ubuntu-phone team mailing list archive

[Martin Albisetti <argentina@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, Oct 14, 2013 at 5:05 PM, Nicolas Delvaux
<contact@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Le 14/10/2013 21:21, Dave Morley a écrit :
>> On 14/10/13 18:59, Nicolas Delvaux wrote:
>>> Hi everyone,
>>>
>>> I'm enjoying Ubuntu Touch on my Nexus4 so far, except for one
>>> detail. I noticed that it is required to be connected to an
>>> Ubuntu-One account in order to be able to install any app.
>>>
>>> Is this a bug or a feature?
>>>
>>> I understand that it could be needed to buy apps. But for the
>>> free ones I don't see why it should be a requirement (and it adds
>>> one more privacy concern).
>>>
>>> Thank you for your work.
>>>
>>> Cheers, Nicolas
>>>
>>
>> So Ubuntu SSO (the general Ubuntu Login for all of ubuntu websites
>> wiki etc) got rebranded Ubuntu One Login.  This is just a login
>> mechanism that allows you access to the current applications and
>> will allow you to purchase apps in the future.  It is basically the
>> same login you would of used in Software-center to obtain for
>> purchase apps in the past.
>
> I think this is understandable in this use case. Paid apps "licences"
> have to be centralized and associated to an unique user.
>
> But today, on the desktop, I can still install Stellarium from the
> software center without being logged-in.
> Though I have to sign-in if I want to re-install some Humble Indie
> Bundle games.
>
> The point is that, if I'm not mistaken, Touch does not currently bring
> any feature that the desktop doesn't already have (regardin
> installing apps).

It will. It will let you re-install apps you've installed previously
and provide developers meaningful statistics about number of users
that have downloaded and are using their apps.


> The Ubuntu-One account is optional on the desktop, and I fail to see a
> technical reason to explain why it is not possible to do the same on
> the phone.
> Can someone enlighten me here?

As Dave mentioned, you're conflating file syncing with authentication.
The Ubuntu One name is used for the suite of services.


> If this is motivated only by commercial reasons, it would be better to
> say it officially I think.

There are many user-facing advantages to authenticating users, they
are being loosely captured here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/AppStore/Decisions/AuthenticatedDownloads


>> Yes it is deliberate.
>>
>> No it won't go away.
>
> Thank you for being clear.
> Does this mean that this requirement will also come to the desktop
> when the convergence goal will be reached?

Yes for click apps, as they will be uploaded by upstream developers directly.
While the full convergence story hasn't been fully fleshed out, the
idea would be that you would still be able to install apps from the
standard main and universe repositories, which require no
authentication and is curated and maintained by Ubuntu developers, not
upstreams.


>> Final if you get a new ubuntu phone it will hopefully be able to do
>> what google does with android and set you up with all the apps you
>> have purchased/installed.
>
> AFAIK it is already possible on the desktop (the "Sync Between
> Computers" menu item). And it still allows the software center to be
> used without an Ubuntu One account.

As mentioned before, Ubuntu One in this case is only the account, not
the file sync service.


-- 
Martin