I think its a very dangerous path that Apple are heading down. What has worked well on iOS does not necessarily translate to the desktop. Security updates are much more critical in the desktop environment, as Apple by large has much less control over what you can install or visit (via web browser) on your computer. Not getting those patched apps out quickly could lead to a number of problems.....especially to those users who *only* visit the Mac App Store.
Furthermore, Lion stinks. Its a mess of ideas that I feel Apple have thrown together to try and stay one step ahead of Windows :/ I'll be staying on 10.6 for as long as I can, and dual boot with Ubuntu. Seeya Rod! On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Ronda Brown <ro...@mac.com> wrote: > Hi Stuart, > > Yes, I agree with your comments. Also App Developers are ’not happy’ with > the amount of time Apple takes to ‘approve’ updates the developers make to > their Third-Party Apps, especially 'security updates’. Therefore users of > Apple Mac Store, may be putting their computer's security at risk. > > For example: Back in May 2011 Third-party Web browser maker Opera released > version 11.11 of its software, which fixes a "critical" security > issue<http://www.opera.com/support/kb/view/992/>. > Mac users who have downloaded Opera through the App Store may find > themselves using a copy of Opera that is now two versions old, 11.01, which > was released back in March and is vulnerable to the security bug patched in > 11.11. > Users who rely on the App Store to tell them whether their software is > up-to-date may not be aware of the security risks and may continue to use an > unsafe version of the Opera browser. > > Finally, a full week after Opera released version 11.11 on its site and > publicly disclosed the security vulnerability it had patched, and after a > lot of coverage in the tech press Apple finally released Opera 11.11 in the > Mac App Store. > As suggested by security researchers and tech commentators, one would hope > that Apple will begin to improve its app approval process to fast-track > security updates, especially when the vulnerabilities have been publicly > disclosed or exist in popular software." > > *Now the issue I’m most concerned with is this:* > > If you find that an app you've downloaded from the Mac App Store is > outdated, assuming it's a* free app* that's also available on the Web. > You can drag the outdated app from your Applications folder into the Trash > (which will require an administrator password due to the way the App Store > installs apps), and then you can drag the current version of the application > from the developer's Web site into the Applications folder. > > OK, that is fine, you can therefore update immediately you know there is an > update. > *BUT, (& this is my concern)* … If you replace your Mac App > Store-purchased copy of, for example, Pixelmator with a copy downloaded from > the Pixelmator web site, you're replacing a* fully-functional licensed > copy* with a *demo* -- and knocking out all the paid features. > In order to revert to the Mac App-Store version, you'd have to delete the > downloaded app and reinstall. > > Mac App Store licensing and copy protection is entirely independent from > vendor copy-protection / licensing schemes. > And many Mac App Store apps are **not** available for download separately. > > Cheers, > Ronni > > On 01/09/2011, at 10:39 AM, stuart.ev...@t4.com.au wrote: > > > Hi Ronni, > > I have concerns about the App store both from a user aspect and from a > reseller aspect. Putting aside my reseller concerns, as a user the App store > has both attraction and concerns. It's great to be able to search and > download apps, have free or lite versions and have an easy mechanism to pay > for and manage applications. After that it can get tricky. As you say, I > have to upgrade via the App store and that has restrictions. I used to love > showing Windoze users how easy it was to install and uninstall software on a > Mac (no registry hacks etc etc). I understand there is a revenue and > marketing reason for Apple distributing via the App store but it's causing > issues as a user and certainly issues as a support company dealing with > customers who are on satellite and mobile broadband in regional and remote > areas with low bandwidth and low limits. At least there is now a Lion option > on USB via Apple. I'm sure many WAmuggers will get on and say "I don't have > a problem" (as I've seen with Lion), but we deal with many and varied users > and while it might be all fine for an individual user who has it all sorted > (and is generally either a basic consumer or a techie), many are frustrated > with the changes. I don't expect it will change unless there is consumer > backlash in the US, and that's unlikley. We're something like 2% of the > world market so we just have to figure out how to adapt or hack. > > Fortunately this is the forum within which to find solutions! > > Ciao, > Stuart > > > > Quoting Ronda Brown <ro...