I think this method of download is a bad idea.

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hello,
I'm a software developer myself, and I think you guys are making a big mistake 
here.  One of the reasons I am using my Mac running Snow Leopard a lot more 
than my Windows based systems is because of the security and control I get over 
what gets installed on my Mac Pro.  

I was about to download Google Earth for the Mac, and then I got the pop-up box 
telling me that Google Update was going to be installed and I HAD to install it.

Big, big mistake.  I'm not going to install Google Earth now.  If you want 
people to use your software, you should provide a method where we can "opt out" 
and choose to download manually.  I do not want anything running pulling down 
updates and installing them.  Especially something running as a "daemon" 
process.  

I think you should work with Apple and use the software update utility that is 
built into Snow Leopard.

Also, it is kind of annoying that you guys push "Chrome" with downloads now.  
If I want Chrome, I will download Chrome.  I don't need it automatically 
"pushed" to me, unless I uncheck a box.

Sincerely,
Mike

Original issue reported on code.google.com by thecodin...@gmail.com on 13 Feb 2011 at 8:32

[GoogleCodeExporter]

[deleted comment]

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I am just a common Mac user, but I completely agree with this posting. 

I am concerned about user control over the applications that run on one's 
computer - and I mean common users being able to decide without having to 
possess much technical knowledge. Forcing users to accept unnecessary (and in 
this case, undesired) background processes is therefore something I agree to 
label as "bad practice" (in reference to comments under Issue 22).

I have been moving away from Windows precisely because of the accumulation of 
undesired background processes that slow down the system and am not prepared to 
have the same happen with my Mac. Therefore I am not going to install Google 
Earth while the Update Engine remains mandatory luggage.

I say this with regret, because I find Google Earth very useful and, speaking 
now as an Earth Observation professional, think it has achieved great things in 
helping us see things differently.

Original comment by inti.tru...@gmail.com on 17 Mar 2011 at 11:38

[GoogleCodeExporter]

[deleted comment]

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I'm somewhat surprised to find this coming from Google, I must say. Perhaps I'm 
somewhat naive, and perhaps I should reconsider my increasing use of Google 
applications in general, but I do expect more "Transparency and Choice" (as 
states the title of your Privacy Center page). 

With regard to transparency, the "HowDoesUpdateEngineWork" video and wiki page 
both lack an explanation of what it will mean for the user to have the program 
running in the background. How will it affect the user's everyday experience? 
These publications are good at providing a general idea of how the software 
connects to a server to check for available updates, but provide no information 
on how it decides to run and what this implies for the user, let alone any 
mention on how to oversee and control it. 

One has to recur to user comments in order to find out that there is "no way to 
turn off Update Engine if one does not want it" (Issue 22) and that it "pops up 
every hour" (Issue 25).

And with regard to choice... Well, no choice is given!

Original comment by inti.tru...@gmail.com on 18 Mar 2011 at 12:37

[GoogleCodeExporter]

A possible solution could involve the following:

1) Provide the option to install Update Engine or not, informing of its 
advantages. Users would thus still have the choice to update manually if 
desired.

2) Once installed, provide the option to launch at startup and run in the 
background as a daemon process, or run on demand (e.g. through the Help menu or 
by launching an update management application).

3) Always provide clear and easy access to a user preference panel controlling 
the latter option, among other relevant configuration preferences.

"Automatic update notification should be a user preference, not a required, 
perpetually running background process." (Issue 22, comment 8)

With the best intentions,
Hope this helps.

Original comment by inti.tru...@gmail.com on 18 Mar 2011 at 12:38