My browser is better than your browser. Owners of <browser> are stupid, I am all knowing genius because I run <browser> on <o/s>

They all need patching, so get over it.

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yeah but <xyz> is better because they, blah, blah, blah, Zzzzzzzzzzzz

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Even though I don't have Safari installed on my Windows Vista machine, I was still notified of the update with a pop-up asking me to install Safari (with the option to do so ticked by default, naturally).

I do use iTunes for syncing with my iPod Touch, but when will Apple stop trying to push other software on Windows users? It's bad enough that I have to install Quicktime (and disable its start-up services every time I update iTunes) to use iTunes without the constant nagging to install Safari.

Just install Safari. You know Apple Knows Best.

What do you mean by "alternative browsers"? What are they an alternative to?

My pet flame: why th f**k does it tick download Safari by default whenever their is an update to Quicktim on Windows. If I want their brower I'll ask for it: THEN the update can tell me about it.

Oh great! Don't use Safari anyway but nice to know they care.

When are they going to fix the bug in Mac OS 10.5.2 that makes it impossible to print via Windows?

Lynx is best ;-)

run on Linux of course (so long as you grow a long beard and wear sandals at the same time).

Works on OSX too. I used to work (VERY briefly, Apple and their affiliates are dreadful employers) as a MacDroid Helldesk operator & I would run Lynx so as to be able to browse whilst working (supervisor knew sweet FA about computers, just about being a bitch, and to the uninitiated, it looks like a terminal window). Plus, it doesn't fall over all the time like bloody Safari.

Seriously, how mentally challenged are some of you to not realise by doing a single click in the Install checkbox, it magically becomes unchecked and bingo, no Safari!

Apple has for years by default left all check boxes checked in it's Software Update application, it just seems Mac users don't get so dazzled and confused by it though, where as it seems wayyyy too complex for some Windows users to figure out though.

@AC

I always deselect the Safari checkbox (and iTunes+Quicktime) when updating Quicktime itself, but why once I've told the updater to ignore them do they then come back the next time that there is a QUicktime update and I have to do it all over again.

Respecting the customer's wishes should be the first rule of such things, but Apple are so bloody pushy with this stuff.

"My pet flame: why th f**k does it tick download Safari by default whenever their is an update to Quicktim on Windows. If I want their brower I'll ask for it: THEN the update can tell me about it."

Because Apple and M$ are united in one aspect: they both think their software is supreme god of the universe and that WE should be giving THEM a damn good reason why not to use it.

My pet peeve is any time a spokesperson for M$ says anything to the effect of 'we want Windows users to have an enjoyable experience...' or 'this is without doubt the highest quality product we've ever offered'. Actually, make that any time Gates says anything. It's all hilarious bullshit.

... to not just hit [Enter] on a Windows box!

But in all seriousness, if you don't want to see Safari updates, then take the two seconds to click on Tools > Ignore Update and whammo, you will not be bothered by it again when Apple's updater runs next time.

Because Mac users are getting checkboxes ticked by default which update products they already have installed.

Windows users are getting checkboxes ticked by default which update products they *don't* already have installed.

One is sensible, the other is FUCKING ANNOYING.

I have Safari and Quicktime installed on my XP machine for testing purposes. I've just run the updater program and installed updates for Safari, Quicktime and the updater itself and without any option it's added damn shortcuts on the desktop, quickstart and programs menus. I don't want any of these, I have all the shortcuts I need, exactly where I need them, including on the quick start bar already so there was no need to add duplicates.

Anyway, I deleted everything it added and then tried my existing QUicktime shortcuts in a sub-menu of the programs menu and none of them worked, despite the programs still all being in the same locations. It turns out that the shortcuts Quicktime installs are specific to each update and point to (and get their icons from) EXE and ICO files in "C:\Windows\Installer\" rather than just being normal shortcuts to the program EXEs like every other normal program does.

Why? How does this complication benefit anyone?

So if anyone else has the same problem, just create your own set of shortcuts to the relevant EXEs and delete all of Apple's oen shortcuts.

I'm sick of these updates. I'm seriously considering going back to Internet Explorer for my everyday browsing.

Hell, I have been praising Lynx in the El Reg's comments for a while. It's the best browser for the job! Of course, the job being reading El Reg while at work. Ppl always think it is a VI console.

True, I used to have long bear and hair, used sandals and had a proeminent belly, but those days are behind me! Now I am shaved, bald, I am wearing social shoes (with the corresponding outfit) and I lost 15kgs, but Lynx STILL is my favorite browser.

I just wish it were easier to select the PH icon with it :(

Let's not forget Google, I keep seeing pre-selected options for installing either the browser search toolbar or the desktop search program popping up in the strangest places, during both download and CD-based installs of unrelated software.

>Apple has for years by default left all check boxes checked in it's Software Update application, it just seems Mac users don't get so dazzled and confused by it though, where as it seems wayyyy too complex for some Windows users to figure out though.

Yeah, confused about why Apple would want to update an app that isnt installed ? Two choices here, either

A) Apple are arrogant SOB's who want to force me to download Safari

or

B)Apples programmers are incompetent and cant write a couple of lines of code that would check for the presence of Sadfari

After my constant battles over the years with Quicktimes habit of trying to slip processes into the start up routines, Im forced to conclude A is the answer.

Hmmm , time to harden FF with a few java control add ons , such as no script delouse the hard drive of all browser cache files again too !

its much better than lynx.

So there :P