Software Update
Few operating-system ideas are simpler or better than this one: whenever Apple improves or fixes one of the innumerable software pieces that make up Mac OS X, the Software Update program can notify you, download the update, and install it into your system automatically. These updates may include new versions of programs like iPhoto and iMovie; drivers for newly released printers, scanners, cameras, and such; bug fixes and security patches; and so on.
Figure 9-13. When Software Update finds an appropriate software morsel, it offers to install it automatically by presenting this dialog box. Apple has always created updated and bug-fixing versions of its software components, but they don't do you any good if you don't know about them. You no longer have to scour Mac news Web sites to discover that one of these components has been released and then hunt down the software itself.
Software Update doesn't run rampant through your system software, however. It's quietly respectful. For example, Software Update doesn't download the new software without asking your permission first and explicitly telling you what it plans to install, as shown in Figure 9-13.
Update Software Tab
For maximum effortlessness, turn on the "Check for updates" checkbox and then select a frequency from the pop-up menu—daily, weekly, or monthly. If you also turn on "Download important updates in the background," ...
Get Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Tiger Edition now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
