Hi @enilnacs.
I think we are plenty of Blender users who would enjoy some kind of “add-on updater system”.
For example, I like how simple it is to update softwares under Linux, thanks to package repositories.
Note that your idea has been suggested several times already:
- Idea: Blender Add on manager - "UPDATES" panel and Blender cloud accounts
- https://blender.community/c/rightclickselect/Rnhbbc/
- https://blender.community/c/rightclickselect/Rghbbc/?sorting=hot
- https://blender.community/c/rightclickselect/qlhbbc/?sorting=hot
The idea is nice in theory but there are technical questions that need to be answered/resolved:
This has been proposed numerous times. Each time the discussion is always the same- who is hosting the addons, who is paying for the hosting, what about paid addons, this makes more sense as a third party solution, why doesn’t blendermarket do it, etc etc etc.
There another case… what if downloaded version have bug, ant want back to previous : ) We should have option after back to “download only new”
But there is still hope (in a far future, I guess):
Blender and internet
A core principle of Blender is that it does not require the internet to work. The Blender developers remain strongly committed to providing a complete offline user experience. Optionally, however, Blender should be able to connect to the web for additional features to work. For example: signaling a user of new releases, updating add-ons, browsing asset repositories, sharing data with others or set-up collaborative environments.
Blender will start a new module for this (name to be defined, ‘meta’ is getting too many different meanings!). Module ownership and membership will be managed openly and accessible, making sure that only things will be added with general consensus that directly benefit users.
A dedicated website and server on blender.org will be set up for proof of concepts and rolling out online features. By principle and by design only free & open services for everyone will be added here (only requiring an account to login). That means that possible commercial add-ons (like for storage, versioning, libraries) will need to be provided by external and independent vendors. The module can provide APIs for it, and help keep this safe and stable.
After 3.0 is out, Blender Foundation will set up this project at blender.org to start initial design discussions and to recruit contributor members.