What Determines Whether Something Gets Added To Pandora Apps?

[Esn]

If you look at http://dl.openhandhelds.org/cgi-bin/pandora.cgi , there are about twice as many files for download as on http://apps.open-pandora.org/ (in addition to this, there are some fine releases that are only present on the forums, i.e. ScummVM)

Why the discrepancy?

 

[gruso]

AFAICT the reason there is more in ED's archive is that anyone can upload to it, and the app gets approved by ED. In Craig's appstore, people must apply to become approved uploaders. For whatever reason, not everyone seems to be doing this. Or perhaps some people just prefer to use the file archive.

Soon we'll be seeing the launch of dflemstr's "The Box". It has an insanely good backend (PXML validation etc) which risks going to waste if everyone can just upload their broken / non-compliant PNDs elsewhere. Meanwhile, Craig's store is very well designed with the average end user in mind, and ED's is the old faithful that many older GP32Xers prefer to use.

Some people will call this "choice", "options", "freedom". But I'm seeing it as fragmentation. Who wants to search 3 apptores to make sure they're not missing anything? Almost no one. But each of the three stores has very good reasons to exist. There needs to be some kind of synchronisation effort, or it's going to get Dingoo ugly.

Note that my thoughts above only apply to the three file archives. There will always be devs who choose not to use those facilities (zx-81 uses his own site, DJWillis uses his site for betas, etc etc), for the purposes of this discussion they get a free pass.

 

[Dunny]

"What Determines Whether Something Gets Added To Pandora Apps?"

It's Craig, innit?

D.

 

[torpor]

I really hope we have the "App Scavengers" activated to find and tell all about the goodies that don't make it into the different choices for App stores ..

 

[Aninhumer]

Not to inflict extra work on dflemstr , but I suspect they have the knowhow to scan the other two for stuff "The Box" doesn't have, and list it, or perhaps even automatically add it.

As much as the archive is nostalgic, it just hasn't had the level of work going into it that the two new ones have.
Not a slight on EvilDragon of course, it works, and he has much better things to be doing than adding wizzbangs to the archive.

It might make sense to make Craig's appstore the one for paid apps, The Box for free stuff, and the archive as a backup service?

 

[Bosbeetle]

Some people will call this "choice", "options", "freedom". But I'm seeing it as fragmentation. Who wants to search 3 apptores to make sure they're not missing anything? Almost no one. But each of the three stores has very good reasons to exist. There needs to be some kind of synchronisation effort, or it's going to get Dingoo ugly.

I share this sentiment

 

[Esn]

I agree, Gruso. I can foresee a lot of problems with synchronization, with one place having updated files while another does not, and so on.

I think there needs to be either:

A) a centralized uploading service, so that when someone uploads (or updates) a file, it gets added to the queue of all these sites.

or B ) some sort of user-oriented website which will scan these different sites, ignore duplicate files, and combine everything in one place, so that people can go to it and be sure that they're seeing everything that can be downloaded.

I don't know about The Box, but these are my views on the pros and cons of Pandora Apps and the Pandora File Archive:

Pandora Apps
PROS:
-Pandora-friendly resolution
-good comment & rating system
-new "detailed information" tab for reading readmes before downloading file
-non-free apps allowed
CONS:
-fewer programs available; more restrictive for uploaders
-few categories (so far - don't know how expandable it is... this might not be a CON)
-no list for "most downloaded apps"

Pandora File Archive:
PROS:
-more programs available; less restrictive for uploaders
-more categories (although maybe too many... this might not be a PRO)
CONS:
-looks bad at Pandora's default resolution
-no paid programs allowed
-no rating system (only # of downloads)

Note that my thoughts above only apply to the three file archives. There will always be devs who choose not to use those facilities (zx-81 uses his own site, DJWillis uses his site for betas, etc etc), for the purposes of this discussion they get a free pass.

I think that the file archives should still list these somewhere, maybe in a special section - at least give a link to where they can be downloaded like the File Archive does for Giana Sisters (because they don't allow their game to be hosted anywhere else).

 

[craigix]

I have given upload rights to a lot of people now, but several people just don't use it, they use the old archive.

I don't have the time to ask why.

Maybe I could recruit someone from here to make sure everything is uploaded.

However, currently I don't put beta software on there if I can help it, I'd rather at least have something which is a PND and works for the average user.

It will get there, it's coming along nicely now, we're adding a lot of requested features right now.

 

[fettouhi]

It would be very good if everything was available in one spot.

 

[sebt3]

I have given upload rights to a lot of people now, but several people just don't use it, they use the old archive.

I still don't have mine upload right here even if :
- I click the request link about 10 times
- I sent you a PM
- I've stated this on the forum a few other times
- I've uploaded more than 10 pnds in the file-archive

By the way, all my pnds validate with the box and don't leave my own hosting & beta test thread until I feel confident that I won't need to work on it until at least next upstream release.

 

[craigix]

I have given upload rights to a lot of people now, but several people just don't use it, they use the old archive.

I still don't have mine upload right here even if :
- I click the request link about 10 times
- I sent you a PM
- I've stated this on the forum a few other times
- I've uploaded more than 10 pnds in the file-archive

By the way, all my pnds validate with the box and don't leave my own hosting & beta test thread until I feel confident that I won't need to work on it until at least next upstream release.

Sorry, my PM box is totally flooded.

I've approved your account.

 

[sebt3]

Sorry, my PM box is totally flooded.

I've approved your account.

I was about to thank you by PM, then I re-read your answer
So thanks, I'll upload my stuff when @home and have a bit of time

 

[hdonk]

Hi Craig,
Any chance of approving my uploads too please?

 

[craigix]

Hi Craig,
Any chance of approving my uploads too please?

Yes.

 

[cosam]

I'm not sure if my account was approved but I've forgotten the password now anyway. Any plans to add a password reset function?

 

[craigix]

I'm not sure if my account was approved but I've forgotten the password now anyway. Any plans to add a password reset function?

It was approved, I'll PM you.

 

[Cheese]

Some people will call this "choice", "options", "freedom". But I'm seeing it as fragmentation. Who wants to search 3 apptores to make sure they're not missing anything? Almost no one. But each of the three stores has very good reasons to exist. There needs to be some kind of synchronisation effort, or it's going to get Dingoo ugly.

I couldn't agree more. I hope that "The Box" becomes the primary source of PNDs, it seems like dflemstr's work has gone a little under appreciated, specificly the PND repository spec. We could potentially in the future have our own apt-get like program with automatic updates and the whole bit if we took advantage of it. I don't know about anyone else, but the idea of that excites me. For now though, a group effort to maintain the games list (and emulator list) on the wiki could be enough.

 

[mali]

^ The community will vote by downloading from their favourite source and their favourite source should be made the main store then, imo. Dflemstr is a really talented bloke, I think he has good chances.

 

[Esn]

For now though, a group effort to maintain the games list (and emulator list) on the wiki could be enough.

You may be right. One thing that the wiki badly needs right now, though, is a way to sort by how recent something is. I'm going to add that right now...

 

[Cheese]

I can't help but think that people will favor "Pandora apps" simply because it seems more official, regardless of the strengths and weaknesses of the other sources. I just hope it all works out in the end.