Completely disable or remove the Mac App Store

AshleySmith06 wrote:
Well, from what I've briefly read on the web, the App Store application infiltrates your system such like a virus, and as such collects personal/private data via the scanning of files. Thus, I for one shall not be upgrading till Apple do the right thing and offer a way to disable/not install this application upon OS installation... It shouldn't be forced on us nor send packet data. That is in breach of user privacy by law.

Please kindly fix this Apple, a lot just don't want it!!

Wow, how off base is that? 🙂

Don

don montalvo wrote:

AshleySmith06 wrote:
Well, from what I've briefly read on the web, the App Store application infiltrates your system such like a virus, and as such collects personal/private data via the scanning of files. Thus, I for one shall not be upgrading till Apple do the right thing and offer a way to disable/not install this application upon OS installation... It shouldn't be forced on us nor send packet data. That is in breach of user privacy by law.

Please kindly fix this Apple, a lot just don't want it!!

Wow, how off base is that? 🙂

Don

It's not Don. Search the web and you'll find info m8.

Ashley,

Given your concerns, you should immediately disconnect from the internet
.

how about app cleaner?

Sorry Matt, but those comments don't help matters.

@Koban, that unfortunately won't help as as mentioned you are scanned immediately after reboot so cannot block that initial action, and removing using such an app can cause OS issues as it is burrowed in at system level afaik.

DeimosL wrote:
Although my own issues relate to children's access, I can also appreciate others disapproval as it is an app distributed as an OS upgrade.

If it is just an app, distribute it as such and have a separate identified option in "Software Update" and don't bundle it in an OS upgrade (something worthy of Microsoft).

Ian

If you want to complain about the direction that Apple is going in then by all means do so, but you shouldn't pretend that it's causing any problems with children's access. Even with the MAS being included as part of the OS X update access to the store requires that you enter your account name and password before you can buy anything (even if it's free), and if you sign in all you have to do is sign out when you're done.

The only way they can use your account without you doing anything is if they have your account name and password, or if they make/use their own accounts, if they are doing that then you have much bigger problems to worry about than the MAS.

AshleySmith06 wrote:
You don't even have to use it as it scans after reboot without even opening the app. To me that's spyware. 10.6.5 for me till this is solely an optional install.

Worst case scenario. Apple knows exactly what I have on my computer, including the naughty magazines, what exactly are they going to do with that information that could possibly harm me without also harming themselves?

When I launch iTunes, the iTunes Store appears as an item in the sidebar. Many people buy music from iTunes. I've opted to launch iTunes, no new item under the Apple logo, fine

That's fundamentally different from what App Store does. When it's installed and not even launched, it inserts the App Store… menu item under the Apple logo in the menubar. Everything there is strictly about my computer, not about a commercial enterprise whose sole purpose is to sell me something.

I have no problem with the App Store. If I want to go there, I will. But it shouldn't insinuate itself into the Apple menu without even being launched.

I look forward to hearing from an Apple rep should one kindly respond.

@Selcien,

What, say for example, one is working on some software as a developer yet to patent/protect it and Apple can source info on it via scanning? That's just a simple scenario, I'd hate for them to have access to information of any kind relating to any user on their systems. I'm as DeimosL and others around the globe dumfounded by said app distributed as an OS upgrade.

Anyway, best wait to hear from Apple themselves should the choose to reply.

Steve Gallagher wrote:
When I launch iTunes, the iTunes Store appears as an item in the sidebar. Many people buy music from iTunes. I've opted to launch iTunes, no new item under the Apple logo, fine

That's fundamentally different from what App Store does. When it's installed and not even launched, it inserts the App Store… menu item under the Apple logo in the menubar. Everything there is strictly about my computer, not about a commercial enterprise whose sole purpose is to sell me something.

I have no problem with the App Store. If I want to go there, I will. But it shouldn't insinuate itself into the Apple menu without even being launched.

The two are fundamentally the same. The iTunes Store is integrated into iTunes, the Mac App Store is integrated into the OS, you cannot get rid of the store in either case without also getting rid of what it's been integrated with.

AshleySmith06 wrote:
@Selcien,

What, say for example, one is working on some software as a developer yet to patent/protect it and Apple can source info on it via scanning? That's just a simple scenario, I'd hate for them to have access to information of any kind relating to any user on their systems. I'm as DeimosL and others around the globe dumfounded by said app distributed as an OS upgrade.

