Why is updating so complicated?

Virtually all other apps I have that check for updates lead to a very simple updating mechanism. Either it happens automatically in the background, or it is a simple “Update now” or “Install update then relaunch” type of procedure.

But TotalFinder - which I find extremely useful, by the way - gets a lot of updates (a good thing) but each one goes through the whole rigmarole of downloading, then the full install procedure, checking every drive I have attached to the Mac (which always seems to take ages) to check for a location where to install it, etc etc blah, blah…

For heaven’s sake - if it’s an UPDATE, then it should KNOW where to put the installation (where the previous one was) and I shouldn’t have to go through the whole installation routine, clicking on licence agreements (did that when I bought it) and doing the password thing to allow it to install (did that when I first installed it).

Etc etc - it just seems to be such an extraordinarily long-winded and completely unnecessary process to perform what should be a simple automatic update. I’d be deliriously happy if I didn’t even have to see ANY of it - if it just happened in the background like most of the others do. Or it could be done via the App Store Updates.

Anything but this tedious, long-winded method it takes at the moment…

Just a suggestion :wink:

I think it’s one install for every different computer. So, there are some understandable caveats with providing full install updates, which, considering the size of the app, may not be possible to modularize at this point.

I am really not annoyed by the time it takes to find the drive. I don’t have tons of time during the day to be installing apps, but this really doesn’t take that long to do.

Thanks for the reply :smile:

One of my computers is an iMac, with 3 separate external drives attached (1 FireWire, 2 x USB 2.0) that is used for video and audio editing. Today’s update to 1.5.35 of TotalFinder took over 2 minutes to find and assess those drives, even though it already KNOWS where TotalFinder is already installed - and that’s my point. Why does it use the full, regular Apple install routine, and have to go through that entire process every time, requiring multiple clicks, password, and interruption of what I’m doing (the updates seem to pop up almost at random, particularly if I click somewhere on the blank desktop). I’m on the beta channel, by the way, so I get pretty frequent updates. And as I said - that is a GOOD thing. Excellent support by the developer.

It’s just the long-winded install for every update that is a PITA. Could it not be automated to occur in the background, like other apps do, that I purchase via the App Store?

Regards from Australia :smile:

I understand that it is annoying. But TotalFinder needs admin rights because it copies files into system paths. I don’t want to install setuid helper for future auto-updates (that would be too big responsibility and potential security risk.) Also having standard Apple installer package is really useful for sysadmins, because they understand it and know how to automate it. Better than having bunch of homegrown random scripts.

Over last few weeks I have done really too many updates. This won’t be an issue in the future. I will commit to max 1 or 2 releases per week on beta channel. People who are already annoyed can switch to stable updates channel with updates once per month or two (by the way this is the default channel).

Anyway thanks for your care and suggestions.

Many thanks for your reply - much appreciated :smile:

OK - I understand that putting files into system paths, and needing admin rights, etc is a potential security problem.
But I also use both Hazel and Quicksilver - both of which put files in system paths - yet their updates are virtually silent.

OK - I won’t push my point any further, and I just have to repeat that I really do appreciate the product and the attention you give it. The way that updates install may be annoying to some (like me), but that is still much better than not getting updates!!! So thank you :smile:

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