@Doc Maynard; @Shylocxs: The web page you listed here is the one where I foudn error code -1100 to mean that 'The Requested File Does Not Exist'. So I'd already figured it wasn't quite a DNS error in the first place.
I think what happens is this (purely structural; underlying procedings may be completely different):
- User opens the App Store and heads to the Updates tab
- Mac sends list of installed apps to Apple and waits for a certain file (e.g. a version listing)
- this is where things go wrong: the system cannot receive the requested file and generates the message.
If things are actually happening along these lines, then that would explain the specific error code. Anyhow, I do indeed think that it's better for us all just to wait for a fix.
I tried all 'fixes' mentioned here, thogh none by carrying out destructive measures. Unfortunately, none of them worked for me, so I have reversed everything to the way it was beforehand.
For those of you who want to know: OS X Lion (10.7) is also affected, albeit in a different way. Users in the Netherlands are reporting seeing the very same code mentioned here when launching Software Update through [Apple] > Software Update ... in the menu.
Although Software update doesn't run through the App Store in any way in versions before Mountain Lion, it seems that talkback happens through the same connection (i.e. to the same server) for software updates. So this would strengthen my thought that this error be caused by a server-side issue with Apple. Also, it clarifies why I AM able to download new Apps, yet am UNABLE to update existing (system) software.