ZDNet Discontinues AppWatch

Adam J. Richter writes: "Citing "today's economic climate", ZDNet has discontinued AppWatch.com, a software release tracking site similar to freshmeat.net, but covering only free software (usually GPL compatible) and having an automated update detector, making it very current with low noise. AppWatch was originally an independent site created by developer John D. Rowell. Before anyone flames ZDNet, consider that it may be that even a 100% share of ad revenues would not have been sufficient to retain John and his staff in comparison to other opportunities. John and an assistant were originally working on AppWatch for free, and ZDNet did a good thing by arranging so that they could get paid for it, probably saving the site at the time. Both parties were doing something positive, and the fact that they had to stop does not mean that they have done something negative. I, for one, hope to see AppWatch.com continued in one form or another."

Comments

VersionTracker

[cshotton]

There are dozens of these sites. VersionTracker.Com is one of my favorites, since it covers all of the major operating systems and lets you formulate your own queries.

and CNET shut down 'webware'

[jqh1]

After I tried submitting a free web service to Webware, I got this email message:

Dear Provider,

Thanks for submitting your product or service to be listed in the Webware.com directory. However, Webware.com will cease publication on August 31, 2001, so we are unable to list your product at this time.

If you have a downloadable version of your product, please submit it to Download.com.

The Webware.com team

What else do you need?

[shokk]

What do you need in AppWatch that Freshmeat didn't provide? Being that AppWatch, specializing in listing free software, is providing a subset of what Freshmeat lists, couldn't Freshmeat just provide a filter for searches based on licensing that would just give you the same functionality? They already keep track of license types, and this type of filterng is available in the advanced version of the simple search they now have on their home page when you register.

Freshmeat always seems timely and deals in all the apps I use, even some really minor ones that I don't think I'd ever use. Always used them, so here's hoping they don't suffer the same demise. I see a long painful road of this ahead of us and the few willing to starve a little for their cause are going to make it to the end.

Re:What else do you need?

[Vapula]

Redundancy...

Relying on only one source is risky... Freshmeat could turn commercial and ask for a subscription in order to consult their services, or could dissappear... an that don't even take in account the fact that they may have hardware problems and be out of service for several days or weeks.

The whole point bout a technology such as internet is that it allows tu implement redundancy easily (mirror or alternate sites/programs providng the same service).

AppWatch is better organised than Freshmeat

[Flammon]

AppWatch is like Google for finding free software; the search results are usually very accurate to what is intended.

Freshmeat is more like AltaVista, there's a ton of stuff, but the search results are not pertinent.

I hope AppWatch can continue operating without ZD or they will me missed.