I think a good guide would be the QNX Package Manager system- some of it's features has been mentioned in the Bounty.
It has cdfr's fingerprint system, so you can get a listree overview of all apps installed on your system, and all the system files and resources, and what versions and requirements etc they have.
Also, it incorporates Targhen's idea of checking for all resources an app needed, and auto-downloading and installing them first if required.

Another nice idea it has, is after you have chosen your apps etc to download, and pushed the download button, it comes up with a page, with a list of apps that all have the same license (say GPL), and a `I Agree/Disagree' buttons, and then does this for each different license in your downloads. For commercial apps, it also allowed you to type in keyfiles/passwords in it's license screen. Once all this has been done, then the PM starts downloading everything and installing it for you, so you can then just go away and leave it, and do other things. :)
In Phoenix we also talked about, maybe adding the possibility of buying apps online as part of the PM system. I also had the thought of adding in a file sharing network, so apps could be downloaded off several people/sites at once.

The beauty of a PM sytem like this, is that as well as providing simple system/app management, if you have to re-install a system from scratch, with a PM you can just simply select what you want, and it does it all itself, as apposed to the Windows way- in which every app has to be installed by hand, and takes hours, to days of your time to do! IMO, computers should be heading in the PM direction anyway- empowering in the background, rather creating more work for people!

For this system to work better- app configs should be in ENV/ENVARC rather than in an apps home dir, which allows you to easily back up your system- ie: you just reinstall all your apps with the PM, and then copy back your backup of ENVARC. If ENVARC holds cdfr's fingerprint config, then the PM can have an option of reinstating the computer to last known configuration, at the press of a single button (or menu option)!
One more thing is needed too, and that is for user data (from apps- pics, documents etc) needs to be in one place (again for easy backup)-I'd use the Linux/Windows system, ie: have a home dir for each user, and a dir off that for each app, or type of data maybe- as the PM/OS would then be set up for multi-users, which IMO is where Amiga systems should be heading. (All the OS would probably then need to be multi-user, would be to have an ENVARC for each user).

I've also put together a complete user-friendly dir tree for categorisation of apps if you want it (it's used on the MDC under Labs- but the games section got cut back :/ )

I'll post more if I remember anything- and you're welcome to email me if you have any questions! :)

Cyas- Ants

[ Edited by Ants on 2005/8/15 10:33 ]