password, not fill out yet another registration form and supply my credit details to another tiny company, and have one more serial number to keep track of.
- buy it once and put it on any of my Macs
- a single click installs it. Just one click will install it on the next machine or update it.
I just bought a utility today and paid more ($15.00 vs $7.50) than I could get it for on MacUpdate.com because of the above benefits.
Here's what I've bought so far:
What I like about it:
- easy to purchase - all I have to do is enter my password, not fill out yet another registration form and supply my credit details to another tiny company, and have one more serial number to keep track of.
- buy it once and put it on any of my Macs
- a single click installs it. Just one click will install it on the next machine or update it.
I just bought a utility today and paid more ($15.00 vs $7.50) than I could get it for on MacUpdate.com because of the above benefits.
Here's what I've bought so far:
I really like it and I've blown a few bucks on software I never would have purchased because it's too easy to hit a button and download.
I do wish the App Store could "see" that I already have versions of software so it could recognize I'm eligible for an upgrade. I'd have bought Bento 4 if it knew I already had Bento 3. Then again, that might be too big-brother-ish.
mt
I do wish the App Store could "see" that I already have versions of software so it could recognize I'm eligible for an upgrade. I'd have bought Bento 4 if it knew I already had Bento 3. Then again, that might be too big-brother-ish.
mt
Like many others, I think the App Store is great but needs some more good software. What I really love about the App Store is that I only have to pay for software once and can install it on all my other macs. I also really the looks of the App Store, it looks great!
Problem I'm having purchasing anything from the app store is that I can purchase the same software , directly from the devs website usually , cheaper , devs are just passing the 30% apple tax directly to the consumer , so until this changes , I will still be buying direct (especially games where steams price can be -50% or more , and even d2d is cheaper )
On the iOS device where apple has a closed system , the apple tax has to be sucked up , and Market forces drove apps down in price , in the mac app store , there is no incentive on developers to reduce pricing , as you either get your price from the consumers willing to pay over the odds for the app store version and you pass apples cut directly to the purchaser, or you get consumers who follow the link in the app store to your web site and buy it cheaper outside the app store , but as a dev you still get 100% of the cash you want for your product either way.
This is why the mac AppStore = fail unless apple locks down mac Os like it has iOS devices in my opinion.
On the iOS device where apple has a closed system , the apple tax has to be sucked up , and Market forces drove apps down in price , in the mac app store , there is no incentive on developers to reduce pricing , as you either get your price from the consumers willing to pay over the odds for the app store version and you pass apples cut directly to the purchaser, or you get consumers who follow the link in the app store to your web site and buy it cheaper outside the app store , but as a dev you still get 100% of the cash you want for your product either way.
This is why the mac AppStore = fail unless apple locks down mac Os like it has iOS devices in my opinion.
I'm very unhappy with the Mac App Store; it's got far too much dreck, which is especially aggravating since a new user won't be aware it's dreck.
The lame iOS ports have already been mentioned, but there are also apps that are merely GUIs for stuff that's available free elsewere. And some great open source stuff is missing, and will probably never be there.
Like the iTunes Store, it's poorly organized. Try browsing "utilities" and see if you can find something; would it kill them to make some subcategories? When I looked just now the featured apps at the top included Stuffit Expander; really?
Another downside IMHO is that Apple doesn't allow anyone to review these apps unless they own them. I could maybe understand this when the iTunes App Store started, but many of us own these applications and still can't review them. Other retailers don't do that, nor does the Apple Store.
Some better stuff is showing up there, but it sure is hard to find it, and a new user would never be able to tell how good it is by just visiting the MAS. Too bad for the good developers.
Rob
The lame iOS ports have already been mentioned, but there are also apps that are merely GUIs for stuff that's available free elsewere. And some great open source stuff is missing, and will probably never be there.
Like the iTunes Store, it's poorly organized. Try browsing "utilities" and see if you can find something; would it kill them to make some subcategories? When I looked just now the featured apps at the top included Stuffit Expander; really?
Another downside IMHO is that Apple doesn't allow anyone to review these apps unless they own them. I could maybe understand this when the iTunes App Store started, but many of us own these applications and still can't review them. Other retailers don't do that, nor does the Apple Store.
Some better stuff is showing up there, but it sure is hard to find it, and a new user would never be able to tell how good it is by just visiting the MAS. Too bad for the good developers.
Rob
I just opened it up for the first time. Kind of what I expected, only lame apps show up. Lots of the interesting need to do stuff Apple doesn't allow on the store. Dropbox, bettertouchtools, practically no open source most free apps seem to be crap.
I was introduced to the concept of app store with Ubuntu/Debian's synaptic package manager. A very nice app where you would be repositories (basically add a server) and you would just search for an app. Then boom it would install it and take care of updating afterwards. Oddly, a better experience than on both mac os and windows.
