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Thr 2020.04.30
Hi @PaulC, I agree with you and hinted about this (Edit: in post #2) a month ago.
License of Apps post #2 Can of Worms
EDIT: Fri 2020.05.01
orig: License of Apps - Can of WormsPost #7 that follows makes a reference that could be mis-understood. I modified the link above to provide credit to the thread originator. My comment was a response to that post.
Legal issues aside, as the number of apps increases, the ability to keep pace as @Gordon points out will be near impossible.
The best solution as I see it, is to have an ongoing contest to inspire enthusiasm and competition for top slot, that is voted on by the community, but approved by a core group of the Espruino team. Allow the top ten and top twenty to be part of the 'approved' downloadable suite if you will, that are maintained. Also provide a link to a remote third party site maintained by ??? that may work, but not approved.
In this manner, control is maintained as the app/widget volume won't get out of hand, and it allows free tinkering along with the ability to allow others to charge a fee for their efforts if they so choose. (re license choices)
And who doesn't mind creating a stir on the web to get the excitement juices going with a contest!? That alone should bring eyeballs to the Bangle page to bump sales. Having a separate site with unique IP addr removes the investors from the legal issues outlined from comments in the link above.
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Robin
I wonder if this needs a little more thought. Usually the creator will always posses and manage the original source in their own repo, no matter how its licensed. But here it is relinquished to the community immediately, where the original vision can change at whim through the community (through no bad intentions, but everyone likes something slightly different).
I think this ultimately would be a bad thing for the app-store, where over time apps become more platypus and less the original duck.
For example: I wrote the Mario Clock watch face. It is designed to mimic the classic Gameboy design (low res graphics and grey-scale colours). Someone could come along with very good intentions (and probably better skill) and make changes to make the graphics: high-res, 3D, and full colour, like on Mario Kart or something. This would ruin the watch face for anyone that loves the intended retro Gameboy Mario look, but make a different set of people happy. Thus conflict.
I wouldn't know how you'd manage that problem.
Just my ten-cents, my fear is more to do with success of the app-store and its apps.