Comments for Apple ‘forcing’ Safari on XP iTunes users - ‘choice’ or click trickery? at http://www.itwire.com , comment 1 to 12 out of 12 comments http://www.itwire.com Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:54:28 -0600 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17264/1103/#comment-7899 Someone - you don't! Just tell Apple Software Update to ignore Safari. (From memory, it's Tools>Ignore) - stephen Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:20:22 -0600 http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17264/1103/#comment-7896 You know, I don't mind having to unclick the box, but why must I unclick it every 7 days? I wouldn't really mind the push, if once unticked it stayed unticked. - Someone Fri, 04 Apr 2008 05:30:09 -0600 http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17264/1103/#comment-7393 You think that's bad? Try signing up with PayPal! 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I call that a con of the worst kind. - OzOle Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:33:54 -0600 http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17264/1103/#comment-7372 Tit for tat: http://www.microsoft.com/en/us/default.aspx What is that? - Spiffy Mon, 24 Mar 2008 05:39:56 -0600 http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17264/1103/#comment-7364 Quicktime is not just used for video in iTunes, it is used for playback and conversion of ALL the media in iTunes. iTunes could not exist under Windows without QuickTime - what is egregious is Apple installing iTunes when you install QuickTime, not the other way around. Fortunately, they now give you an option on the QuickTime download page to just download QuickTime without iTunes. As per Safari, while I agree it is a little sneaky that Apple does this, I for one hope people read the little info box on everything they install, and Apple provides no option to install anything unattended (unlike say Windows Update which can happen unattended)/ Apple also provides a mechanism to never be reminded of an update again (I wonder if anyone looks under the menus in the updater). Lastly, Safari is an application which, unlike iTunes, does not install any background helpers, does not change your default browser, does not do anything - unless run. And when quit, it returns its resources. My bigger concern is what it means for the future with Apple's policies. In the interim, Safari itself really does no harm. Even if you installed it, you can uninstall it easily without leaving any traces or just choose to never run it. But imagine if Apple used the updater to install other stuff, that tracks your info, or changes your home page or search engine. Once the floodgates are open, you don't know what might happen next.... - Eytan Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:23:48 -0600 http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17264/1103/#comment-7352 The click next syndrome that Window's users all seem to suffer is one of the great tragedies of modern computing, thank's Microsoft, you've taught them well. - Mark Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:39:47 -0600 http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17264/1103/#comment-7350 People can argue over whether Apple are a 'less evil' company than Microsoft, and whether Safari is or is not a better web browser but I believe the principle of the matter must be considered. Apple have overstretched the mark here. They have violated a trust that users place in software companies to only update products which have been installed. Frankly, I find it bad enough I can't install iTunes without QuickTime being bundled in. Now I get offered Safari too - when will it end? It is easy enough to say any nine year old can read the products offered and untick a box but, let me be honest here, most users are not as savvy as the readers of iTWire and follow the 'click Next, click Next, click Next' method of installing software and updates. I once started working at a company and was amazed by how popular eBay was there. Or so I thought. Every desktop I went to had an eBay shortcut icon on the desktop. Only later did I discover that the Logitech mouse driver software offered a pre-ticked 'Install eBay desktop shortcut' during its setup. Indeed, I could go on and on. I've seen myriads of computers with the WinZip quick launch icon in the system tray because this is checked by default. I've seen office computers where Microsoft Office 2000 constantly needs the CD inserted because it defaulted most options to 'Install on first use.' I've seen office computers which constantly start the BlackBerry Desktop because it offers 'Launch on startup' as a pre-ticked item during setup (which is unnecessary due to full over-the-air synchronisation.) I really could go on forever and there are, of course, the examples Alex gives himself. Indeed, I've seen no end of Google toolbars and have to wonder how many were installed by deliberate user action or just because the box was ticked. I could be very cynical here and say Apple have noted this similar ordinary user behaviour and saw this use of their Software Updater as a way of mass spreading Safari despite any disatisfaction users may have had with their current web browser and despite any volition or lack thereof to change their browser. - David M. Williams Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:14:58 -0600 http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17264/1103/#comment-7346 Nothing should install by default, it should be by opt in only, so yes Apple are being scum bags but that shouldn't surprise anyone, it's typical of all proprietary software vendors. - Mark Sun, 23 Mar 2008 09:54:28 -0600 http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17264/1103/#comment-7343 You call a ticked box a "trick". I did three installations of iTunes and QT and on each one I unticked the box for Safari. I'd hardly consider that slipping a fast one. And guess what. All those installations were on my MacBook Pro running VMWare Fusion, Parallels and BootCamp. I have Safari 3.1 on my Tiger partition, but didn't even bother to install it once on my Windows XP VMs and BC. I like using IE7 for WinXP. It works fine for me. Safari 3.1 is okay, but it missed a Flash video on a page (didn't even show up). I had to launch Firefox to see the video. Anyway, I'd hardly consider Apple being "sneaky". I think users need to take some time looking at what they're installing. Even if it did get installed by "accident", it can always be removed. So what's the big deal. I guess you're just saying that the Safari box should have been left "unticked" by default. I'm not sure I ever saw an Apple Software Update with an unticked box by default. - Constable Odo Sun, 23 Mar 2008 08:48:09 -0600 http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17264/1103/#comment-7342 APPLE IS RIGHT! Apple is the most successful company in introducing its technology on Windows PCs. Safari is the most standards compliant browser. Web-kit, the engine of Safari, is open source. It is available to anyone to build their own browser. Getting more people to user Safari would force websites to be more standard compliant, which helps everyone. Apple can be far more trusted than other companies - including Google - because it only installs it's own technology. When you install others, you may get malware, adware, and other badware which fill your PC with crap and slows it down over time. Apple's addition of Safari to PCs is only good. - James Katt Sun, 23 Mar 2008 07:50:16 -0600 http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17264/1103/#comment-7340 This article is insane. Microsoft shoves Internet Explorer - which was a horrible browser until version 7 - down the throat of every Windows user and you are complaining about this? - Mel Sun, 23 Mar 2008 04:42:47 -0600 http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17264/1103/#comment-7337 this is the red flag wearing stupidiest thing of dumbing down everything on the net i've ever seen. even a 9 year old can figure out the mechanics of opting in ... Ipod software check new version Itunes check whats safari? I don't know.. let me click that off and continue on my merry way.. now if adobe version of picasa was just as easy to not install i'm sure that wouldn't of been included either. - Sothereiswater and i must drink? Sun, 23 Mar 2008 03:24:40 -0600