So, like many of the unwashed masses on the Internet, I decided to update iTunes on my PC to iTunes 8. I left my PC running the update when I left for the office, and I rebooted when I arrived home from work this evening.
Of course, yet again, Apple finds no problem in offering me the optional software of Safari for Windows–an optional piece of software whose selection checkbox is checked by default. If I wanted to run a crappy web browser, I would willingly find a way to install Internet Explorer 4. I was sure to uncheck that piece of optional software.
In reading some of the coverage of the post-install reports–those folks having blue screen errors and other nasty results, I came across Ed Bott’s piece on ZDNet. His article goes into detail concerning some of the kernel mode drivers that iTunes installs–drivers known to be the root cause of BSODs on Windows. Even better, though, was the installation of a piece of software that I was not informed of–MobileMe. While I was not informed this was one of the packages installed by the iTunes upgrade, there is was in the list of programs available to me in Add/Remove Programs in Windows.
Wow, Apple. It’s bad enough to attempt to foist upon me an incredibly craptacular browser experience, but now you want to install the Windows client to your “cloud service” known to not work? For all of the haughtiness of your users and your condescending ads, you are no better than Microsoft.
And this is why you never install new software right away, let some other poor person experience the pain. Then you can come along later and install or not as a informed consumer. I normally wait a week or more to install system/application updates.
However iTunes was an exception. No early reports of issues on the OS X side so I made the plunge. And actually the Genius feature helped me find a couple albums from artists I didn’t know had put older stuff on ITMS and/or had released anything new.
As for checking boxes by default and installing software you didn’t ask for or even want Apple is far from being alone in that regard.
As for being the early adopter, I have no issues with that–you either have the problem now or then. Given my experience, I’m not too worried about that happening. I think I know my way around a system well enough to fix anything that may arise. The one issue I see, though, is dropping kernel-mode drivers known to cause issues on Windows boxes–like 8-year-old drivers known to be bad.
Default checkboxes in the installer–sure, everyone does it. Dropping mobileMe on my machine without telling me? Sorry, I don’t want your shitty cloud service, Apple.
Once I decide to devote some time to it, I am seriously giving Winamp some thought. Of course, seeing that iTunes decided to gobble 340 MB of system memory while running overnight was, shall we say, a bit excessive.
No better than Microsoft? Hell, they’re no better than RealNetworks.