Brainstorm

Command line applications and Extras

Posted on 2009-12-08 15:54 UTC by Valério Valério. Status: Under consideration, Categories: maemo.org.

One of the topics of the last community meeting about Extras QA was if command line applications (CLI) should be available for regular users through the application manager or not. We can't reach a consensus, and it seems to generate very contradictory opinions inside our community.

We're talking about apps that doesn't have a UI nor place a icon in the desktop, nor are simple enables that display a message during/after installation.

Please note that this is not about ban some applications, is about the way of get some specific applications.

Here is the initial discussion: http://n2.nabble.com/Command-line-apps-Extras-td4068091.html#a4068091

Discussion at Talk: http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?p=419337

Solutions for this brainstorm

Solution #1: Don't change anything

Posted on 2009-12-08 15:54 UTC by Valério Valério.

Any command line application should be available in the application manager without any specific changes, like in Maemo4.

Solution #2: CLI applications should be only available through apt-get

Posted on 2009-12-08 16:03 UTC by Valério Valério.

Those applications are targeted for advanced users, these users are very comfortable with command line tools, so they can easily install CLI app through apt-get.

Solution #3: A new category/switcher should be implemented in HAM

Posted on 2009-12-08 16:16 UTC by Valério Valério.

The application manager code should be modified in order to accomodate a new category/switcher for CLI applications.

Solution #4: All CLI applications should share a common icon and sentence

Posted on 2009-12-08 16:21 UTC by Valério Valério.

All CLI apps should use the same application icon in the application manager, and should have a default sentence in his description, that clearly states that the app is only usable from the command line (no icon, no GUI).

Solution #5: Add a new catalog for all CLI and library items

Posted on 2009-12-10 01:40 UTC by Craig Woodward.

Put the CLI applications and optional plugin libraries (codec support, etc) in a separate Catagory and then add one simple package to the Extras group that installs the catagory to show CLI items. This gives power users the option to install and have a GUI interface for updates yet hides the CLI items from those easilty confused and frightened by a flashing cursor (and/or fire).

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