software update - checked items

[Clarifix]

This may be a stupid question, but I didn't find any topic on the forum about it, so here it goes:

The software updater dialog has already a number of updates checked when you first launch it (it shows 7 updates after a 10.2 install and checks 3 updates).
Why? It does let me select additional updates, without warning. And since it doesn't, why would it select those 3 only, because checking all would require only 1 restart after installation.

Any insights?

 

[edX]

because some updates are pretty much universal - everybody would benefit from them. some updates may not apply to everybody - for instance i would have no need for airport or language updates. therefore i would move those to my inactive list.

choose the ones that apply to you. if in doubt, better to install it than not.

 

[Clarifix]

Your answer makes sense, but some of the logic that Apple uses to determine if an update item should be checked or not, is hard to follow.
I don't understand why the Internet Explorer Update is not a "checked" item, since it installs together with the OS. This while the Stuffit Expander update is a checked item.

Thanks anyway, your answer made me see the rather simple logic the upgrade process should have.

 

[edX]

uh, ie is not part of the system in any way shape or form. i would never want apple to assume i want it. on the other hand, it is almost impossible to live without stuffit expander if you ever need to download updates for any of your other apps.

perhaps apple's logic doesn't follow yours, but i'm guessing you'll now be able to figure it out well enough for yourself.

 

[Clarifix]

Yeah. Apparantly everybody has her or his own logic. And you an Apple seem to be on the same frequency. It must be because you're living so close to them.

My own -alien?- logic is that Apple should propose to upgrade the browser that is installed with their OS - I don't see any other browser immediately in the Applications folder, and I'm not busy every day hating Microsoft... I believe there is some option, somewhere buried in the installation dialogs of Mac OS X, to install Netscape as well, but I really don't believe many people figure that one out.
To "state my case" a bit further, the software updater probably puts the upgrade there because I have Internet Explorer installed, doesn't it?

So, in short, according to Apple, upgrading a decompressing utility installed with the OS is more important than upgrading the browser installed with the OS to download the archives in the first place.
OK, I'm flexible. It has it's own logic. I respect that.

 

[edX]

considering that they're both 3rd party apps i think it's pretty cool that they both just show up there. but yea, i think you have to have them installed to be on the updater.

but just so you know, i also have questioned apple's logic with the updater. my question is why does it bother to show 3rd party apps like the ones we're discussing, but not appleworks - an apple app that came with my imac? what's the frigging logic in that?