Don’t Update Everything

Don’t Update Everything
Mac Tip#67/14-Aug-2002

This week’s Tip is for users of Mac OS X.

Last week I pointed out that your (recent) Mac can update your Apple software for you.

One of my readers (thanks Wayne) pointed out that this automatic update feature has a security flaw which could allow non-Apple malicious updates to take place. While there is no evidence of this having actually happened it is a theoretical concern.

If this concerns you, you can download relevant software. [Update 2009: the link no longer works and has been removed.]

If however you are happily updating your Apple software you’ll notice at some point that it offers you all kinds of “language” updates.

If you use Korean or Finnish languages then go ahead and install these, but if like me you have no need of those items then you don’t need to install them.

In the list of available updates you simply don’t check the ones you don’t need.

Moreover, you can highlight the ones you don’t want and choose Make Inactive from the Updates menu item. Software Update will stop bugging you about any updates marked Inactive.