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App Stores StackExchange

I am a big fan of the StackExchange model of questions and answers. I participate on multiple sites (see my badge on the right). If you are still using traditional forums to try and get answers to your questions, you're really missing out. I am a developer so I use StackOverflow all the time, but there are plenty of sites related to all sorts of topics.

One of the really nice things about StackExchange is their willingness to develop communities based around nearly any topic. There's a process of following, definition, and commitment required to get any new community up and running to ensure it isn't just another dead site. This is all done on Area51 the StackExchange staging zone.

One of the new proposals I am pretty excited about is the App Stores site. It aims to fill in the gap with questions related to App Store deployment (Apple, Android, WP7, etc.) that aren't directly related to programming (StackOverflow) or design (User Experience).  From the proposal:

Proposed Q&A site for developers who have questions about the technical and business aspects of submitting apps to App Stores and Markets. (Typically for mobile, but not exclusively limited to.)

There are a lot of things to learn when it comes to app development - regardless of platform. Once you've designed, created, and tested your app it can seem like you should basically be done. Unfortunately, the last few steps of actually distributing your app(s) can be quite challenging - especially the first time.

There can be huge delays as you try and sort through the layers of policies and requirements. Trying to use outdated advice from Google is extremely frustrating and it can be pretty stressful trying to figure out the dynamics of an App Store when all you want to do is get your app out there.

I wish this site had been around the first times we submitted to the Apple App Store, Android Marketplace, Amazon Appstore and the WP7 Marketplace. Each had it's quirks and surprises. If you've had experience submitting to or working with any app store, consider following and then committing to this proposal. Let's take the lessons we've learned and share them. It's a great idea and will be a fantastic resource - so check it out!