Making apps, putting them on the app store, and releasing a new version could benefit from some improvements. If you would like me to make this into different issues/feature requests let me know.

If some ideas or problems aren't clear I am happy to clarify.

Issues

A

There is no way, other then getting in touch in a non standardized way, to get an app on the app store

Suggestions

A standardized way to add an app to the app store. This could be a list of all repo's where you commit a pull request.

B

• Once an app is on the app store, only if the build script from MPOS is run the new version can end up in the app store. Instead of being source from the original repo (could imply risks, on the other hand)

Suggestions

A standardized way to organize a repo so the app can be directly downloaded from it. This has been discussed as a folder with a certain name (proposed: app_files, ship, src) which contains the folder with the correct name. It is also possible to do something similar so to publish an app you have to make the .mpk and put it in your repo at a certain place. This might be better because this becomes the way to "publish an update".

C

Some unnecessary filenaming in the manifest which contains the version number so it has to be adjusted multiple times.

Suggestions

Don't put version number in files like icon.

D

No way to clarify if an app needs certain hardware functionality to the device it is running on. And to handle these differences specifically (For example to let the draw app be controlled with or without cursor for touch vs non touch gamepad)

Suggestions

Some configuration object that has these functionalities set on boot or from just the definition. This can then be read by app on runtime and be acted on accordingly. For example not show selection marker on touch, or cursor on non touch. There probably is something like this already possible with the device definitions, but would be better to standardize into real functionality. Then a new device can just declares it's available functionality and the apps act in the right way without being rewritten.

E

Similarly no way to see if an app is compatible with the functionality of the device browsing the app store. (Camera, arrow keys, multi touch, touch, abxy, ab, start, reset, min screen size, fixed screen size)

Suggestions

Filter is the app store. Functionality requirements or compatibility have to be declared in manifests of app. Then we can filter in the app store between them. While we are implementing this it would be good to also add categories for apps.