@mac.com>: > > Hey Daniel, > > > I have found that as it stands, NO App distributed via the App Store can > use an update mechanism other than the Store’s own. > > > But that would not explain why you are unable to update iPhoto, iMovie, > iTunes etc from the updates that you have on your Network or Portable Drive. > > Unless the original iPhoto, iMovie, iTunes on the new Lion computer was > distributed & installed from the App Store? > > > As you know from the start of Lion in development, I was concerned about > the App Store restrictions ;-) > > > Cheers, > > Ronni > > > > On 31/08/2011, at 12:16 PM, Ronda Brown wrote: > > > > Hi Daniel, > > > I feel this is a ‘Big Deal’. It is one of the concerns I had about Lion > when it was due to be released. I think actually we discussed similar on the > mailing list back then. > > The way you do your setup of a new computer for a client, is the same way I > do ( I have learnt a lot from you ;-), and I imagine most ‘good’ consultants > do similar. > > > In the not too distant future some of my clients will be upgrading their > computers and wanting me to do the setup on their new machines. > > So hopefully by then I can find a solution to this ‘annoyance’ … no its > more than an annoyance … its a ‘big deal’. > > > I also agree with your clients about the colour, I don’t like the ‘drab’ > grey colours, I like colour, much easier to pick things out. > > Hmmm, I better get researching to see how we can get around this setup and > updates ;-) > > > I’m not as ‘kind’ as you regarding Lion OS X 10.7, I have not found it to > ‘my liking’ near as much as Snow Leopard. > > I love Snow Leopard OS X 10.6.8, it is a very stable and fast operating > system. I know I will have to come to terms with Lion and eventually install > it on my MacBook Pro, but until then Lion is staying installed on my > external drive ;-) > > > Cheers, > > Ronni > > > 17" MacBook Pro 2.3GHz Quad-Core i7 “Thunderbolt" > > 2.3GHz / 8GB / 750GB @ 7200rpm HD > > > OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard > > OS X 10.7 Lion > > Windows 7 Ultimate (under sufferance) > > > > > On 31/08/2011, at 10:58 AM, Daniel Kerr wrote: > > > > Hmmm. OK, so this might be a little whinge, or maybe I'm missing something > and there is a "work around" for it... > > But here goes... > > > Background - > > When I set up a new computer for a client, I check to see if they are going > to Migrate data from an old machine (if I' not doing it for them). If > they aren't and it's a brand new set up, then I like to create their > account, do all the updates for them and install some of the third party > software (all free and legal) that most people use (eg Firefox, Skype, > Perian, RealPlayer etc). This just means the machine is all ready to go for > them when they get it and can start using it without having to do the work > (or sometimes know where to find things,...) > > > The Problem - > > Have done two new Lion machines that were setting up from Scratch. Ran > Software update to check the updates it needs, as per normal. Now, I have > all the installers on a local network drive (as well as on a portable drive > that goes around with me), so I can install them faster and not download the > same thing multiple times. > > So, anyway Software Update tells me that I need to install iPhoto 9.1.5 > (about 186MB), iMovie 9.0.4 (about 80MB), iTunes 10.4.1 (13MB) and > Lion 10.7.1 (84MB). > > Well iTunes and Lion update were fine. > > And how is where the problem was - Even though I had the downloads for > iPhoto and iMovie on drive, it would not let me install them from a > stand alone installer. Apparently I had to log in to Mac App Store and > download them that way. > > But I don't want to. I have the installers all there already. And I don't > have the clients AppleID (if they have one at all with a brand new machine). > > > This seems a bit silly to me. > > I want to do the client a service and have it all done and ready to use as > soon as they get it. Yet I have to either tell them how to do it and that > they'll need to log into Mac App Store to download software. > > Now sure this might not be a big thing, but generally I don't charge for > the installs and pre set ups I do for these things, as I call it an "add on > " service. I can do them offsite (at home) while I'm doing other work > (emails, other set ups etc so can be doing 3 or 4 at the same time). > > But if I have to allow more time during the day to set them up onsite, then > it's less time to see other clients (which are my chargeable hours in > the day). And it was something I liked to do as a service for the customer, > rather then charge for it. > > > Sure in the big scheme of things it may not be a huge issue,...but it's > certainly a bit of an annoyance! Either that, or I'm missing the work around > for it. > > > The other thing I've had people not like so far is all the grey. They say > it makes it quite hard to quickly view things. I know there are "hacks" to > get it change back now,..but it would be nice to make it an option (colour > or grey). I thought it was just me, but most people that have used it > comment on all that. Colour is faster to view and find things in a long > list.... > > Would be interested to see a poll on it I reckon. > > > The only other "bug bear" i've found, is having to have 3 installers for > 10.7.1 (Standard, MacBookAir 2011 and iMac 2011). 3 installers I carry > around as a consultant for updates. Why can't it just be one installer for > all of them,...lol. > > Again, not a "big deal",..just more of an annoyance. > > > OK, I'll stop complaining now,.... > > I've mentioned it, I'll move on and forget about it :o) > > > Just was putting it out there :o) > > > Enjoy! > > > Kind regards > > Daniel > > Still getting used to Lion, but it's got some cool things too :) (see, I'm > not all negative,..lol) :o) > > --- > > Daniel Kerr > > MacWizardry > > > Phone: 0414 795 960 > > Email: <daniel AT macwizardry.com.au> > > Web: <http://www.macwizardry.com.au> > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au> > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au>
