Re: Implementing Software Update into apps.

FROM : Finlay Dobbie
DATE : Sun Jan 13 15:46:31 2002

On Sunday, January 13, 2002, at 02:32  pm, T.G. McLean wrote:

>     Is it possible to use Software Update (SWU) as the updating
> front-end for your app?

No.

> The only doc I was able to find was a little dated
> (http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn1191.html).  It seems to
> give the impression that SWU is only for Apple system software or
> third-party device-driver builders...

Well no... It's only for Apple's use. It's an Apple utility that talks
to Apple servers and downloads Apple software.

>  but we all know that's not true, since IE often appears in the panel
> for updating.  (Is buying part of Apple corporate a prerequisite? ; ) )

No... IE is shipped with Mac OS X, so it's psuedo-system software. Same
with the printer driver updates. Microsoft, Epson and HP all have ties
with Apple, and Apple considers them important (nobody will take you
seriously these days without a web browser, printer drivers are a must
for the home user market, etc).

> Any ideas or experience?

There were plans to make a community-based one, see
http://sourceforge.net/projects/vtaus, but nothing ever materialised.
Omni seems to be working on their own software update architecture (as
of OmniWeb 4.1), which I presume they will make open-source like the
rest of their frameworks?

  -- Finlay