AutoUpdate 2.3.3, download tomorrows updates today

An update to AutoUpdate generally means there is something else that needs updating. (Would you just update your updater just for the hell of it?)

Running the new version of AutoUpdate I was prompted to with the following dialogue box. Download Microsoft Erro 2.2.7. Oh, that’s Microsoft Error Reporting, not an error to download.

But wait a sec. Why is it downloading future updates?

How can it be downloading a 27/09/11 update today?

Must be the new Microsoft time machine updater, Download tomorrows updates today.

Reading the Office for Mac updates section of the Microsoft site I see that Microsoft Error Reporting for Mac 2.2.7 was actually released on 22 September 2011, not 27 September. So why is AutoUpdate claiming it is released tomorrow? And why does it think it is 25% bigger (2 MB vs 1.5 MB on the Microsoft site)?

Maybe I just got the special version of Microsoft AutoUpdate 2.3.3?

It appears that Apple has confused us with Austria (perhaps). Unfortunately my German isn’t good enough to read the summary or listen to the Trailer. Although it is funny to watch Will Smith and Kevin Klien dubbed into German.

Reading the reviews, it appears that it was the correct language in January, although all reviews from July warn of the language error. So something to avoid.

I wonder if having the wrong version of the movie available in iTunes Store causes licensing issues?

(Don’t believe me about the error? Have a look here.)

(Both versions listed have the same description “iTunes 10.4 now designed for OS X Lion”.)

It is about 8pm. So are they closing up, or waiting for something else?

At which point I encounter my first silly user interface feature of iTunes 10.

iTunes displays a 1 next to Apps. A mouse over sells me that means there is 1 app update available.

But which one?

If I look at my list of Apps in iTunes, none of them seem to be marked any different that the others. There is no indication which one has an update available.

How are you supposed to check which one needs updating?
The only mention of update in a menu check if iTunes needs updating.

Right clicking on the Apps only gives you the option to: Get Info, Show in Finder, or Delete
(Get Info tells you nothing about updates.)

So, what is the simple way to find out what needs updating and download updates? I really don’t want to have to go and find each App in the iTunes store again and check the version numbers. Surely there is a better way than this?

Edit 19.01.2011:
Solved my own problem. Down the right hand corner of the iTunes Apps window is a 1 Update Available link, which takes you to a iTunes store page listing the update(s) available.

So there is something that will tell you which App needs updating, it just isn’t very obvious.

Well its good to see that I am not the first person to want it. Back in 2003 Chuck Toporek wrote an iTunes store feature wish list, with bookmarking a feature high on the list. And even the idea of a wish list so people could buy you stuff.

Then I came across kirk’s suggestion of dragging out urls to make webloc files. But I really don’t want to have to file the bookmarks somewhere else. A directory of bookmarks it not that easy to manage, of space efficient.

The best idea I saw is from AgingGeek of creating a playlist in iTunes and dragging songs to it from iTunes store. That this should create a list if files you are interested in. Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to work in iTunes 9.

So it looks like we are back to the drawing board?

No, not completely. As of iTunes 9 there is a small drop down menu arrow next to the ‘buy’ button for albums and tracks, which has an ‘Add to Wish List‘ option.

So, now there is a wish list. But how do I access its contents? And where did my Shopping Cart go?

The Wish List can be access via a link (hidden) right at the bottom of each iTunes store page.

The Shopping Cart has gone. It is no more. Only 1-click shopping is offered these day in the iTunes store.

From iTunes help:

IMPORTANT:Only 1-click purchasing is available. If you were using Shopping Cart in earlier versions of iTunes, the contents of your Shopping Cart can now be found in your Wish List.

So, Apple have decided that a shopping cart gave you too much of an option to back out of purchases. And moved to only having a 1-click purchase model. Cutting down on the ummers and ahhers.

IMPORTANT:All sales are final. You can’t cancel a purchase after you click Buy or Buy Now.

Some like the new iTunes, and gave it a good review:

• Apple iTunes 9 (Donald Bell, AppleSource, 28 Sept 2009)

And others detest the new iTunes store interface:

• Bring Back the iTunes Shopping Cart! (Ted Landau, MacObserver, 29 Sept 2009)
• Can’t Drag Songs to Wish List (KMDMD, Apple Discussions, 22 Dec 2009)

Personally, I think hiding the Shopping Cart as a Wish List at the bottom of the page is a not very user friendly.

I still want a way to Bookmark songs or albums. Much like you do in a web browser. That would allow you to categorise and file your bookmarks, not have them all dumped in one list.

As the iTunes store is really just a web site (using iTunes as its browser). I don’t see why this would be hard to implement (I presume that iTunes uses the same web technology as Safari). It just requires some realisation from within for the need to change.

Q: How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Only one, but the light bulb has to want to change.

There are the occasional hicups though.

Looking at today”s temperatures on the MacBook I can see that it was a scorcher. A day you would melt in at 18-37.

Though I don’t seem to remember the day being that hot.

1. Save the template to /Users/username/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates/My Themes.
2. Restart your Mac.

I suppose these instructions are written for all the Mac switchers. To make them feel at home with Microsoft again.

You have selected a different option. Please restart you computer for the changes to take effect

Of course I ignored this instruction, and just closed PowerPoint. When reopened, PowerPoint found the theme and I was able to use it without a problem.

Now I wait for my Mac to explode. I’m sure PowerPoint Help is upset I didn’t restart the computer and wants to take revenge somehow.

It seems that Apple has taken offence to Woolworths new logo. According to Apple the stylised ‘W’ is too close in look to the Apple logo. And would confuse the general public.

If you read the Sydney Morning Herald article, Apple claims Woolies is getting fresh with new logo, about half way down you will see what the main problem is.

Woolworths has applied for a blanket trademark for the logo. Not just food and groceries, but any other product or service, including electrical goods and computers.

So I can see what Apply might object to. Someone who may try to trade in your area, with a logo that is similar.

Other articles:

• Woolworths’ logo too close to ours, says Apple (Stephen Withers, itWire, 5 Oct 2009)
  

Seems nice. You have to login to Battle.Net, and tick an ‘opt me into beta testing’ box. But I can’t seem to remember what my Battle.Net password is, and it says my credentials for getting it reset are not valid.

After some chasing details. Searching how to install StarCraft on Intel Macs. I discovered that I wasn’t actually registered on Battle.Net, just the Battle.Net you access via the game (which expires after not using it for 3 months anyway).

Along the way I found this nice guide for installing StarCraft and Diablo II on Intel Macs. And I got to play a game I haven’t for a while.

To put yourself down as a potential beta tester you need:

1. to register a Battle.Net login (and login)
2. Add a game to the Manage My Games list, using the CD key from your game
3. check the Beta Profile Settings and tick the games you want to be down to test.

After registering I found that you can download CD images of StarCraft and Brood War from the Battle.Net site. Quite nice if you still have your CD key, but lost or damage your game CDs.  You need a bit of spare bandwidth though, about 1.4 GB for StarCraft and wasn’t Diablo II in 5 CDs?.

It is also nice to see for a change that Australian games get to have a go before everyone else. Reading the StarCraft II FAQ I noticed that Australia will be in the first batch of countries offer beta testing.

When does the StarCraft II beta test start?

We don’t have an exact start date to share at this time, but note that when it does begin, we will be adding additional regions to the beta test in phases. North America, Australia, and New Zealand will be the first regions to begin beta testing, and other regions will follow afterward in phases. We will have more information to share about all of these phases in the future.

Are people starting to see the worth of Australia as a good English speaking test bed with its fast uptake of technology? Or is it just that being such a small region it was easier to set us up first?