10-02-2009, 06:08 PM

I got up this morning and logged onto my computer to find a Growl notification in the top right corner of my screen. Not knowing what this was I Googled it. I found hundreds of very positive, yet suspicious sounding, reports about how wonderful Growl is and how everyone thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread. What concerns me is that I have no idea how it got installed on my computer. I suspect it was installed along with something else that I did intend to install. This is scary, like back when I used Windows and things would myteriously get installed. The preference pane showed that it was set to work with Firefox and Dropbox. I recently installed Dropbox and that is my first thought as to how it got on my computer. Anyone have any ideas on how I may have unknowingly installed this?

Thanks

10-02-2009, 06:11 PM

Here is some info about Growl:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growl_(software)

If you do not like it, download a little free application called AppTrap and install. Then simply drag Growl to the Trash and AppTrap removes all preference and other files left behind. Get it here:-

AppTrap

10-02-2009, 06:12 PM

I believe Dropbox does indeed use Growl.

10-02-2009, 11:17 PM

If I remember right, Adium installs Growl.

10-04-2009, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by kentsb

The preference pane showed that it was set to work with Firefox and Dropbox. I recently installed Dropbox and that is my first thought as to how it got on my computer. Anyone have any ideas on how I may have unknowingly installed this?

Mine specifies DropBox, Firefox, iCab, MuchoThumbs, StuffitExpander, Transmit. I dit that knowingly but frankly ignore if it is useful or not

10-04-2009, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by cradom

If I remember right, Adium installs Growl.

According to this Adium wiki page, it will ask to install it if it is not installed.

To the OP, do you have Adium installed?

10-01-2010, 04:29 PM

I too saw this message first time today. I installed dropbox 3 days ago.

10-01-2010, 05:27 PM

According to the Growl website, not only does Growl get installed by Dropbox but will be reinstalled upon launch on every launch. There are instructions there if you don't want that to happen.

10-02-2010, 06:12 AM

Originally Posted by vansmith

According to the Growl website, not only does Growl get installed by Dropbox but will be reinstalled upon launch on every launch. There are instructions there if you don't want that to happen.

Thanks Vansmith, congratulations. The reply and opt-out effective solution is indeed on the Growl website where you suggest above while the Dropbox website is very much silent about this.

There is an equivalent thread on the Dropbox forum Unsolicited software installation Dropbox Forums

I installed Growl first (probably with Transmit, but am not sure), and like the way it tells me things are going on on uploads I am doing. So the Growl behavior with Dropbox (which I installed later) and the way it tells me what is going on on folders I share and on resulting downloads into my Dropbox folder do not surprise me and is welcome to me.