It took me some time to get MAS working correctly (see my thread in the OS X 10.6 forum) but I have come to really like the convenience of MAS. Some of the salient features are:
  • Pro
    1. After purchasing an application, it can be redownloaded as many times as needed but all trace of the app has to be removed from the system including any copies on other mounted volumes before redownloading will be allowed. If you also use Time Machine this obviates any need to keep download backups.
    2. The app can be downloaded and installed on up to five "authorized" Macs at no additional cost. Ie. all purchases are essentially "family pack".
    3. The entire purchase and install process could not be easier. Tracking and obtaining updates for MAS purchases is easy to do especially for the technophobe
  • Con
    1. Moving a downloaded App to another folder requires admin password authorization
    2. There is no "trial" download and install available
    3. The entire purchase and install process could not be easier -- perhaps leading to spending more money on apps than you intended
  • Wish List
    1. I wish some of the more popular open source apps such as NeoOffice, and GIMP were included, but that might create some nasty licensing issues.
    2. I wish trial downloads were possible
    3. I wish some of the application descriptions were more fulsome. It is hard to figure out what some of them do and the screenshots are often not that much help.

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

— Albert Einstein