AIR 06 Jan 2009 06:15 pm
Do you hesitate when asked to install AIR apps?
Every once in awhile, I come across AIR apps that sound really neat, but I always hesitate to install them. This can be a problem, because I get paid to do AIR development.
So what is about the AIR apps that make some people avoid it like the Dickens? The blunder known as IE has pre-conditioned us to avoid installing anything off the web, but that can’t be the sole reason. AIR has done an excellent job addressing the security issues.
When it comes down to it, I hesitate to touch AIR apps because I just don’t like putting crap into my ‘puter. I don’t like having to scroll through hundreds of programs and hotfixes just to uninstall a 50k AIR app. I also dislike the idea of leaving config and other files behind after uninstalling an AIR app.
I think AIR needs a central console, a hybrid of process manager and app manager. It displays all the install AIR apps, their running states, and allocated resources (files, mem, etc.). The user can run, terminate, unlock files, or remove AIR apps with one click within the console. The AIR console can be an optional part of the platform, so it doesn’t confuse the novice users. Feel free to leave a comment if you any ideas related to this subject.
Need to bring your Flex project up to speed? Zee Yang is a freelance Flex developer with deep understanding of architecture and user experience. You can reach him at zee.yang@gmail.com.
on 07 Jan 2009 at 12:11 am 1.auzn said …
nice idea
on 07 Jan 2009 at 8:02 am 2.Rob McKeown said …
People really should hesitate before installing AIR apps. The fact that they are so “web-like” should not cause people to forget the fact that they are installing an executable application on their own machine that could potentially be dangerous.
You should choose to install AIR applications as carefully as you would any other non-AIR desktop application.
This isn’t meant to say that AIR itself is dangerous… what I’m saying is evil programmers are dangerous and they could create something malicious with AIR just like they could with any other language/platform.
on 29 May 2009 at 6:07 am 3.Kebaya Mwamba said …
Had the same problem just this week people were really hesitant. Some had the guts to ask whether i was installing a virus.
But once i installed and saw the AIR app running..they were like…ga.ga.ga!
Thanks…
Like your posts
Kebaya
on 16 Jul 2010 at 6:47 am 4.Stpehen Beattie said …
I love this idea.
I don’t like how AIR apps install on Windows, the launcher icons are too easily lost and it’s easy to forget what you have installed.
A central AIR app manager would be a chance to have a marketplace too – search and install, as well as uninstall. Something they should build into Extension Manager too IMO.
Good post, thanks. I’m following your Flash Builder 4 SOAP Client tutorial at the moment too…