Uninstalling programs

Can I just drag the icon off the dock into the trash? Whats the right way to do it?

in order to delete a program you want to go into your applications folder and then drag the file or folder containing the files into the trash. then drag your dock icon onto your desktop and watch as it turns into a puff of smoke. then empty your garbage

Thanks a lot.

Is there a better way then that, surely that cant properly remove everything?

i think every app should have a unistaller or Apple should make a uninstall utility

that truely is all of it... everything is stored in that program file, and if you don't believe me you can right click on the file and click so package contents.. everything the program needs is in there... it does write one library preference file but you don't need to worry about that as it can not cause problem and takes up almost no space.. if you absolutely want to delete it you can do so by going to library/prefferences

Welcome to the easy world of mac.

No opening your control panel, opening program applications, waiting FOREVER for the system to make a count of all the programs, hitting the "uninstall" button, waiting ten minutes for the system just to prepare the uninstall, and restarting your computer.

Just drag it into the trash can.

applepissue said:

Is there a better way then that, surely that cant properly remove everything?

i think every app should have a unistaller or Apple should make a uninstall utility

Click to expand...

After having read another thread where you posted pretty much this same statement, it appears that you are upset because uninstalling an App it too easy. That has to be the dumbest thing I have heard in a while. In fact, you called the process of simply dragging an App to the trash and emptying "silly and Lame" IIRC. I wonder if you have any clue how stupid that statement makes you sound. Apple doesn't include an unistaller utility because, and this is the key, none is needed

There are a few things left when you do this, but they have no impact on the system. Things such as Prefs or .plst files may be left behind, but they don't interfere with anything else and simply take up a bit of space on the drive. The fact is that simply dragging and dropping IS the easiest and most efficient way to get rid of a program on a Mac, and no uninstaller is required because of the nature of the system and the fact that Apps don't throw files hither and yon over the OS like they do in Windows. Some Apps do include uninstaller, but they are not required, they are simply a hold over from the Windows version of an App, and the designers have opted to port them with the App so rocket scientist such as yourself can feel better when uninstalling an App, the rest of us just drag, drop, empty and go.

I hope this isn't a dumb question, but if it is please bear with me. I'm not yet a Mac user, but will be buying one soon.

Can someone comment on the quote from this web site please ....

http://www.macworld.com/2005/01/features/securityfeaturetestreport/index.php

"In the case of Norton Personal Firewall, we were able to stop the memory process but unable to remove the program from the hard drive. However, even Norton’s own uninstaller could not remove the program; we had to download a new uninstaller from the Symantec support site."

How can a program file be hard to remove, unless the installation made some (permanent?) change to the OS?

Norton is not a good application at all and I would not recommend it. Norton is one of those programs that embeds itself in the os. It changes things on the menu bar, adds stuff the the preferences pane, starts its self at start up with out you asking it too. etc, etc. It can be un-installed but like they said you really need to download the new un-installer for that to happen other wise is permanently on your system. They did a really bad job making that software, and its the same way with anything from them, windows or non-windows.

BlindingLights said:

No opening your control panel, opening program applications, waiting FOREVER for the system to make a count of all the programs, hitting the "uninstall" button, waiting ten minutes for the system just to prepare the uninstall, and restarting your computer.

Just drag it into the trash can.

Click to expand...

I love it!. Simplicity.

Norton way back when was a very good product. I don't know when they really went bad, but for sure 2003 on the PC had problems, and the uninstaller broke the registery on a few systems I had to fix causing Winsock to stop working and no internet! I stopped using Norton ever since that day and will never use it again.

Wait a minute, why would you need Norton on Macs? To protect yourself from what... THREE VIRUSES?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I've been using my mac without Norton and what do I have? NOTHING! I'm completely clean, buddy.

Plus, around 2003, Symantec's antivirus went WAAAAAAY downhill. But, It's still better than Mc
Affee... lol

applepissue said:

Is there a better way then that, surely that cant properly remove everything?

i think every app should have a unistaller or Apple should make a uninstall utility

Click to expand...

LOL, did applepissue get banned for /that/?

Kar98 said:

LOL, did applepissue get banned for /that/?

Click to expand...

Ouch, did not notice he was banned. <shrug> I did not see anything that merited banning, or even censure in my opinion. Maybe the moderators deleted the offending post?

Kokopelli said:

Ouch, did not notice he was banned. <shrug> I did not see anything that merited banning, or even censure in my opinion. Maybe the moderators deleted the offending post?

Click to expand...

Nah, turns out he babbled endlessly about the same topic in some other thread where he was much more, uhm, outspoken? about the the lack of a more complex uninstall routine and that his "networking guys" all use W. etc etc

Yep, I was the counterpoint on that thread.

I suppose I had not really been bothered by his opinion yet. I was never good at spoting trolls or leaving them alone.

To make it so this post is not COMPLETELY off topic.... There is one thing I would like: Some way to distinguish or warn when an application needs an uninstall routine run on it or should not be moved. While it is not common, a significant minority of apps do need an uninstaller run, I have a folder in apps called "uninstall" for uninstallers or special instructions now. but prior to getting into thus habit I installed a lot of things to try them out, at least a couple needed uninstallers. So now for the oldest apps I end up going to the site, downloading the app again, and making sure it does not have an uninstaller.

A Little mark in the corner of the icon would be fine, or something.

Then there are the unmovable apps, iWork, iLife, and Safari. I like organizing my apps folder and move stuff periodically. When Apple does their auto update though it updates in the default location (specified by receipts I think). So I have to keep the apps in the folder Apple put them in, which I would prefer not to have to do. As an example I just noticed a partial Safari update sitting in Applications from an update when my current location fro Safari is Appliations/Web. Not a terribly big deal but I would think Apple could take moving the app into acount.

i think i read somewhere once that if a program is installed using an installer it should be removed using an uninstaller as well. i dont remember where that is from though.

i agree with you kokopelli with the moving of applications i like some subfolders to organize some types of applications for me. like dvd burning stuff, games etc. etc. etc.

coach_z said:

i think i read somewhere once that if a program is installed using an installer it should be removed using an uninstaller as well. i dont remember where that is from though.

Click to expand...

Yes, that is the case. I am being bitten by my own lack of attention. Since there is no indicator or way of knowing that "application X" had an installer I need to confirm that they don't. This is not a big deal for an app I installed in the last month or so, but go back a year and I will be darned if I can remember whether I did an install routine. That is why I argue there should be some indicator in the app icon saying that an uninstall routine is needed. Not all apps with installers would honor this system, but by Apple using the receipts folder to note app with ununistallers it would at least be a little easier.

heck, how about some ingenious code written saying that when dragged to the trash or when the trash is emptied the uninstaller runs itself. now that would be nice.

I do something similar to what you are both speaking of, but I simply use an Alias, and then keep the folder in question (say Internet Apps) in the dock with the original folder inside my Documents folder. This way the Apple updates apply to the original version of Safari (still in my Apps folder), the Aliases never break and I never have to move Apps around and they are accessible as I desire.

In my experience, many Apps that use an installer, do not need the uninstaller. I have deleted numerous examples without ever running the uninstaller App with no ill effects. One obvious example of this is M$ office that gives you the drag and drop as well as the installer option. It gives you an uninstaller as well, but it is not needed.