Daring Fireball on Paul Thurrott on the Safari for Windows Software Update Thing
John Gruber @ Daring Fireball links to Paul Thurrott on the Safari for Windows Software Update Thing and asks:
Honest question to those who think Apple is in the wrong here: Would it make a difference if the checkbox for Safari were off by default instead?
What I haven't seen mentioned in the sources I have read is how easy it is to ignore Safari 3.1:
That said, I think Apple has to more clearly label the two groups of software in that screenshot, upgrades and new installs. I don't care at all that the application itself is called Software Update, Windows Update (now Microsoft Update) pushes new software on users, Silverlight is the latest example. But I have to think that this has become a controversy simply because it is Apple. By them doing this, they will start to eat into Windows browser market share, even a little bit, and clearly the existing minority but significant Windows browser maker doesn't like that. These apps are free to end users, but that search revenue sure adds up fast. As Gruber correctly points out, during installs or upgrades, on Windows anything goes. You want to install Windows Live Messenger, you get a mess of IE toolbars and other products. Depending on how you get Firefox, get a bundled Google Toolbar. This is all par for the course on Windows.
2 comments:
err.. I think you're a little mistaken. Windows Update is different than Microsoft Update. Windows Update is something that runs on your desktop and is analogous to iTunes update. Windows update will never offer to install new software - it will only offer imporant updates. Microsoft Update is something entirely different and does offer software that is clearly marked optional!
Sorry but you misunderstand what Microsoft has done. Windows Update is the name of the:
1. Service in Windows
2. The initial UI in Windows
When you run Windows Update, you are offered critical, recommend, and optional software installs for Windows. But, you are also encouraged to upgrade to Microsoft Update. Once you do, you get the same experience as your previous Windows Update, except now all of your participating Microsoft software (Office, Visual Studio, etc.) will get upgraded, not just Windows. Apple Software Update for Mac has always upgraded all of your Apple supplied software. In my view, user's shouldn't have to choose to install Microsoft Update, that's just the way it should be from the start. Again, I don't care if it's called Microsoft Update and new software is offered, Microsoft correctly has most of it's software segmented according to upgrades and new installs. There are of course times where that line becomes gray, like say automatically installed IE 7. It is an upgrade, but it's not like you had a choice in taking IE in the first place when you bought Windows. I have no problem with the auto-upgrade to IE 7, but people can make a credible argument against it.
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