New ask Hacker News story: Ask HN: App Distribution Through the Ages

Ask HN: App Distribution Through the Ages
2 by vivegi | 0 comments on Hacker News.
It used to be that you distributed app binaries for installation on your OS. There were issues of memory safety, code security, viruses, piracy etc., with this approach. The rise of open source, garbage-collected languages, language runtimes and centrally controlled appstores has become the norm. Why haven't we had an evolution of better ways of linking/loading applications and policy enfocement that improves memory safety, user security and privacy without the rent-seeking central app store mechanisms? Something like docker or podman but at an application binary level that can enforce a stricter contract and policy enforcement (and maybe portable across OSes) using advancements in languages and systems such as refinement types, SMT solvers, proof systems etc., Is there any practically usable software that strives to do this?

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