Ubuntu users have long used a variety of package managers to get the most basic of management done. However, there's a new, single, fully integrated package manager on the horizon: Ubuntu AppCenter. Here's an overview of some of its advantages, functions and changes to the current system.
Package Manager Confusion
In all previous distros of Ubuntu, there have been a number of different package managers, which all had to be used independently of each other to complete basic update functions. Synaptic Package Manager, Update Manager, Add/Remove, Gdebi, System Cleaner... they all collectively made a mess of the package managing procedure, and did a terrific job of confusing (and discouraging) newcomers to Ubuntu and Linux in general. What do I use, and when?
Along Comes AppCenter
App Center was proposed way back in 2005 by Matthew Paul Thomas on the Ubuntu Wiki. Steps weren't really taken to advance the idea at first, but since then, AppCenter has taken off.
The idea is to use Add/Remove's intuitive, user-friendly display, the power of Synaptic, and the ease of Update Manager. A single interface with which to install either front-end software, individual packages, or just software and security updates, depending on the particular desire of the user at the time, can only be a boon to Ubuntu users.
AppCenter is planned to be full featured. Each individual package will have complete data on it, from user ratings and reviews, source data, screenshots, and general overview and information. Having all this in one easy-to-locate place will make understanding the packages you're putting onto your computer a breeze.
App "Store"
There's some speculation out there that AppCenter will be a little bit more friendly towards paid applications—a comparison to Mac's own , very succesful AppStore is in order. While paid, non-open source softwares have never gotten the most love in the general community of freeware-loving Linux users, better support for these programs just might be in the workings. As some (non-purists) have argued, competition is always good, including that between paid and open source—that's how Linux got off the ground, after all.
AppCenter For Other Distros
There's been no real news out there if other distros are planning to follow suit with package manager integration. Even close cousins of Ubuntu, such as Kubuntu, appear to have no plans regarding making their own integrated package manager. Every distro has a slightly different suite of package managers, so the solutions will, of course, be slightly different—hopefully the noise about Ubuntu's own AppCenter will encourage similar movement for other distros.
When?
All that being said, it's not really known when AppCenter will come out—if at all. The idea certainly has momentum, but as of the writing of this article, there is no official date set on its release. It will be a tricky bit of software to write, and for something so deeply fundamental to the system, it will require considerable testing. There's reasonable hope, however, that it will come out in a new release of Ubuntu in the near future—a Canonical employee mentioned tentatively a 1.0 version for Ubuntu 9.10. (!)
If you see something similar marketed under a different name, don't be surprised. AppCenter is just the current codename for the new package manager, and is subject to change.