I know we kind of tossed this idea around before, but I don't know if anything more has come from this.
I really think we need a database of KM macros, and a web page or pages that list the macros, along with the ability to rate them or at least up-vote them.
I know there's a "Best Macros" topic (or something like that), but it's not enough. We need something that is easy to get to, with links in obvious places so people can find it. And like I said, the ability to know a macro's popularity.
For example, how many people know about KMFAM? Many of us wouldn't want to live without it. But there's no easy way for people to find out about it. It could be part of an "Essential Macros" category, or something like that.
And the problem this presents for me, personally, is that I wonder whether it's even worth it to go through the trouble to upload macros and put together documentation, if people aren't really going to know about it.
I think about this all the time when I use something like VS Code, which has an easy way to find plugins, and see how popular they are. Not that all KM macros are like plugins, but I think you know what I mean. You can't miss it in VS Code.
Anyway, just thought I'd post this and see what happened.
I’m in that exact same place right now: I’ve developed a debugging facility for KM and I’m scratching my head over what to do with it. I would like to release it into the wild but that would involve a lot of extra work - especially regarding documentation and support. A central place such as you’re suggesting might just make things a little bit easier.
Yes, it'd be great as a feature @peternlewis.
Show in KM a window, ie "KM repo", and display a list of available macros to install and use.
Maybe it'd be more practical to just display in a window a list of pre-approved KM users and a link to their GitHub repo, and a button to install all his/her macros in one click.
Edit: Ah, new idea:
Have a preferences dialog were you can add links to KM repos in GitHub.
Say I want to add all macros by Dan or Tiffle, I just add a link to their repo.
Yes, it has long been something that is missing, a fully fleshed out Macro Repository, with macro, comments, likes, authors, ratings, search, etc would be fantastic.
It would also be a stupendous amount of work.
The Macro Library facility in Keyboard Maestro was a failed attempt to head in this direction.
The Macro category here is an attempt.
Unfortunately, I don't know when or if such a thing will ever happen.
I totally understand, and honestly, I wasn't really expecting you to do it, personally. But I figure there's got to be a KM uer out there who knows how to make something like this happen, and who might be willing to work on it.
Does your current provider have the capability to host something like this - something interactive? And if it does, would you be willing to help figure out how to integrate it into your current website?
Notwithstanding other suggestions, anyone who has experience of developing on one of the open content management systems (like Joomla, for example) or Wordpress would be able to put together a website that is basically a storefront for macros and allows metered downloads, feedback and reviews, ratings and be searchable by any number of criteria. It could even have a shopping cart and most anything else you could think of!
Depending on actual requirements, authorised users could be allowed to upload their own macros or just manage the website content none of which would require any special technical knowledge.
Any hosting provider could host something like this - at a cost!
The stumbling block to this is the site would not run itself:
Even using a CMS the development would require some concentrated effort over an extended period of time.
After development, effort would be needed for the day-to-day running/management of the site (that’s in addition to users doing their own uploads) in the form of a site administrator.
There may have to be further effort from individual to vet/approve users’ uploads or apply some kind of quality control standards.
Ongoing support to end users would be required to address the problems that would inevitably arise.
Integration with KM would be a challenge depending on the level of integration.
I’m not trying to be negative about this - I’m just speaking from experience having developed similar websites for clients (but not recently).
I suppose my point is this: it can be done but who is going to pay for it?
For points 1-3, that's why I'd lean towards an initial version where KM allows individually-owned GitHub repos to be imported, so Peter wouldn't have to do any management work, or any approval.
The user would decide if they want to import/install the repo.
4.- I'd go with no support, as some open source projects under a MIT License do. If the owner of the repo wants to help, fine, other than that, the user can post in the forum if they have any questions.
Other than that, any forum user could upload their macros to their own GitHub repo and just link to them instead of uploading them here. I've seen some forum users already do this.
Good point. That's why I recently requested a "Prompt before macro import" feature, to check macros before import and ask where to place them (ie, a "Revise" folder).
It'd also be good to have a sanitizer as well, something to revise and detect malicious code, and/or alert about possibly malicious/destructive actions before importing a macro.
I'd like to be proven wrong but wasn't it after virus and malware were first encountered that anti virus and malware removers were created and deployed?
In other words: what does KM malware look like? Until someone encounters some, it would be difficult to remove let alone define what it is! (And I feel nervous just discussing this...)