I actually fine with downloading apps outside of the Mac app store. I think it's just a convenience. I don't really see why the big developers need to embrace Apple's marketplace model.
I would be happy, if Mac App Store were even more popular. I mean, come on... In iPhone/iPad App Store there are tons of professional, useful apps for 1 dollar or even for free. What's in Mac App Store for free? Maybe MplayerX and Unarchiver, but the rest is ******, worthless wallpaper changer and cleaner utilities, or low quality games, etc...
This market is not worthy enough for the developers to make really good apps, or I don't know, but there's a huge quality difference between iOS App Store and Mac App Store. And it shouldn't be like that... not to mention, that why is iOS App Store placed in iTunes Store on the Mac even in 2012?? It doesn't make any sense, all the App Stores should be unified in one common interface.
I'm really forward to see a quality leap in Mac App Store in the near future. More and more people who already have some iOS device are buying Macs nowadays. Even in not so rich countries. And what do these people expect when they see the familiar App Store icon on the dock? "Oh, App Store, I know that, tons of cheap and good quality programs, let's check it out!". Reality: Oh ****, wallpaper changer and disk monitoring app for like 10 dollars, and nothing useful in the free section...
It shouldn't be this way!