[riffraff]

I don't think it's the same, you'd only have to trust one extra source for the new appstore (2? 3?), not one for each installed software.

E.g. I trust the macports maintainers, even if I don't verify the sources for each thing I get through `port install`.

[gress]

Sure but using macports implies a level of technical understanding to evaluate trustworthiness. Most end users don't have that, and so they could just as easily be convinced to trust the CNET App Store.