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Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

Kevin — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:59:51 -0000

I will definitely say this about Apple, at least they are trying to tear down the huge Internet Explorer market and I say God speed! I actually don't like Apple at all, however any attempt to reach people to tell them that Internet Explorer IS NOT the internet, is ok in my book (and yes there are people out there who don't understand the concept of a browser, that there are different browsers, and that you can actually surf the net without using Internet Explorer). I personally like Firefox but having never used Safari, I can't say which is better.
To Matt B, thank you. That is mainly my point. The popularity of Internet Explorer stems greatly from the popularity of Windows. And if you have Windows, you have Internet Explorer so yes, I think Microsoft is definitely using Windows to push IE just like Apple is using iTunes updater to push Safari. Like I said, I may not like Apple, but I do like their effort to spread the word that there are other browsers out there and yes, in my opinion, there are BETTER browsers out there (better than IE that is).
To Kev, I did not know that. I didn't know Microsoft (although it doesn't surprise me in the least!) forced vendors to install IE and not Netscape. Of course now IE is so integrated within Windows that it has to be there and can not be uninstalled. God I hate how instead of just making better software that stands out on its own and has better features than the competition (which is what companies should be striving for), they have to bully vendors and sometimes customers into using their product and nothing else. But anyway that is a rant for another time.

Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

Nick Bentley — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:58:54 -0000

Well, I for one don't like Safari. I only use Firefox and I don't want to change that.
I really think Apple is getting desperate because nobody is using Safari.

Apple update is for updating software that you're already installed on you PC. If I don't have Safari installed on my PC in the first place why do I need an update? Sound like Malware to me.
I was so disgusted I disable update reminder completely. If I can use other software to update my Podcast and my music on my Ipod I would ignore Itune completely

Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

jon — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:02:40 -0000

Basically the iTunes updater is now adware and should be classified by anti-x software as such.

Let's see, I downloaded a piece of software which now routinely pops up windows to download another piece of software, which is selected by default.

Yup, that's adware.

Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

Kev — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 23:48:24 -0000

You do know that the way Microsoft pushed IE on people was by first making it impossible for PC distributers to be able to license Windows from Microsoft for their PCs unless they agreed to make sure IE was installed, and not Netscape. Even though Netscape was the popular browser, Microsoft made it difficult for them to gain any traction within the Windows world. This is the whole cause of the antitrust case brought against Microsoft a few years ago. Secondly it was also made difficult to get rid of IE, so people were pretty much stuck with it.

Apple is not forcing anyone to install anything they don't want to. Sure the option is checked by default, but you don't even have to uncheck it, you can make it completely ignore the update. It takes just as much effort to click the install button as the ignore button, or even as much effort to hit the enter key or the delete key (which should make it ignore Safari). It doesn't automatically install it for you before you tell it to.

Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

Matt B — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 22:51:16 -0000

Is anybody else seeing the similarities with Microsoft using Windows to push it's own web browser?

That's the first thing that popped into my mind...

I wonder if the people saying "no foul" and defending Apple were also the people criticizing Microsoft for past use of its installed user base to push additional applications?

Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

olga9999 — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 22:29:14 -0000

I don't like the fact they are pushing the software in the updates. Mainly because being Apple you barely checked what's going on, you trust the company and checking or unchecking the software it's not enough. It's completely different to update software automatically and to get software installed in your system automatically. When you automatically update software you have choose to have that software first in your computer. I don't care whether the program is the fastest browser out there. If I'm interested in a program I download the program and install it, but I don't want anything in my computer I haven't decided to install.
It's a question of managing your system and having control over how to manage your computer. It's you how are the owner not Apple.

Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

DaveA — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 22:17:02 -0000

Um, ever install anything from Yahoo? If you're not real careful, you'll install everything from Yahoo. How about Real Networks? Apple isn't the first, won't be the last, and is even being civil about it. Much ado about not so much.

Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

Ajit — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:49:28 -0000

Imagine if microsoft were to automatically download one of their free software via the windows updater to your computer. would you say its ok then?

i never liked the fact that the apple updater would force you to download quicktime when you download itunes - but ok i could live with it (supposedly necessary). And i never liked how the google toolbar or yahoo toolbar got installed if you werent careful when installing other software.If it were microsoft doing this, everyone would have been up in arms!

Apple is not the first to do this, but because a few others are doing it, doesn't make it right. Someone's gotta stand up and say its wrong. So good on John i say!

Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

anon — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:57:56 -0000

The box should simply be unchecked in the first place.

Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

Kev — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:46:02 -0000

You don't even have to uncheck the box, all you need to do is select it and go to one of the menus, I'm not sure which one it is on Windows, but you can ignore certain updates. It might even work just selecting and hitting the delete key.

Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

Michael — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:42:39 -0000

It isn't the "iTunes Software Update Utility" it's the "Apple Software Update" utility it's used to update all Apple software on Windows, Safari, Quicktime, and iTunes whenever there is a newer version on the server than there is on the computer (even if it isn't on the computer) the updater tells you that you need it. This was just a small mistake done by the software development team.

By the way, my friend was really really mad about this because apparently his computer is unable to uncheck boxes so he had no choice but to install Safari.

Uncheck the box, it isn't that hard. You weren't mad when Google "hijacked" your computer and installed the Google Toolbar when you were trying to install Picasa, why are you mad now?

Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

Kev — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:17:56 -0000

They're doing absolutely nothing wrong here. Software companies have been doing this kind of thing for years now. Suggesting other software from their companies through the software you already have installed. Apple isn't forcing anyone to install Safari, it's more like a gentle nudge. It's like they're saying "Hey, check out this browser. Since you have iTunes and we're hoping you really like that, we're also hoping you might really like this too." There's no pressure to install it, heck you can deactivate it from ever popping up in Software Update again.

Apple is just trying to get their product out there, just like any other company. They see they have a lot of Windows users using iTunes, but maybe not as many using Safari. Some may not have ever heard of Safari, and obviously a lot of Windows users like it so far, so why not try to expose it to a few more people.

If you walk into a grocery store, sometimes they have those free sample carts out, pushing other products that you may just like and buy. They don't force them on you, but show you they're there and ask if you may like one. Same thing with Apple, except you get the full thing right away.

Sure, Safari and iTunes are just a few pieces of software to try to possibly lure more people over the Mac side. But no one has been forced over. Apple is a company, this is one of the ways companies can get more customers, and it is not at all wrong.

So get the sticks out of your butts and just take a look at it how it really is. It's not like there's some behind-closed-doors "deal" with threats and sneaky tactics, or any forcing of people to install a certain piece of software they may not want (think of the Microsoft/Netscape war).

Re: Apple Promotes Safari Installs Via iTunes Updater. Mozilla CEO Cries Foul.

Mark Bao — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 11:04:51 -0000

Like the same crap that happened between Microsoft and Google...
This is getting old, seriously, these companies need to know that.