It seems that the vast majority of software I'm hearing about is targeting iOS, Android or embedded systems. Is anyone working on a software product that (a) targets a non-mobile, non-server device and (b) is for sale, as opposed to Open-source?
Do you not use a desktop environment? Loads of software is being made (and I only know the macOS side of it). Window managers, compression tools, utilities, powerhouse tools like Photoshop, text editors, IDEs, etc.
I myself build software in this space and generally its productivity-ish-tools.
I do use a desktop environment. I don't use many additional productivity tools, though, and that is likely why I have a blind spot about that part of the software market.
My question was more geared towards the seeming lack of a robust software ecosystem (i.e., there appears to be at most one leading product in each category, with one or two alternatives), to whit:
- there's Xcode/VSCode.
- Photoshop/GIMP.
- Sublime Text
- not sure about DAW software - the field has changed since I was involved
I'll have to check macupdater out, thanks for the tip.
Currently on my Mac, I have: Affinity Designer and Photo, Pixelmator, Balsamiq, Things, Bear, Dash, Parallel, iA Writer, Cleanshot, Alfred, Transmit,… Most free apps are either opensource or SaaS powered. There’s a lot of paid software when you want to do stuff with your computer and not someone else’s.
In my experience yes, but you won't find these applications until you start digging below the surface a little bit and asking what business people in non-tech domains are actually using the tech to do. Ask around and you'll find old school GUI applications aplenty, the more specialized the domain the better.
> It seems that the vast majority of software I'm hearing about is targeting iOS, Android or embedded systems.
That's because you are mostly interested in those things.
> Is anyone working on a software product that (a) targets a non-mobile, non-server device and (b) is for sale, as opposed to Open-source?
None of that is "opposed to Open-source". Anyway, if you use Windows or macOS, then open your platform's "app store" and take a look at literally any category but "free (as in beer)".
Yes. There is a whole world outside of your bubble.
wingerlang|1 year ago
I myself build software in this space and generally its productivity-ish-tools.
Here's a list of 70 macOS apps that received updates _today_ https://macupdater.com/app_updates/index-2025-01-27.html
gecko6|1 year ago
My question was more geared towards the seeming lack of a robust software ecosystem (i.e., there appears to be at most one leading product in each category, with one or two alternatives), to whit: - there's Xcode/VSCode. - Photoshop/GIMP. - Sublime Text - not sure about DAW software - the field has changed since I was involved
I'll have to check macupdater out, thanks for the tip.
skydhash|1 year ago
hiAndrewQuinn|1 year ago
johncoltrane|1 year ago
That's because you are mostly interested in those things.
> Is anyone working on a software product that (a) targets a non-mobile, non-server device and (b) is for sale, as opposed to Open-source?
None of that is "opposed to Open-source". Anyway, if you use Windows or macOS, then open your platform's "app store" and take a look at literally any category but "free (as in beer)".
Yes. There is a whole world outside of your bubble.
gecko6|1 year ago
You're quite right. Open-source vs. non-open-source is irrelevant to the question.
jameal|1 year ago
beardyw|1 year ago
Music production/ synthesis
Graphics / 3D / animation
Plus untold business cases