| We need Your Support. Make a Donation now! or |  |
Apple received a lot of grief from PC users when it started pushing its new Safari browser inside its Apple software update tool. The beef was that Apple appeared to be sneaking its browser onto computers by leeching onto the update. For many not paying close attention to the update and who didn't un-check the Safari download dialog box the Apple Safari browser was an unwelcome surprise on their PC.
Now Apple hopes to alleviate some of that frustration from PC users by changing the format of the Apple software update tool to separate new software from software updates. Now, instead of Safari being listed right under to the "QuickTime + iTunes" software update, it will be listed in a separate category labeled "New Software."
Unfortunately, the Safari install dialog-box will still be checked by default.
To me, this doesn't solve the problem. I don't want Safari. The people who I know that do own Mac computers don't even want Safari, they use Firefox instead. Of course there is the option to ignore the Safari update, but whenever there is a new Apple update Safari will pop right back up selected by default for download.
Excuse me Apple, I just want to run and update the software that I already have on my computer, without being pushed to installing new, unwanted software. Why doesn't Apple take "no" for an answer. Is that really too much to ask?
Umm, excuse me Scott, but Safari is offered with an option to install or not just as you mentioned. You should be glad for the changes being made. You are not a drone, so pick and choose what you want.
Scott, Software Update can be configured to permanently ignore any given update. If you never want to see that Safari update again, just make sure that only Safari is checked, then go to the "Tools" menu and select "Ignore selected updates."
From that point forward, the Safari update won't show up, but other updates will.
The Apple sycophants are missing the point: the option for a Safari install on an iTunes update should never even be offered in the first place.
iTunes != Safari
If iTunes users want Safari, they will find and download it themselves.
Microsoft would be taken out behind the woodshed by the USDOJ and the EU for such tactics.
I'm still ticked off that for a long time, I couldn't even install QuickTime without getting iTunes. I'm still ticked off that every time it updates, I have to go in and manually turn off the stuff that automatically comes with startup. This would REALLY make me angry, if I weren't the type to pay attention to these things. I think Apple's a pretty good company, but they aren't immune from STUPID.
Apple has been at this for over 20 years now. It would be nice to see a company take the high ground here. If they want their product to get noticed, they should pony up some marketing funds to spread the word instead of sneaking software onto our machines. Yes, you do have the choice, but how many people *really* look at every dialog box that pops up anymore?
Most, not all, people focus in on the words "iTunes" and "update" and go with it. Focus group testing shows this. So when people login and see "Safari" for the first time, the thought's going to be "Where the hell did this come from?" People will feel tricked. That behavior is expected of a virus or the like. Not a leading innovator in software and hardware. Just my two cents though.
I would like to add that I felt especially tricked into this since (I suppose because of an error in my browser or something like that) no description of the new software was displayed in the update tool. I have never heard of "Safari" so I did a search for it and found this page.
Is the most 'alarming' point is that Apple is as disingenuous as any other mega corporation?
Install Quicktime, it installs into your system tray. Why?? A waste of space. To remove the icon, you can't simply right click and disable, there's only an option to close. Disable is, annoyingly, buried 4 tabs deep. So the majority of (dumb) users have a constant Apple advert near their clock.
Way to nag your customers seeking that extra 1% revenue.