Something that could really change thinks
After years of parsing of packaging systems, software distribution technologies, OSX Bundles, ROX AppDir, GoboLinux way to do thinks, Autopackage, Klik & Co, BSD Ports, PC BSD way to spread to the world catalog software, Java WebStart, NetBSD pkgsrc, ex Lindows ;) klik like catalog with browser integration to mimic dmg OSX management...and so on.. I made SpatialBundles.
Single file full application bundles that you can manage like any other file in an typical human object oriented way...move, remove, send without using any intermediate layer like gio/kio/gvfs & co just use the power of file system engine (the layer exported from the kernel and available in the same way to all).
I think the best way to feel what I mean is to test on the road software packaged with SpatialBundle technology.
here you can taste it:
http://downloads.infodomestic.com
Today the SpatialBundles are build with Ubuntu Linux but in future will be easy to build against any UNIX flavor like *BSD, OSX and Windows that support POSIX shell
To better feel the power of what I did just start to taste Winamp that represent more than one technologies glued together into a SpatialBundle.
SpatialBundle is made for generic human that does not like complexity.Think my little children or my grandmother, peoples that does know about computer but want just make few direct click to object oriented thinks.
The process to manage a SpatialBundle is reduced to:
1) Download from internet or receive it by mail or by USB key or by CDROM or what else you think it's better for you..
2) Add exec attribute on the file
3) Double click on it
Then you have your application running
No root password
No installation
No dependencies required other than provided by the standard Ubuntu (Operative system) first installation.
SpatialBundle now support freedesktop menu and hidden configuration and local files.
When you start a SpatialBundle an icon appear into desktop and into tray icon.
The icon tray let you access to a little menu to better manage the package (About,Open,Send,Reset) i.e. the Send item let you send your bundle via mail (in the future by bluetooth like you can find into generic mobile phone) or send to Desktop or a selected folder...
At this point of my development cycle I think that there is nothing equivalent to the world like SpatialBundles they seems to be really unique.
I know that there is a lot of very closed technologies around here but nothing so extreme closed to an file/objects without any dependencies other that POSIX shell.
SpatialBundle are self protected against code injection so it's up to the distribution to provide catalog based key signed.
If code injection was made, SpatialBundle does not start at all.
The portability of a SpatialBundle is granted by using the most portable and available language that is POSIX shell.No Perl, no Python, no Ruby no other dependencies in term of language other than posix shell.
This help me to think in term of easy migration through OSs like OSX, BSD and finally Windows (why not!!).
Today I'm fine tuning the builder before release as GPL source code but you can freely use the SpatialBundle I already made now.
Hope this will help you to thread better your life