Dear people who want to install updates on my computer

[andrewducker]

If you are going to pop things up intermittently saying "There are updates, would you like to install them?" then please give me the option of saying "Yes, and never ask me again."

Because much though I like you closing security holes (and offering me new functionality), I do not like having things pop up whenever I open your app (or when I'm doing other stuff).

VLC, I'm particularly looking at you, with your download dialog box that overlays the screen that's playing the video I just double-clicked, and makes it impossible to click pause while the updates is downloading. Seriously. What the fuck?

Comments

[johncoxon.livejournal.com]

On the Mac VLC uses a freely available library that provides a really awesome update system. It's so widely used it's practically a standard amongst Mac developers, now; and it's totally non-intrusive (I believe it also allows you to configure automatic updates rather than prompting you to update every time). Maybe there's a gap in the market on Windows for something similar?

[andrewducker]

Yeah, you'd think they'd have something like that. Instead Adobe Reader, Flash, VLC, Java, and a few other things all pop up separate things saying "We have an update! Wanna install?"

Definitely a gap in the market that MS (or a third party) should be filling.

What's the Mac library? I'd love to know why there isn't a Windows version!

[skington.livejournal.com]

The app is Sparkle.

I suspect it's a combination of a) it's free, b) it's easy, and c) there's a culture of excellence among Mac developers and power users. (One of the reasons why Macs don't get viruses, barring silly little proofs of concept; nobody will tolerate spyware.)

[johncoxon.livejournal.com]

I agree with the above; there seems to be a far stronger sense of community in Mac software than I ever saw when I was a Windows user.

[momentsmusicaux.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, the way that in the new Firefox, the 'check for updates' button in the About dialog *starts downloading and installing them* is unforgivably rude.

[andrewducker]

Interesting - when I say "check for updates" I mean "go get them". What do you mean?

[momentsmusicaux.livejournal.com]

I mean 'check'. I don't mean 'then act upon the result of checking'.

If I said to you 'could you check if Tesco have a 15kg duck in stock' I expect you to answer with a yes or no, not buy the thing!

The result of a 'check' should be a message that says 'Firefox 6.wibblywoo found' and a button that updates.

And worst of all, sometimes the check gets me a point update and sometimes a full update. Which may fuck up my plugins. Which is just damn rude.

[andrewducker]

Aaah, I've not had an issues with plugins in a few versions. I'm currently on the beta stream (8.0), and even so the only thing that's not entirely compatible is Greasemonkey, which will be by the time it hits release.

[momentsmusicaux.livejournal.com]

Nor have I -- at least nothing that matters. But I don't trust that!

[andrewducker]

Yeah, they've got much better, but I'm sure they aren't perfect. I got an email yesterday saying that they had checked my addon for compatibility for version 9, and that it was fine.

[andrewducker]

Also, in this case, you'll be getting the update automatically within 24 hours, as that's how often it checks for updates automatically.

[channelpenguin.livejournal.com]

I never get this with VLC...

[khbrown.livejournal.com]

I think checking for VLC updates is an option which you turn on or off when you install it.