Yes, I'd like to see something like the app store catch wind, easy to find apps, one click installs and automatic updates. None of the adobe/microsoft updater popping off every hour just to nag you.
But the idea of Apple taking 30% of what ever app you're buying kills it for me. Really, what service is Apple giving that's worth 30%? From what I see the search isn't that great and the top apps look like crapware. Basically, Apple want's 30% to install it for you and take care of updates. That's ********. I'd much rather give that money to the dev. I'd expect anyone who hosts a system like that to ask for a premium but 30% is just greed, especially when they were hosting lots of great stuff on their website for free.
I somehow hope the app store will fail. At least in it's current form.
I was introduced to the concept of app store with Ubuntu/Debian's synaptic package manager. A very nice app where you would be repositories (basically add a server) and you would just search for an app. Then boom it would install it and take care of updating afterwards. Oddly, a better experience than on both mac os and windows.
Yes, I'd like to see something like the app store catch wind, easy to find apps, one click installs and automatic updates. None of the adobe/microsoft updater popping off every hour just to nag you.
But the idea of Apple taking 30% of what ever app you're buying kills it for me. Really, what service is Apple giving that's worth 30%? From what I see the search isn't that great and the top apps look like crapware. Basically, Apple want's 30% to install it for you and take care of updates. That's ********. I'd much rather give that money to the dev. I'd expect anyone who hosts a system like that to ask for a premium but 30% is just greed, especially when they were hosting lots of great stuff on their website for free.
I somehow hope the app store will fail. At least in it's current form.
My initial viewpoint mirrors yours. It's fine for the iPhone but just doesn't fit with the computers. It seems like Apple greed at work. Anything for more money. It's become their number one obsession.
Rather odd really, considering how much they are taking in, the price of their products, and the massive momentum they have in the marketplace.
Rather odd really, considering how much they are taking in, the price of their products, and the massive momentum they have in the marketplace.
IMO the whole "app" thing is better suited to mobile devices. On computers having tons of teeny tiny applications isn't really needed. I mean, its great on phones to have all these time killing apps and some useful ones such as the apps that shows you directions etc... But on Macs I like proper "big boy" applications that were designed solely for the computer. You don't really want a million time killing little games and apps that give you road directions on your Mac, do you?
It'd be all well and good if they didn't sell all these iOS apps on the app store, but they do. Its almost identical to the iOS app store.
It'd be all well and good if they didn't sell all these iOS apps on the app store, but they do. Its almost identical to the iOS app store.
Like many I'd like to see some better apps on there.
I'd also like to see the option to trial apps. Most of the decent ones are paid apps, I'd like to try them but don't want to spend to see I don't like it. This is available on some developers sites, but should be built into the store.
I'd really like to see sub categories too, navigating is so broad, I want to narrow my app criteria and see what is on offer to me.
On a positive note though, I've just done a reinstall on my Mac and being able to just go to the store and download all of my previously purchased apps, with the latest update already in place is really useful.
It's early days and I can see it developing over time, I'm just worried that the navigation of it won't. iTunes has been going years and it's still a chore.
I'd also like to see the option to trial apps. Most of the decent ones are paid apps, I'd like to try them but don't want to spend to see I don't like it. This is available on some developers sites, but should be built into the store.
I'd really like to see sub categories too, navigating is so broad, I want to narrow my app criteria and see what is on offer to me.
On a positive note though, I've just done a reinstall on my Mac and being able to just go to the store and download all of my previously purchased apps, with the latest update already in place is really useful.
It's early days and I can see it developing over time, I'm just worried that the navigation of it won't. iTunes has been going years and it's still a chore.
If I were to grade it, I'd put it as a c+, not great, but not bad either.
Just yesterday, I was looking for some educational software for my kids, specifically dora or diago related programs. Sadly I found none, I have to go to the apple store to pick those up.
I'm still not entirely sold on the app store for OSX. I'm holding on out on my opinion until it matures a little more
Just yesterday, I was looking for some educational software for my kids, specifically dora or diago related programs. Sadly I found none, I have to go to the apple store to pick those up.
I'm still not entirely sold on the app store for OSX. I'm holding on out on my opinion until it matures a little more
Haven't tried it yet. My Mac is still on 10.6.3. Since I have a ****** internet connection, I can't download the OS update.
It looks typically Apple, well designed and simple to use. I've only downloaded the free Stuffit Expander so far to try it out because I haven't seen anything else on there that I think is worth getting.
It's a nice idea and as long as it's just another option I'm all for it. It needs to get more of the big developers on board though before it really takes off.
It's a nice idea and as long as it's just another option I'm all for it. It needs to get more of the big developers on board though before it really takes off.