Perpetual "Background Items Added"

Thanks for all the information. The strange thing about this is that it only appeared when I migrated my data from a MacBook Pro to a new MacBook Air. When I go back to the Pro, the notifications do not show up, just on the Air--both running Ventura 13.1. I'm not sure it's worth starting a new thread as others seem to be having a similar problem. I'll wait for the next software update.

I just rebooted after several days...and immediately had 15, repeat 15 of these notifications. Most of these do not even appear in the Log in Items in System Settings. This is such nonsense and bad programming and is appaling. I too sit and wait for a fix because no one has come up with anything on here yet to solve this.

I think I will follow you because you seem to have the right attitude. Been an exclusive Mac user since 1985, and am continually frustrated by feature fuddle and how System Prefs seems to be the neverending story. Could you share why you are reluctant to give ways to obtain app signatures (those are the developers’ bona fixes, right) and how they can be important?. Thanks.

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It has taken me 25 years to learn to wait 6-8 months before upgrading the new MacOS, formerly OSX (until Tim 15 months ago told us to call it MacOS, like it was in the early 2000s). The reason is because of a half-dozen or so video and audio apps that do not upgrade their own software fast enough to be compatible with the latest version of Apple operating system. Be well.

Jed Fish Gould wrote:

Could you share why you are reluctant to give ways to obtain app signatures (those are the developers’ bona fixes, right) and how they can be important?

I have been publishing information from app signatures for several years. But in my case, I also include the associated plist configuration files and any associated data files to help users identify exactly which apps are responsible.

I've seen many people confused by the limited information that Apple provides.

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I've been reluctant to provide an interface to disable background launch agents and launch daemons like Apple has done.

It has taken me 25 years to learn to wait 6-8 months before upgrading the new MacOS, formerly OSX (until Tim 15 months ago told us to call it MacOS, like it was in the early 2000s). The reason is because of a half-dozen or so video and audio apps that do not upgrade their own software fast enough to be compatible with the latest version of Apple operating system.

I do the same thing. I'm still running Monterey on my primary computer and will continue to do so until May or June next year. I regularly use my older computer running Ventura too, just so I know what my users are dealing with. After June, I'll be running macOS 14 on that so I know what people will be dealing with in the future. I strongly recommend that anyone who uses a Mac for their livelihood to do likewise.

Barney-15E wrote:

I think it is because he can’t suggest you use his software on this forum.

That's only part of it. I've got some other conspiracy theory angles too.

I do fault Apple for not providing a better interface. And I will take the opportunity to explain how I would, and have, done it better. But to be clear, I do agree with Apple's ultimate goal. The world is changing. Things have been going great for several years and lots of people want to put an end to that. They will be successful. In response, Apple has been acting much more aggressively in certain areas. My recommendation is to trust people like Apple. Don't trust then based on what they say, but based on what they've done. Notably, Apple says very little and does an awful lot to support and empower its users. As someone once said, "by their works you shall know them."

Same here. It's ridiculous.

Half of the items on my list are unknown to me — it would help if there was some info — like which software relies on which background item.

I decided to turn some off — and the problem got worse !!!

I turned some off to see what would happen.

The problem was worse.

Turning them back on and it's worse than before I experimented.

I realise they have always been there.

Still — having items called John Seward or Jon Stovell is no help at all.

As a result, the feature is absolutely 100% useless. And irritating.

Phantom Steve wrote:

Still — having items called John Seward or Jon Stovell is no help at all.

You are supposed to Google those names. They are the names of developers who paid $99 to join the Apple Developer program but don’t have enough credentials to get a business account.

Well, if you own any Microsoft products, it’s obvious the developer can include lots of detailed information in there background process, Microsoft Autoupdate or Microsoft Licensing Agent.

Maybe the developers will start updating their signing certificates to at least provide useful information.

Barney-15E wrote:

That’s easy. I don’t install it because it is most likely crapware.

It's easy if you can choose what software you want to run. In my case, my employer makes the choice for me. When they decided to stop using GoToMeeting, they made us use MS Teams instead. OneDrive has been a constant, and earlier versions used to work okay, but no longer. I agree it is crapware, it does not function as advertised (very little that Microsoft puts out does, hope I can say that here)... but my only choice other than installing it on my home machine is to not work from home at all.

but my only choice other than installing it on my home machine is to not work from home at all.

I guess there's that, but I wouldn't do work on my personal computer. I would require the company provide me with a computer to work from home.

Using your personal computer for work leaves it liable to search should your employer be sued or criminally investigated.

I guess there's that, but I wouldn't do work on my personal computer. I would require the company provide me with a computer to work from home.

They're a university, and no way would they do that - they haven't the resources to provide faculty with a second computer to take home. I have had their computer at home before - but because of their security measures, it is much less convenient to use there and lugging it back and forth is unacceptably cumbersome.

Using your personal computer for work leaves it liable to search should your employer be sued or criminally investigated.

Of course, but that's a chance I'm willing to take. I do not store sensitive documents on the local machine - even the one at work - except in OneDrive, and then only as long as they are needed. That's one reason it's important to me to get OneDrive working properly. The currently supported version does not seem to work properly under Ventura. If I cannot solve this on my own I will get our IT department involved after the holiday break.

If you have to install something that comes on a package installer, but no uninstaller, you can use Suspicious Package to view what and where items will be installed.

Interesting. I've never heard of Mothers Ruin Software. How do I know I can trust that their product doesn't contain malware?

elisatems wrote:

If you have to install something that comes on a package installer, but no uninstaller, you can use Suspicious Package

to view what and where items will be installed.

Interesting. I've never heard of Mothers Ruin Software. How do I know I can trust that their product doesn't contain malware?

How do you know any developer's software doesn't contain Malware?

One easy way to tell is it is a self-contained app (i.e., doesn't need an installer), and it doesn't run any install on first run.

Any app that doesn't ask for your admin password pretty much can't do anything malicious.

elisatems wrote:

Interesting. I've never heard of Mothers Ruin Software. How do I know I can trust that their product doesn't contain malware?

That's what this part is for:

When you see that, you know you can trust the recommendation.

Also, you can simply go to the Mother's Ruin web site and read the About page:

Mothers Ruin Software is the nom de guerre of one Randy Saldinger, a Seattle-based independent — and completely unpaid — developer of macOS software.

I've been using macOS since 1988 — when it was called System 6. I've been developing for macOS since 2003 — when it was called Mac OS X. I worked on the macOS Engineering team at Apple from Snow Leopard through Mavericks — when it was called OS X.

Since leaving Apple, I've been “temporarily” retired — anything is possible, but don't hold your breath — and continuing to develop for macOS to the extent it entertains me. I don't make money from this endeavor in any way, so have the luxury to do what interests me and ignore the rest.

Of course, anyone can say anything on the internet. But this is a well-known product for several years. What is fascinating is how many people will accept any number of scam products without any history, about page, or community support. As the very name suggests, it is good to be suspicious. But it seems like people are only suspicious of the people they shouldn't be and never those that merit it.