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app store question
#34481 05/30/15 03:39 PM
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jchuzi Online OP
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When I first got my iMac (Yosemite installed), the App Store link (found via the Apple menu) notified me when updates were available. Now, that doesn't happen. I find out about them when I go to MacUpdate or VersionTracker. When I launch App Store and click Updates, I do see the ones that are available.

I noticed that the Debug menu of App Store has an option to reset the application. If I do this, will that restore the original showing of the number of available updates? What are the consequences of resetting App Store?


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: app store question
jchuzi #34483 05/30/15 04:13 PM
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  1. App store update notices are not "pushed" to your Mac like a message, instead your Mac checks for updates once a day. So it is entirely possible an update may appear in the app store just after your Mac checks resulting in at least a 24 hour delay before you know about it through the App Store.
  2. There two versions of many (most?) apps in the App Store, one for direct release from the developer which may or may not fully conform to Apple's standards and one for App Store release that does conform with Apple's licensing, version checking, and operating standards.
  3. Because Apple insists on vetting updates before making them available in the App Store (and sometimes rejecting updates for a variety of reasons) there can be a delay of days or weeks between the release of the non-App Store and App Store versions.
  4. The update notices that appear on MacUpdate and other sites may not be the App Store version.
  5. Those sites rely on the developers to notify them of an update and the developer may jump the gun assuming Apple acceptance, and you know what happens when you assume.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: app store question
jchuzi #34484 05/30/15 04:42 PM
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Originally Posted By: jchuzi
I noticed that the Debug menu of App Store has an option to reset the application. ... What are the consequences of resetting App Store?

FWIW, while some say to be careful with the Debug menu options, here's what Topher K. says about it (albeit re a pre-Yosemite version): Make use of the Mac App Store debug menu. Note that joemikeb's comments still apply.


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Re: app store question
joemikeb #34485 05/30/15 04:57 PM
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Joe,

My issue isn't with third-party apps, but with Apple software updates, such as Pages, Numbers, Yosemite updates, etc. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I have App Store preferences (that is, the App Store pref pane in System Preferences) set to Automatically check for updates. The only other box that is checked is Install system data files and security updates. I just noticed that the setting in OnyX is to check for updates once every 7 days. I changed it to once each day. We'll see if that makes any difference.

Artie,

Thanks for the link. I don't want to mess with resetting App Store until I know what will happen


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: app store question
jchuzi #34487 05/30/15 10:43 PM
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That was alternaut who posted the link, Jon.

(You're stuck in VersionTracker, aren't you...second time in two or three days that you've referenced it.)

Edit: PS: I miss that site, too! frown

Last edited by artie505; 05/30/15 10:52 PM.

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

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Re: app store question
artie505 #34488 05/30/15 11:01 PM
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Originally Posted By: artie505
That was alternaut who posted the link, Jon.

(You're stuck in VersionTracker, aren't you...second time in two or three days that you've referenced it.)

Edit: PS: I miss that site, too! frown
Oops! That'll teach me to pay attention. I find Version Tracker and MacUpdate to be useful, although I don't download anything from them, but go to the developer's website.

Alternaut:

A belated thanks! blush


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: app store question
jchuzi #34489 05/30/15 11:40 PM
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Maybe it's me? I thought VersionTracker was long gone...replaced by CNET's own functionality.

A Google search comes up negative, and all my old VT bookmarks link/ed to (often incorrect) CNET pages. (I deleted all that weren't convertible to MacUpdate bookmarks).

Have I missed something?

I d/l directly from MacUpdate in almost all instances. My understanding is that their d/l buttons are direct links to the developers' d/l sites.

Edit: As things stand now, I'd NEVER consider clicking on ANY button on CNET's website!

Last edited by artie505; 05/30/15 11:48 PM.

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: app store question
artie505 #34491 05/30/15 11:47 PM
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Version Tracker is, indeed, CNET. I called it VT because my original bookmark (started who-knows-how-long-ago) is called Version Tracker. If you're old enough, you may still call Memorial Day by its old name, Decoration Day. Also, Veterans Day was once called Armistice Day.

Old habits die hard!