If Apple wanted to I'm sure that they could with or without the Mac App Store. The question is, why would they? They've opened up a Mac App Store, which will bring them a lot of software to sell people, a lot of money to make, why risk the consequences of stealing peoples work?

I'm sure Apple inserted the App Store in the Apple Menu because it compliments and belongs near SOFTWARE UPDATE in a way that iTunes does not. Also, wasn't there something there before that led to the software downloads page? I think the MAS link just replaced that. I can't remember what it said since I have now updated; but I know I hit that link a lot when I really wanted to hit software update.

That's fundamentally different from what App Store does. When it's installed and not even launched, it inserts the App Store… menu item under the Apple logo in the menubar. Everything there is strictly about my computer, not about a commercial enterprise whose sole purpose is to sell me something.

Do you have any idea what was there before the App Store item was put there? Evidently not. Prior to the App Store, that item read Mac OS X Downloads, and went to a part of Apple's web site designed to list and, in select cases, promote third-party software. Basically, to sell you something. The only difference was that it didn't sell it to you directly.

Now, the App Store has an additional function beyond just selling you stuff, and it goes beyond the Mac OS X Download page in usefulness and is even more appropriate for the Apple menu because of this: updates. It provides a mechanism for you to get centralized app updates. That's darn useful and not commercial at all.

What with the application searching out Apple products on your system already installed it's clearly scanning and sending data

What makes you believe that data about your machine is being sent anywhere? There is absolutely no reason that the App Store should send data about what apps you have anywhere... it simply finds out what versions you have so it can help you update them, and none of that requires data to be uploaded anywhere. If you are accusing Apple of purposefully installing spyware on your machine, that is a very serious accusation and undoubtedly libelous. Do you have any proof of this accusation? Do you have proof of what data, if any, is being transmitted? Such data would be easy to collect.

which IMHO is in breach of license

Have you read the license for the App Store? If so, please quote to us the relevant section that Apple is violating, along with the proof that they are violating it.

http://thenextweb.com/apple/2010/07/04/app-store-hacked/

That article seems to me to be extremely poorly-written, speculative and completely lacking in evidence. However, regardless of whether or not this is true, how on Earth does it relate? Are you suggesting that Apple is helping people hack its own store? Or are you simply suggesting that the App Store is too unsafe to use? Again, your lack of evidence for whatever accusation you're trying to put forth here is astounding.

Keep in mind that accounts on all manner of online services get hacked _all the time_. People are stupid and use passwords like "password" or "123456" and then they wonder how their accounts got hacked. This in no way implies anything about the security of the service as a whole.

Please stop spreading FUD. If you don't have any real information to share, please don't share fantasies.

@ Thomas A Reed

The REAL point of all this troubles that are arising i think is very simple:

- Why Apple didn't separate the App Store installation from the OS upgrade?
- Why Apple doesn't allow to DISINSTALL COMPLETELY the App Store thing ?

I'm a Mac user since 1994 and this is the very first time that i'm REALLY disappointed with Apple because it is acting with arrogance and lack of transparency.

I'm a Mac user since 1994 and this is the very first time that i'm REALLY disappointed with Apple because it is acting with arrogance and lack of transparency.

I've been a Mac user since 1984 and this is one of the best things I've seen from Apple.

Transparency??? From Apple??? You've got to be kidding.
Apple might be the most closed, secretive company the universe has ever seen. Based on the whole Wikileaks thing, Apple protects its data better than the DoD.
And arrogance. Yeah, that word has never been associated with Apple and Steve Jobs, ever. Nope, never seen it…except maybe every day.

acting with arrogance and lack of transparency

That might be the most accurate, concise description of their business model. A business model that has seen tremendous growth in very trying economic times.

Sorry for the rant. That just struck me as oddly funny.

Barney-15E wrote:
I've been a Mac user since 1984 and this is one of the best things I've seen from Apple.

Despite in these recent years the concept of "freedom" was really changed in its substance, you are free to enjoy the app store &c and me i am free to stay away from it and, hopefully, from Apple in the next years if will be confirmed this behaviour as a standard.

Anyway my questions are still there waiting an answer.

elche99 wrote:
* Why Apple didn't separate the App Store installation from the OS upgrade?
* Why Apple doesn't allow to DISINSTALL COMPLETELY the App Store thing ?