There's a worm in that Apple...

[Intuit]

http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/browsers/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207400701

The Apple out of my eye.  Install'n stuff right beneath your adam's apple without'cha know'n it.  Boy that about turns your Apple Juice into Cider and make ya want to go bobb'n for Apples don't it ?  /joking

Seriously, they need to get a little more clever about how they do things.  Microsoft uses it for performance related purposes which happens to have another benefit as well...

[VorLonUK]

I do use Itunes and Like it, but the Apple AutoUpdater is in your face. I could have sworn I have disabled the service and later find whilst playing a game on-line, the Apple AutoUpdater takes over the Desktop and the game goes to tray.

One thing that is a bit out of order by Apple, is that for ages the AutoUpdater would have two Software Apps that would normally show when an update was in the offering. 1) Was Itunes and 2) Was Quicktime.
The last time I got interupted by the AutoUpdater was a few days ago and if it wasn't that i had read about Safari on here, i wouldn't have had a clue as to what "this" download was all about.
I have no doubt people are just checcking the update boxes and installing safari without a clue as to waht it is and what it does. I haven't tried it for myself yet, so i don't know how invasive it is, ie if it wants to add extra uneccessary apps too. One thing that does annoy me is the Nero Updates having the option to Install The "Ask" search tool bar feature. Seeing that Nero is paid for software, I'm not sure as to why they do this...