There’s a bit of rumbling today over whether Apple is right or wrong in installing Safari by default via iTunes’ updater. I really get a kick out of the people defending this one.
Despite what some people are arguing, the defaults are used in a program are a big deal. It is for MSN; it is for Yahoo; it is for Google; it is for Apple. I don’t care who is doing it, setting defaults to expand market share by “default” is rude. It doesn’t matter if it’s Safari or a toolbar. Rude is rude.
There are other ways for Safari to grow market share. This isn’t a good one.
And, yes, I have Safari installed on my system. That’s not what this is about.
I think you’ve been misled by inaccurate reporting. The update isn’t sneaking in through “iTunes updater”; the application is called “Apple Software Update”, which means not just iTunes. It’s not required to update iTunes (can still be done old way) and the name is pretty straightforward.
I’ve disabled the “iTunes updater” which is called “Apple Software Update” as you mention. I’ve found it obtrusive enough because on several of my machines I don’t use iTunes and I’d rather not pay a time penalty at boot up to check for new “updates” or new apps in this case. (Interestingly iTunes got onto a couple machines because friends/relatives installed QuickTime and accidentally pulled down iTunes too.) There are other software packages that have their own updaters and I usually disable them too. One day I’d like to see all of them pooled together in Windows so they’re all in one place and more easily controllable. I need a dozen updaters in the system tray (hidden or not) like I need a dozen toolbars in IE.
The big issue here is that Apple is setting the option on by default. It’s a clear way to get naive users to install their app. I don’t like when anyone does it–whether it’s Sun with Java, Google, MSN, AOL, or Apple. (I also don’t care for sites that auo-check send me more email when I’m purchasing something form them. Similar issue.) I realize many have done this, but it’s annoying. Several of my neighbors have called me over in the past to “fix” their machines after new software magically appeared. I’ve noticed that more people are catching onto this pattern though and realizing that they have to disable options. However, as they do this more and more, I can see the companies hiding their options down one level and the like. The better thing to do is to build apps that people can trust and leave it at that.
Hmm… Mine never updates automatically. I must have already set it to manual. Maybe that’s why I’m not getting the same feeling of “pushiness” as everyone.