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: app store question
artie505 #34492 05/31/15 01:55 AM
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Originally Posted By: artie505
all my old VT bookmarks link/ed to (often incorrect) CNET pages.

Until last summer (sometime in late July to be more precise) the old versiontracker.com URL autoforwarded to CNet’s download.com. When that stopped, it took me a day or two to realize what had happened. To me the the loss of that functionality truly was the last nail in VT’s coffin. frown

Originally Posted By: jchuzi
If you're old enough, you may still call Memorial Day by its old name, Decoration Day.

In that case you may also be one of the relative few who observe the National Moment of Remembrance at 3PM local time, even though that’s only legally required since December 2000 (aka the early days of the MacFixIt forums). tongue


But I digress... smirk


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Re: app store question
alternaut #34493 05/31/15 06:23 AM
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You sound like you experienced a sudden, total failure of all your VT bookmarks, but that wasn't my experience.

After getting odd results from clicking on some VT bookmarks I went through my entire list in one sitting (sometime last fall/winter) and found that some were still functional while others took me to different, unrelated apps. (It seemed strange to me that CNET would re-use the numbers of apps that were no longer "hosted" by them, but lots of stuff they've done has seemed strange to me.)

It was at that point that I searched MacUpdate and replaced all my VT bookmarks, but my real impetus for ditching CNET was their malware browser toolbar with which you can be saddled by a misguided click on one of their d/l pages. frown mad


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: app store question
artie505 #34497 05/31/15 03:09 PM
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Originally Posted By: artie505
You sound like you experienced a sudden, total failure of all your VT bookmarks, but that wasn't my experience.
... my real impetus for ditching CNET was their malware browser toolbar ...

No, I wasn’t referring to original VT software page links, but to the main VT portal. Since that was taken down after CNet’s takeover, ‘versiontracker.com’ autoforwarded to CNet’s download.com. Again, I’m talking about the respective main page(s) here. Since last July versiontracker.com dead-ends, but the domain still exists, as may various software links.

As I’m sure you know, the adware you referred to was discussed here at several occasions, including the threads Issues with MacUpdate and CNet's Download.com and Oh, CNet, how low can you go? For those readers who aren’t familiar with this issue, they merit revisiting, because CNet still distributes this crap.


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Re: app store question
alternaut #34500 05/31/15 09:40 PM
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I looked at CNET's page a coupl'a times after VersionTracker's demise, hated pretty much everything about, and switched to MacUpdate almost immediately, retaining only my bookmarks which I finally updated at the end of last year.

Thanks for posting the links.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: app store question
artie505 #34501 05/31/15 10:50 PM
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Originally Posted By: artie505
I looked at CNET's page a coupl'a times after VersionTracker's demise, hated pretty much everything about, and switched to MacUpdate ...

The problem with that is that the catalogs of the two sites overlap, but aren’t identical. Some software titles are only listed at CNet’s download.com, and some publishers may refer you exclusively to CNet for download. If that doesn’t affect you, so much the better. But if it does, that's where you go. At least you can avoid the adware if you know what to look for. crazy


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Re: app store question
alternaut #34502 05/31/15 11:49 PM
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Originally Posted By: alternaut
Originally Posted By: artie505
I looked at CNET's page a coupl'a times after VersionTracker's demise, hated pretty much everything about, and switched to MacUpdate ...

The problem with that is that the catalogs of the two sites overlap, but aren’t identical. Some software titles are only listed at CNet’s download.com, and some publishers may refer you exclusively to CNet for download. If that doesn’t affect you, so much the better. But if it does, that's where you go. At least you can avoid the adware if you know what to look for. crazy

Good point. I realize that, but all my apps, installed and bookmarked, all of which originally came from VersionTracker, are listed on MacUpdate, and although I may, of course, be missing out on new offerings that are listed on CNET and not VT MU I've go no inclination to go through both lists every day looking for pie in the sky, particularly in view of the fact that there are still other d/l websites that may have still different offerings. (And under any circumstances, there hasn't been a new Snowy compatible app, utility, update, or upgrade in ages.)

If I'm looking for something in particular and Google directs me to CNET, so be it, but otherwise...good riddance!

Last edited by artie505; 06/01/15 04:38 AM.

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire

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