[DNA man]

Having installed OSX and 9.2.1 recently on my Pismo I have been asked "blah, blah has detected a software update, do you wish to down load it?" This happens for Mac OS specific updates and some Aladdin software among others.

My question is what's going on? I figure that there is some internet communication going on behind the scenes. How do I stop this if indeed this is the case.

Finally, can folk like Apple and M$ detect which programs and OS you are running and get your Mac to send the info?

Any comments, most welcomed.

DNA man

[GK]

Exactly the same thing happened to me with Stuffit. I would be really pissed if companies are gathering data on which software I have installed on my computer without informing me prior to software installation.

[rjenkinson]

open the software update control panel and change the settings to manual update or disable the control panel entirely. regarding third-party programs like stuffit, check their preferences and disable the option that way.

-r.

[Cipher13]

A lot of apps do this now... it's ridiculous.
Checking for updates, registering with remote servers... argh.

Remember the Apple thing with littlebuddy.apple.com? (little buddy... big brother...)

Heh. What a joke.

[spicyjeff]

Do any of you guys read those software agreement notices before you install software?

No? I know I don't.

But its almost always listed in there in one form or another and by installing you are agreeing to the conditions set forth in that document. Companies that don't expressively say this get torn apart by the rest of the industry media, it's the software programs that don't tell you this that you should worry about (not to make anyone paranoid).