Web App Stores: functions

I'd started breaking out the specs on the wiki into functions, and I was wondering for scoping the group activities whether it would be useful to come up with a list of core web app store functions?

Some starting points:

- Submissions
A web app store supports the submission of new web apps, whether hosted or installed. 
Submissions may be moderated or unmoderated. 
Submissions may be by anyone, or only by registered developers. 
Installed web apps submitted by developers may require signature verification.
Submissions include metadata about the web app, for example the title, description, author, icons, screenshots.

- Discovery
A web app store supports the discovery of web apps by users, which may include searching, browsing and recommendations
Discovery may be supported by additional usage metadata such as ratings, reviews, downloads, features, lists and tags
Web app detail pages in a web app store may be directly linkable, or the store may support sharing from other websites and applications via buttons and badges

- Installation/embedding
A web app store supports some method of installing or embedding web apps, or registering them with a user's local app registry.
Examples:
- "Add to iGoogle" button
- Opera Widgets installation in the Opera browser
- Mobile app store buy/install options

Some other common functions:

- Payments for apps
- Payments in apps
- User registration and profiles

Received on Tuesday, 17 April 2012 11:50:24 UTC