Deployment: a plea/opportunity

[Paul Dupuis]

I'd love to see versions of Livecode stacks that assist with code 
signing and notarization for as many platforms as possible (I am aware 
of stacks for Windows and macOS) built into Livecode.

That said, for my two major problems (1 on macOS and 1 on Windows), I 
don't think there is anything Livecode could have done to help (other 
than lessons/documentation).

On Windows my current certificate - a .pfx format code signing cert - is 
expiring in November, so I renewed it. However, as of June 1 2023, the 
Windows code signing industry moved to requiring all code signing 
certificates to be issued on an encrypted USB token and you must use 
specialized software (that 3rd party can not hook into to prevent 
malware) to access those tokens to code sign.

On macOS, I needed to update code signing and NOTARIZATION to 
accommodate that Apple is switching to a new notary tool that only rns 
on new versions of macOS (I was using Mojave and atool) so I HAD (forced 
by Apple) for update to using the macBook Air I have that happened to 
have Sonoma on it and than meant Xcode 15 command line tools for the new 
Notary tool. atool stops being accepted by Apple some time in November 
so my old notarization steps will stop working. The change in notary 
tool was easy with Matthias's lessons and documentation on livecode.com. 
The problem was getting my Apple code signing certificates AND related 
certificates on to the MacBook air from the Apple Developer site, 
something I don't think Livecode can really help with.

Yes, others have had still other issues some of which improvements in 
Livecode might help address, but for the two I ran into that I turned to 
the list for help for, they were ultimately nothing that I think 
Livecode could help with.

Just my 2 cents on my 2 issues.


On 10/13/2023 1:46 PM, Richard Gaskin via use-livecode wrote:
> We see it here in this list. We see it in the forums. We see it 
> wherever app deployment is discussed:
>
> OS requirements for packaging/stapling/signing apps are onerous.
>
> At the edge of, and sometimes exceeding, being prohibitively so.
>
> There's no point in making a standalone if you can't ship it.
>
> If pro devs with decades of experience struggle with this, newcomers 
> will run screaming.
>
> SIMPLIFYING DEPLOYMENT IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
>
> Pardon the all-caps. I rarely use them. But this is important.
>
> Simplifying deployment is more important than "AI".
> Simplifying deployment is more important than "nocode".
>
> It is the single biggest pain point.
>
> And so it is the single biggest opportunity.
>
> Fulfill the promise of "Everyone can code": focus on simplifying 
> deployment.
>
> Step 1: Acquire Matthias' great tool.
>
> Step 2: Enhance it for current requirements across platforms.
>
> Step 3: Look for every opportunity to further simplify the process, 
> and take it, at least one more simplification with each new build.
>
> This is important. It really is.
>
> -- 
>
> And no, web export will not magically save things.  Even when that 
> becomes truly production-ready, it's only for web apps.  Not 
> everything needs to be a web app.
>
> There are a hundred ways to make web apps.
>
> There are few ways to make cross-platform native apps.
>
> And almost none that rival what LC can do on the desktop.
>
> Play into strengths.  Make native deployment the best it can be.
>
> When that's done, only then resume work on more peripheral features.
>