Idea: package:// URI scheme for simpler UX

The "package" URI scheme is a simple idea to improve the way we install applications on the Linux Desktop and other operating systems too. It should be fairly simple to implement and deploy natively in distributions.

Currently it's difficult for a user to install a newer versino of a package if it's not backported by his distro. If he succeeds, it's difficult to rollback. Configuring ISV repositories is error-prone for everybody. Web developers have to implement OS detection to offer personalized downloads over and over again. Detection is not always reliable.

The goal is to define the scheme and the protocol, not implementations. Each distribution should implement this easy protocol on its own compatible way. The idea is to be inclusive: it's not only about Linux. A good URI scheme definition should allow other operating systems and devices to benefit too, creating a universal way to offer independent applications.

Previous attempts to develop a unified package format have been made without succeess, but the ""package"" URI is not an attempt to unify package formats, just to make package selection and distribution easier. It must NOT compromise the distribution identity or philosophy.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss if the idea is good or stupid, and to set up a common ground on what the community really needs and prevent fragmentation. How can we make its adoption easy? What should the URL syntax be? How would the clients request for the package list? How can it be attacked? How can it be secured? How can we do all this but still keeping it as simple as possible?

You may be interested if you are a distribution developer, application developer, ISV, browser add-on developer, system integrators and web developers.