Should we build a directory of "equivalent apps"?

General
#1

Every now and then, new people come around and ask for what Sailfish apps are available for specific needs. Often they seek an alternative to a certain app on another system, sometimes they have a long list of such apps.

I think this is natural for anyone considering a switch and we should not dismiss them for asking. On the other hand, it quickly becomes tedious to answer variations to the same questions over and over.

One problem seems to be that previous answers are not easily found in the forum. Thread titles are often too generic and it’s hard to make search filter out just those posts that are relevant.

Also, the Jolla Store is not visible from the web, and while some apps are described at https://docs.sailfishos.org/Support/, the info isn’t too visible either. Then add Openrepos/Storeman, Chum, Aurora, and that other store available from Jolla Store - which apparently shouldn’t be used for various reasons. It’s a mess.

So how do we make it easier for people to research apps themselves? Should we build a directory of “equivalent apps” - and how would we do that?

Off the top of my mind I can think of a couple possibilities:

What do you think? How would any of that work? Do you have better/other ideas?

Edit: Linked to Listo of Android → Sailfish apps

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Looking for some andro alternatives to
#2

All 4 are good!! (I have no better idea ATM)

#4 also would be advertising for SFOS generally.

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#3

There is alreaddy two threads, one by @ilpianista latest update 19 May 2023

and one by @nephros latest update 4 May 2023

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#4

An online version of the app store could show similar apps for each app (like all the other app stores). Solves multiple issues at once

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#5

Edit: Corrected link

Thanks for those links, I had missed ilpianista’s list of apps. I see that the Beginner Resource Collection already has a link to the list of Android → SFOS apps, and the list is a wiki post. The list on equivalents in Sailfish on github (linked from Beginner Resources) is also good.

I’m afraid it also illustrates one of the problems I mentioned above: discoverability. In the thread that prompted my post (Looking for some andro alternatives to) neither the op nor anyone else found ilpianista’s list or the list on gihub. Or at least none of us linked them.

Maybe we should ask for ilpianista’s list to be moved from the app-dev category to Getting started - or could it be be pinned there without moving it?

#6

That’s a really good idea. Each app entry could have a list of apps that are similar. Can we somehow make that work across app stores? (I assume the Jolla Store can’t be part of it.)

#7

The harbour terms allow the promotion of apps in web stores (i.e. does not forbid them):

  1. License grants

By submitting your application to the Jolla Application Store, you grant us a nonexclusive, worldwide, and royalty-free license to copy, distribute and make available and use your applications and use your branding material you submit with your application (including your name) solely for the purposes of i) distributing the applications through our Jolla Application Store, and ii) promoting your applications and their inclusion in our Jolla Application Store.

If I understand the conditions correctly, Jolla could, based on these terms, also allow a third party to provide the web store.

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#8

At least that means app developers are free to submit their apps to a web store or alternative finder.

Ideally, I would like to avoid manually tracking the contents of the Jolla Store, however, I’m not sure if harbour terms allow doing it programmatically. Is there even an official API? I can see a couple of reasons Jolla would not like someone else to run a store based on Jolla Store contents, but maybe they would let someone make a browsable catalog of apps.

Or maybe I’m on the wrong track here? Maybe we just want to link to wherever the app development lives? I’m just thinking that for someone looking to switch, it would be more helpful to read descriptions and comments in one of the app stores than being sent to github.