Apple Ends Stealth Windows Safari Installs

Apple new version of Software Update for Windows clearly indicates whether an update is new software, or an update to something already installed.

Last month, Apple endured some harsh criticism from the Windows community for using its Software Update program—normally used to keep Apple software like iTunes and QuickTime up-to-date—to push its Safari Web browser to Windows users. It wasn’t so much the fact that Apple made Safari available for download via Software Update, but that the Safari application appeared as an recommended, enabled-by-default download within the application. For most Windows users, the Safari download would constitute new software, not an update to existing software the user had (presumably) deliberately chosen to install.

The new version of Software Update for Windows now lists packages that are available for downloads, and automatically groups the options so users can clearly see updates to existing software already on their computer, and downloads of new software. Users can also choose to turn Software Update off entirely—a welcome addition for folks who, say, uninstalled QuickTime or other Apple software but are continually pestered by the updater.

The new version of Software Update for WIndows should (go figure) be available as an option within previous versions of Software Update.

Apple has recently released an update to Safari 3.1.1 to patch four potential security loopholes in the browser.