beta testing intel appup apps

So, I've been going around in circles the last few days with the validation our app on the intel appup store.

The support people escalated my request, and it looks like they have fixed a problem with the validation program.  It looks like their automated validation program had a bug.

In the mean time I've gone through the beta testing process.  This is where you can send your app to some beta testers and ask them to test for you.  If they already have the intel appup installed on their computer, your app appears in their "My Apps" section.  Then you can click on it, to try and download+install.

Just like the Mac OSX Application stores, if the download fails halfway through the system fails.  This is 2011 mind you, so you'd hope that people had figured out that internet downloads could possibly fail, and might need resuming.  Especially on mobile netbooks which are using unreliable 3g wireless internet connections.

As far as I can tell, there is no automated feedback collecting system in place.  Which means you will need to manage that feedback yourself.  Either by emailing your beta testers or using your own in game beta feedback forms.  If you're going to be releasing on multiple platforms, you'll want to create your own beta testing process anyway.  Since not all platforms make feedback easy, or possible at all.

It took me quite a while to actually download anything on their store.  Even small programs took a while.  I guess they are having connectivity issues with their download servers.  A 0.42MB app took over 10 minutes and multiple tries to download successfully.

The apps the html5 encapsulator by intel creates all include their own web browser.  Which means that every app is at least 10MB big, not even including your app data.  This is compared to other platforms, you mostly only need to include your actual data, or have a thin wrapper - like phonegap - which doesn't take up too much space.

Anyway... fingers crossed it passes their validation process soon.

Comments

Nick Craig-Wood said…
Is this written in python? Just wondering as this article appeared on planet python!
René Dudfield said…
Hi Nick Craig-Wood,

my app is written in javascript, css, html, shell, python, and made with various other non programming language tools.

Since you have a problem with it being on planet python, I suggest you talk to the planet python people. Here's the link you should follow: http://goo.gl/jL1vC
andyidsinga said…
Sorry about the 10MB thing .. packaging QT libs with the app *on windows* was most straight forward path to getting the encapsulator service out the door quickly. There is a possibility that we'll put the qt libs in a common dep. package in the future ..but have to balance that against other features and services (you know the drill).

For MeeGo the packages are significantly smaller because QT packages are part of the OS distro. (I suspect phonegap apps benefit from a similar situation with their target OSs.).
andyidsinga said…
All - full disclosure - I'm an Intel employee ..one of the software developers working on AppUp encapsulator.
René Dudfield said…
Hey,

Yeah, it's definitely better to have something working now than having to wait until it's perfect.

The 10MB thing won't be a big deal if the download resuming works.

Nice to know about the small size on MeeGo.


cheers,

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