Ubuntu Software Store: What it does, and how you can help

Dylan McCall dylanmccall at gmail.com
Tue Sep 1 18:15:06 BST 2009


On Tue, 2009-09-01 at 21:19 +0530, mac_v wrote:
> On Tue, 2009-09-01 at 17:04 +0200, Siegfried Gevatter wrote:
> > I have to add my voice in that I strongly dislike the name containing
> > "Store", for the already echoed reasons. "Software Center" or even
> > "Add/Remove..." are much better names, IMHO.
> > 
> 
> How about "Software Zone" or "Ubuntu Zone"... ;)
> 
> I think we are underestimating the users by thinking that only name
> which includes a word "Store" will convey the right meaning!
> 
> A more innovative name can be used!
> 
> -- 
> Cheers,
> mac_v
> 
> 

I'm going to talk about branding, too, though I hate to join in that
seemingly endless thread. (At least nobody is on a tirade about the
possibility of software costing money to buy).

First of all, Software Store and Software Center both have a different
problem. It is trivial, but visible to geeks like myself. They carry a
'hissing' sound (sssss) thanks to the alliteration. In my culture, at
least, the sound is usually used in writing to emphasize a bad thing.
Granted, usually less than two words in such alliteration, but it's
visible if you sound it out.

I was thinking Software Exchange would maybe make sense as a name. I'm
thinking "ski swap" here. It sounds like a place where you are likely to
get some stuff for free and other stuff for money. I also like the idea
of "software market" or "software bazaar," since it adds something more
tactile to the mix.

As far as giving stuff back to an exchange, that absolutely would fit
nicely! We need a page somewhere easy to find (but out of the way) that
tells the user how to package stuff and get it hosted on the Software
Exchange / Store / whichever. (A nice packaging gui for art packages
goes here).

I'm a bit concerned about using price to distinguish things here. The
"price: free" thing is flawed, because it furthers the misconception
that free software is only free in price, when in fact being free in
price is quite irrelevant. Software with "price: $20" may still be free
as in libré, which deserves credit! Is "get free software" going to
display stuff with price == 0.00, or is it going to display software
that is _free_?

Will this thingy be connecting to Launchpad? It would be neat to get
linked to code, bugs and answers directly from the store :)


Thanks,
Dylan McCall
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