Why I believe Apple is wrong in the Safari update saga

[venky83]

I recently wrote about why I believe Apple is wrong in the Safari update fiasco. I believe that Apple clearly let us down when it sent in an installation file along with updates for itunes. I know this lead to a lot of bad blood against Apple in the blogosphere led by John Lilly, the CEO of Mozilla who in fact hinted that Apple was pushing malware.

What do you guys think about it - do you think Apple did the right thing or Apple screwed up?

[MacUAE]

For me... it all depends on what kind of software is installed. BUT... I would prefer installations to be clear. In PC land long ago, this was an issue for me. Crapware would fill my PC in no time!!!

For Apple, I guess they should learn from this 'very public' mistake.

[fangpyre]

Apple is never wrong.
But it was the idiot programer's fault.
He is so used to Windows programming he couldn't let it go.

[dandantheitman]

Obviously Fang the QA department was also in on it with the Microsoft programmer...

Hey Venky,

Its not really that apple bundled their web browser with their itunes, I am sure they do not want issues like Microsoft has with the US department of Justice over anti trust. The Apple TSR on the windows box searches for updates for apple products, and then gives you all the options to download, The problem is that it takes the liberty of assuming that you are an avid Mac fan and would download all available products. This is the same on OSX by the way.

The major issue is that the TSR selects all of the applications, rather than giving you the user a choice to pick. You can of course still un-select safari.

Apple did not hide the fact that it was installing safari, they didn't secretly bundle it, and I am sure that once downloaded it did not take over as your default browser causing FireFox / IE to moan about it no longer being the default when next started.

I think the whole issue is a mole hill turned into a mountain.

Dan

[fangpyre]

I agree that this issue has been over blown, Dan.

Worst case scenario you lose 20 -30 MBz.
But the fact is, people don't read what they accept to.
Of course, who's fault is that?
But companies are expected not to take advantage of that.

BTW, Apple's update doesn't do the same on the Mac.
It only downloads the relevant updates.
And I don't know of it throwing in demos in it.
I may be wrong, but I'm not.
After all, I use a Mac.

[dandantheitman]

Originally Posted by fangpyre

I agree that this issue has been over blown, Dan.
BTW, Apple's update doesn't do the same on the Mac.
It only downloads the relevant updates.
And I don't know of it throwing in demos in it.
I may be wrong, but I'm not.
After all, I use a Mac.

Really ? Every update I can remember doing apple has always (by default) selected every update available. Which is really what was getting at in the above post.

For an experiment try doing this: Remove safari from your mac, and then force your apple to do an update. You should see that apple will tell you that safari is available and it will automatically be ticked to download in the pop up box.

The majority of apple users never see this as we never remove safari

Dan

[fangpyre]

lol
I never thought of uninstalling Safari.
And you are right that all updates are chosen by default.

But you never see an update for software you never installed.
So you don't get an update for Aperture unless you have installed it on your machine.
Which is essentially what happened here, an update for Safari that showed up without it being installed.

[dandantheitman]

Originally Posted by fangpyre

lol
I never thought of uninstalling Safari.
And you are right that all updates are chosen by default.

But you never see an update for software you never installed.
So you don't get an update for Aperture unless you have installed it on your machine.
Which is essentially what happened here, an update for Safari that showed up without it being installed.

Good Point Fang - However the Safari that is in that snapshot is not an update it is in fact the full blown safari application, To test this do the follwing: Remove Safari and Itunes and do an update you will get the option to download both, and they will both be ticked.

The crux of the matter is not that you are downloading updates for a produt that you don't have, The problem is that apple is saying "Hey I have these great products --> open wide here you go." As Mac users we don't see this as we use apple's products and, in the case of safari, have them installed by default.

Dan

[fangpyre]

you are right.
We don't notice it because we use them.

Imagine finding MS Internet Explorer on your Mac because MS decided to throw it in for MS Office update!!

[dandantheitman]

Originally Posted by fangpyre

you are right.
We don't notice it because we use them.

Imagine finding MS Internet Explorer on your Mac because MS decided to throw it in for MS Office update!!

Exactly!

Apple can settle this once and for all by removing the auto tick mark from downloads and there... problem solved.

Although if Microsoft were to re-release IE for the apple Mac, I am sure that Jimmy would be the first one to tell us whilst he made his way back across the pond to Microsoft to hopefully regain his position as IE on Mac Manager... or something like that

Dan