The Launchpad API was updated yesterday, finally bringing PPA statistics. For now, the stats can only be accessed by using a Python script, but they will probably be implemented on the actual website soon, especially since Mark Shuttleworth is also interested in these stats. He actually posted a comment on Launchpad, asking for a "heat" metric for PPAs:
5 flames: top 1% PPA in the past 6 months
4 flames: top 10%
3 flames: top 25%
2 flames: top 50%
1 flame: top 75%
damp squib: less.
Just count all downloads across all archs and releases equally, but only count them for the latest version of any package in there, so you can't fudge it by rapid-fire publishing.
Currently, there's no way to see the download stats for a PPA on the Launchpad website, but you can see the download statistics by package for any PPA you want by using a python script I've created (based on some other scripts posted on Launchpad).
To use it, download the script, extract it, then install python-launchpadlib:
To use it, download the script, extract it, then install python-launchpadlib:
sudo apt-get install python-launchpadlibAnd finally, run the script like this:
python ppastats.py PPATEAM (ex: webupd8team, it's the first part of a PPA) PPA (ex: themes) DIST (Ubuntu version eg oneiric) ARCH (ubuntu arch eg i386 or amd64)Example - to get the download stats for the webupd8team/themes PPA (Ubuntu Natty, i386 only):
python ppastats.py webupd8team themes natty i386For more info on this, read the comments for bug #139855 @ Launchpad
