Haiku Software Centre

1

Thought these new mockups from Ubuntu might provide some food for thought: http://omgubuntu.co.uk/2011/06/the-new-ubuntu-software-centre-mock-ups-hint-at-great-things-to-come/

I know from a recent mailing list discussion that Axel hates the idea of an HTML interface, but something like this could be quickly implemented relative to a native interface and is beneficial to users in that it provides a similar experience to online shopping sites like Amazon with a media rich interface. Certainly in terms of getting something together pre-R1 it seems like a more realistic option. Also might help spur application development and could potentially eventually even be used as a revenue generating opportunity for Haiku Inc. if the platform ever attracts any commercial applications.

2

Yes but Ubuntu Software Center is not HTML either. =)

It is a front end which is written in Python for GTK+. It still runs APT (apt-get) CLI to do all of the hard work in the background.

3

Huh? It uses WebKit to render the content, which is what I was talking about. It’s a Python application that’s a wrapper around WebKit for content rendering in the same sense that a Haiku version would be a C++ wrapper around WebKit for content rendering. Most of the user facing functionality is the product of WebKit; native GTK+ widgets are only used for the sidebar, navigation bar and menu as far as I can tell.

Interesting article on the Mac App Store which is also rendered by WebKit: http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/1566/the-future-of-mac-app-store-installs

4

Ok, I thought it was a Python GTK+ application. Nothing was listed about WebKit in Wikipedia entry or Ubuntu SoftwareCenter site.

Without having used this I only could get the details from other sources. After searching the net, I see that it does use Webkit. Too bad Wikipedia and Ubuntu sites neglected to mention this so that way those who have not used this software, like me, could better understand how it works.

5

ahhh fuck no, that hideous and Ubuntu software center makes me want to commit suicide everytime I have used it.

Pass

6

I must admit that after reading your comment I went to the Wikipedia article and finding no mention of WebKit there I thought you must be right. I guess it’s a testament to how efficiently the interface works, as it doesn’t feel out of place on the desktop as you might expect it to.