Last week, I talked about Steven Frank's conflicted feelings regarding the App Store, and how I share many of the same qualms. While discussing this, however, I also said:

"As a businessman, I'm in awe of the potential to so easily reach millions upon millions. The App Store really is a fantastic new opportunity for developers to reach customers with much less work than on the desktop."

I absolutely mean this. The App Store represents one of the first centralized, direct-to-the-customer software distribution method we've seen outside of the video game industry, and it's already the most successful. This really serves as a fourth age in terms of computer software distribution for independent software vendors (ISVs).

The First Age: Boxed Products

Thirty years ago the only way to get software was in a box from a store or a vendor. You read about software, purchased it, and hoped it lived up to the marketing, because there was no ubiquitous method for trying before you bought. The market for software developers was relatively small, because there were significant startup costs.

The Second Age: Shareware

Twenty years ago, shareware began to take off as a distribution method. Software could be found on BBSes and floppy disks. Demos were passed around between friends and full copies or licenses were purchased via mail. Customers had a much better idea of what they were buying, and more hobbyists could create and sell software, often earning a decent amount of money from it.

The Third Age: Internet Distribution

In the past ten years, the mass acceptance of the internet has made software distribution still more efficient. Software developers can now easily offer downloadable trials right from their websites, available twenty four hours a day. Users can quickly search the web or myriad software sites and find the products to meet their needs. They can then download a trial, test it out, and if it meets their expectations, purchase right online. The ease with which a software company can now be started has made it possible for thousands of developers to earn a living selling software.

To be sure, software is still sold in stores, and magazines still have discs with trials on them, but online distribution is far and away the most popular method for smaller vendors to use to get their software to the public. These ages are not precise nor discrete, but it's certainly clear how distribution methods have shifted.

The Fourth Age: Centralized Distribution

Now, we seem to be at the dawn of the next distribution method, with software coming from a centralized store. Taking a cue from the video game industry, Apple has put all the available software for the iPhone together in one place. Customers don't need to search the web, just the App Store. There, they can compare reviews, pick a product, and purchase it, all with just a few clicks. The software is then instantly downloaded and installed to the phone. Once an iTunes account is established, they never need to enter their payment information again, or worry about much of anything - the entire process is streamlined.

A centralized store has many advantages, both for customers and developers. The ease-of-use is obvious, and the easier it is for a customer to buy something, the more likely they are to do so. That's obviously good for all manner of developers as well. Indeed, it its first month, the App Store sold $30 million dollars worth of software, which is no small feat.

Currently, however, the App Store doesn't co-exist with any of the other distribution methods. I've noted before that I'm hopeful this will change in the future, and other ways of getting software onto the phone will be made possible. For that matter, I'd love to see AN App Store on the Mac too. Time will tell just how widespread this centralized distribution method gets, and if Apple continues to lead the way on both the iPhone and other platforms. As a developer, I'm always excited by things that get users using and buying more software for their devices, so I'll certainly be watching closely.