Uuuugh... MacUpdate.com now owned by the MacKeeper developer.

[Lifeisabeach]

I saw this blurb via the DetectX website and yep, it's true. MacUpdate.com is now owned by Clario, a company who also now owns the much-dreaded MacKeeper software that has been such a headache on multiple levels. MU was already spiraling downhill, having been caught in the past bundling adware in downloads that they themselves were hosting apart from the legit developer.

MacUpdate joins forces with Clario

www.macupdate.com

 

[Applescrumpy]

I remember the days of MacCentral which was always a reliable source of new Mac software announcements. I think it redirects to MacWorld now?

 

[toMACsh]

I remember subscribing to MacUser back in the day. I got lots of little apps from them, on a CD!

 

[chscag]

I remember subscribing to MacUser back in the day. I got lots of little apps from them, on a CD!

I had accumulated two or three of those free CDs they gave away with a subscription renewal. Most of the free apps were obscure games or apps. I don't remember if I ever used any of them.

I did not renew my subscription to Macworld or MacLife as both magazines have become filled with ads and recommendations to buy or use apps from their advertisers. Macworld went to all digital subscriptions some years ago. MacLife is still available on paper although they also sell a digital subscription.

 

[Rod]

I was a MacUser Subscriber myself, I think I got my first version of Prince of Persia from one of their free CD's. I have stayed well clear of MacUpdate.com for years. They became infamous for packaging unwanted and sometime malicious software along with their downloads so it's no surprise that the owners of MacKeeper would would add them to their stable of invasive apps.
I seem to remember spending a frustrating afternoon about 5 years ago ridding my previous MBP of the MacUpdate Download and Update Manager app, not unlike MacKeeper in tenacity.

 

[NSMacGuru]

It's been several years since I considered MacUpdate safe to use. They began bundling adware / malware with their downloads. I thought it was common knowledge that these kinds of software update central sites were untrustworthy.

And Apple received so much flack for building their own, curated, App store... imagine that.

Between the App Store and for those Apps where you can go directly to the Developer page - why would anyone risk using these third-party sites?

 

[Lifeisabeach]

It's been several years since I considered MacUpdate safe to use. They began bundling adware / malware with their downloads. I thought it was common knowledge that these kinds of software update central sites were untrustworthy.

And Apple received so much flack for building their own, curated, App store... imagine that.

Between the App Store and for those Apps where you can go directly to the Developer page - why would anyone risk using these third-party sites?

I've long relied on MacUpdate to find software to fill a certain task, and for comparisons to what I may be using. It's long been exceptionally useful to me in that regard. Downloading directly from them, well I wouldn't ever advocate that even if I still trusted them. The one bone I would have thrown at them at one time in that regard is for abandonware that they would host. I think that's what they started with, and innocuously enough.

As for the App Store.... uuuugh. No crippleware for me. It's fine for some things, not so much for others. And discovery is terrible, So much garbageware on there.

 

[Rod]

@NSMacGuru, convenience, advertising and search engines. That explains it to me. Notice how some search engines bring up MacUpdate first when doing a search to download any type of Mac application.
Of course it also seems so user friendly, free downloads at the click of a button.
Mostly I search for app reviews, sometimes they are obviously thinly disguised advertisements but most supply links to the developers site. There I can read the claims and capabilities and make up my mind.
The Apple App Store is fine but does impose certain restrictions on some apps and yes, the search function could do with some improvement.

 

[ferrarr]

Between the App Store and for those Apps where you can go directly to the Developer page - why would anyone risk using these third-party sites?

One word..... convenience.

 

[MacInWin]

One word..... convenience.

Too high risk for me. I look for the developer site, or the App Store. I just don't trust the aggregator sites at all. Been burned once, not going back.

 

[ferrarr]

Too high risk for me. I look for the developer site, or the App Store. I just don't trust the aggregator sites at all. Been burned once, not going back.

Yes, I do my due diligence. But most PC (macOS & winOS) users don't. They opt for the easiest and quickest options.

 

[MacInWin]

Yes, I do my due diligence. But most PC (macOS & winOS) users don't. They opt for the easiest and quickest options.

And then come here to get bailed out.

 

[ferrarr]

And then come here to get bailed out.

Or look for and find; Clean my Mac, Mackeeper, etc.......

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Or look for and find; Clean my Mac, Mackeeper, etc.......

And on that same site that got them in trouble to begin with.

 

[MacInWin]

Lather, rinse, repeat.