I previously wrote about how Apple pushed Safari out as an update to iTunes and why this was wrong. Of course, this caused some problems for network administrators:
Because of the way Apple had configured the update, anyone who clicked OK automatically installed the company’s Web browser. Most users thought that Safari was simply a component of the Apple software they’d already installed, Wilson said.
“This is not good; this is a security risk,” he said. “We’re a bank.”
Wilson said it has taken him the better part of a week to remove Safari from his network and prevent it from being reinstalled.
To try and appease the critics, Apple has added a new pane to it’s Software Updates marking New Software separately. Many people have welcomed this move but there are still major issues. Firstly, new software is still checked automatically. For the vast majority of people who do not have the time to worry about something like a security update, they will still end up with software they didn’t want.
Secondly: the fact that Apple has added a new pane showing all New Software indicates to me that Apple plans to use this as a software distribution channel. That indicates to me that the release of Safari through Software Update isn’t a one-off: it’s a new software distribution channel for Apple.
Users of Apple Software: iTunes, Safari and Quicktime should expect to see additional unwanted applications from Apple appearing on their computer soon.