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General discussion

Why the HELL can't apple just PATCH iTunes?!

Feb 22, 2006 2:52PM PST

I _hate_ having to download a full install client every time there is some incremental update!


Anger!


Fury!


Roar!

Discussion is locked

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at least you can get it to install
Feb 23, 2006 1:49AM PST

I have been trying to install iTunes on my laptop (mostly because it seems to be the only way to update Quicktime anymore, but also because some videos won't play in other players) and I can't get it to install. Finally, my son suggested that if it wasn't working in Firefox, to try downloading it in Opera. I did that, and at least got it to download, but the install hung at some point. Quicktime was not installed, all my music files now think they should run in iTunes, there's an iTunes icon on the desktop, but iTunes won't run properly. It's not listed on the "add or remove hardware" list so I can't even uninstall it.

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Apple + Windows = Sadness
Feb 23, 2006 8:00AM PST

Using software from Apple on a Windows box is a really frustrating experience.

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I disagree
Feb 23, 2006 3:17AM PST

I hate it when my bandwidth is affected by auto updates being done invisibly in the backround.

Scott

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I think
Feb 23, 2006 3:36AM PST

Jasmes just wants a patch instead of having to reinstall the whole thing. Apple uses patches where they can so I don't know the technical reasons behind having to reinstall the whole thing when it comes to iTunes.

Just know that they would do it if they could. It's in their best interest to keep it as small as possible.

-Kevin S.

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Patches don't have to be automatic...
Feb 23, 2006 4:04AM PST

..?

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I have a theory
Feb 23, 2006 9:04AM PST

I concocted it in about 5 minutes after seeing this topic. I in no way know it to be even remotely true, and it's probably about as air-tight as an untied balloon, but here goes.

Maybe Apple figured out something ineffecient about patches that just tack on small amounts of code (or maybe security?). Even in their own environment, they tend to replace the whole app instead of giving you a very small patch to fix whatever needed fixing. If something like this is done, they must have very specific reasons.

Just my thoughts.

PS - This is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated. (stolen from a Mitch Hedburg routine)

PPS - I do tend to get frustrated by the download-and-installs myself, but if the payoff is Apple software on my Windows box, then so be it.

-Ryan

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I agree
Feb 24, 2006 5:30PM PST

iTunes updates seem to be pretty frequent lately, and I do want to stay up with the new things. The latest useful feature for me was the ability to NOT auto-delete certain podcasts, while leaving the others susceptible to the global rules of saving only certain recent or unlistened ones.

the iTunes upgrades are huge downloads, it seems. My favorite browser, Avant Browser, does the same thing with upgrades: simply directing me to their site where I can download an entire new installation file.

I think a user-approved and otherwise automatic upgrade that you can initiate with one click would be the ticket for iTunes.

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patching
Feb 24, 2006 8:45PM PST

Patching

Sorry to be a pain here, but I have always thought that patching (no matter what it is, software/car tires or otherwise is a very messy way of doing things.

Its only a 40MB ish file (on windows that is) for iTunes so its not like a huge issue, its only twice the size of BOL podcast!

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Patching misnomer
Feb 27, 2006 12:26PM PST

It's not even a matter of the download size so much as the fact that it requires you go thru the same process as any new user would, in downloading it. The "patch" doesn't have to fit the messy technical definition of a patch, couldn't they just automate the downloading and installation of that 40MB file, given that updates are made so often? It's not a huge deal, I'm just sayin'. I thought Apple LIKED taking tasks off our hands.

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AND...
Feb 27, 2006 1:17PM PST

The most annoying thing about it is they seem to have an update 2-3x a month...AND you have to re-install QT too!

Annn--ooyyyying!

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Yup
Feb 27, 2006 10:21PM PST

Downloading the full installer and QT is really annoying.