I am building a product and it includes an app store - what's my responsibility for apps in the store?

[oej]

At FOSS-North in gothenburg I got a lot of related questions about OpenWRT and the packaging system

Originally posted by @oej in #193

[oej]

So we have the case where a hardware vendor includes an Open Source O/S with an app store managed by a third party (community) and the case with a commercial vendor running a commercial appstore with Open Source components (like Synology) to consider.

[GoetzGoerisch]

@oej

The hardware vendor ships a PdE and is responsible for everything like the OS and the preconfigured feed of apps under it's responsibility and control.
Yes, the product might have the possibility to install further apps which it is no longer responsible for.

I don't see a difference in the both named examples and how the OpenWrt packaging system makes a difference here.

[oej]

So even if the manufacturer is responsible for the App Store - there's no responsibility whatsoever for the apps in there?

[GoetzGoerisch]

IMHO: Apps supplied by the manufacturer and needed for the function of the product with digital elements are responsibility of the manufacturer e.g., the app providing SMB filesharing capabilities to a NAS or the app providing the web front end of a CPE/Router/Access Point.

The aftermarket app is the responsibility of the app-manufacturer if it is "placed on the market". e.g., commercial apps to be installed on the NAS or router.

If a manufacturer uses an Open Source OS like GNU/Linux or a commercial OS for its hardware, it is its responsibility for every line of code.

To stay with the reference to FOSS-North. If a CPE manufacturer creates an ecosystem around the FOSS OpenWrt e.g., IOWRT or even a foundation is created like prpl Foundation, it is their responsiblity what they place on the market.

[oej]

So in both of my cases - Vendor selling OpenWRT with app store and a vendor packaging Open Source applications in a private app store - the vendor is fully responsible for the apps packaged in the store.

In the OpenWRT case the vendor is responsible for all packages in the vendor's app store, not packages built by the customer or packages picked from another source.