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Can anyone survive with only apps from Mac App Store?
- Thread starter FridgeToaster
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I find that difficult to even imagine. Most of the apps on there are either paid, or they are filled with advertisements. I suppose that someone doing everyday tasks such as email and web browsing would get by just fine, but anyone using their computer for more might have some trouble.
Personally, I wish Apple added a third setting on there for "All applications," but in all fairness, the majority of apps are verified. I've tried to run some open source apps that weren't officially verified before, and the whole process of going through security settings to manually override it is cumbersome. It's probably best from a security standpoint, but it still feels uncomfortable in some respects. On the bright side, at least Macs give you this option. iPads and iPhones don't have any ability to override this at all.
Personally, I wish Apple added a third setting on there for "All applications," but in all fairness, the majority of apps are verified. I've tried to run some open source apps that weren't officially verified before, and the whole process of going through security settings to manually override it is cumbersome. It's probably best from a security standpoint, but it still feels uncomfortable in some respects. On the bright side, at least Macs give you this option. iPads and iPhones don't have any ability to override this at all.
There used to be an option "allow apps from anywhere" in the System Preference. it was removed from macOS Sierra onwards. However it can be switched on with a command line.
Ah, I forgot about that. I wish that were still there. It's just a nuisance, not terribly bothersome. But Apple has done it in more places than just applications. I was opening a Logic Pro X project the other day, and one of my AU plugins "wasn't verified" by Apple despite working perfectly fine before. Logic kept yelling at me and threw warnings that had to be manually dismissed on every single launch, and there was no way to disable the warning.
I appreciate Apple's dedication to security (preferable to Windows antivirus hell), but if I'm really installing an unverified app and go out of my way to enable a setting to allow me to do it, I think I know what I'm doing well enough to be able to take responsibly for the risks. Mac OS feels almost too baby-proof these days.
The Mac App Store has the apps that almost everyone uses so it won't be that bad when you're limited to only downloading the App Store. The only downside is that you'll end paying more in the long run since I notice some apps cost more in the App Store than paying for it directly from the developer website.
Lol you don't see a point? You really think most people have a bunch of 3rd party apps? Most casual users I know haven't downloaded a single app. You would be surprised how much usage Safari/Mail/Calendar/Reminders/Notes/Music/Photos gets.
My list of App Store apps:
* Microsoft Outlook (work)
* Microsoft Word (work)
* Microsoft Excel (work)
* Microsoft Powerpoint (work)
* Microsoft Onedrive (work)
* OKTA extension app (work)
* Whatsapp Desktop (chat)
* Wechat (chat)
* Movist (media player)
* Notability (PDF annotation)
* Drafts (note taking)
* GoodLinks (link saving)
* Reeder 5 (rss)
* 1blocker (Adblock safari9
* Things 3 (todos)
* Find Any File (spotlight alternative)
* Paste (clipboard manager)
* Blurred (dimming inactive windows)
* BBEdit (text editor)
* 1password (passwords)
* Mindnode (mind mapping)
* BetterSnapTool (window management)
My list of non-App Store apps:
none
Wow that's impressive. For years I've been trying to stick with Mac App Store only, but always ended up using some app from outside the store.
I use a whole bunch of VSTs not available from the app store. So no, if 'sideloading' ever became completely banned on MacOS I would never downgrade to that MacOS, and nor would millions of us. That's why Apple will never do it.
i actually think many people actually could - easily, even if they are using them fully professionally for Video, Photos, or DTP.
Music production is a bit different, unless you are fine using Logic, which of course is fully featured enough that one doesn't really need much else as well to handle even the most professional sessions.
what i'm using that came with my Mac
- web browser
- text editor(s)
- a spreadsheet program
- calender
- email
- messenger
- video editing software
- system backup software
what i've downloaded from the App Store
- photo editor
- vector designer
- a desktop publisher (not using it much, as Pages is good enough for my needs in 99%, but hey - it was cheap)
what i downloaded from outside of the App Store - in my case
- a Digital Audio Workstation, as i'm extremely fine with mine and i don't want to learn another one, that might end up actually not work as perfect for me
- several plugins for that DAW
- an audio editor
- a more feature and codec rich media player than Quicktime (it is in the iOS device App Store though, just not on Mac)
- DVD/Blu-Ray ripping tool - not installed yet, but keeping a back up just in case i will need it
Music production is a bit different, unless you are fine using Logic, which of course is fully featured enough that one doesn't really need much else as well to handle even the most professional sessions.
what i'm using that came with my Mac
- web browser
- text editor(s)
- a spreadsheet program
- calender
- messenger
- video editing software
- system backup software
what i've downloaded from the App Store
- photo editor
- vector designer
- a desktop publisher (not using it much, as Pages is good enough for my needs in 99%, but hey - it was cheap)
what i downloaded from outside of the App Store - in my case
- a Digital Audio Workstation, as i'm extremely fine with mine and i don't want to learn another one, that might end up actually not work as perfect for me
- several plugins for that DAW
- an audio editor
- a more feature and codec rich media player than Quicktime (it is in the iOS device App Store though, just not on Mac)
- DVD/Blu-Ray ripping tool - not installed yet, but keeping a back up just in case i will need it
I don’t think this time it is “evil apple” and their pursuit for $. Security concerns caused the changes.
Plus, Apple gets blamed now instead of users taking “personal responsibility” for what website they go to and/or apps they download from “whatever” website etc. There should be an option for “from anywhere”, but users now expect Apple to “protect them” regardless.
If you remember a few years ago when celebrities (and others) were getting their personal nude pictures stolen off their iCloud and phones etc. (why people are taking nude photos of themselves and keeping it in iCloud in the first place or (on their phones) is another discussion and was never questioned or discussed if that was considered “weird’…regardless) but anyway…they were blaming Apple instead of their own lack of thinking or their weak or easy passwords (123 or “password”). At the end of the day, it showed people generally were not taking more responsibility to take care of their personal property. Yes, “some” were professionally hacked, but most it seem was due to neglect. So now people require Apple to provide more protection instead of leaving it up to the user…thus no more “from anywhere” option.
Agreed. It would also force developers off the ecosystem en-masse. If they were serious about banning sideloading, they'd have to get rid of homebrew as well, and that wouldn't go over well for the people writing Mac software.
Yes, people who’s first computer was an iPhone and don’t know any better than Apple’s jailed garden
$4.99 in the AppStore and you have to pay $7.99 for “Open URL” and download it from outside the store.
https://movistprime.com/upgrade.html
IINA https://iina.io and VLC https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ do all that for free.
Use the command line to "enhance" from where you can download and run apps:
sudo spctl --master-disable
I've noticed that with Monterey, you STILL have to "right-click" on new 3rd party apps (at least some of them) to force the OS into opening them.
I care little for "App Store apps" and have almost none of them.
sudo spctl --master-disable
I've noticed that with Monterey, you STILL have to "right-click" on new 3rd party apps (at least some of them) to force the OS into opening them.
I care little for "App Store apps" and have almost none of them.
Yes I paid $5 for Movist. My AppStore says I bought it in 2012, so that's 10 years of free updates. At that point IINA wasn't available. And VLC looks like something a linux developer would make, I don't like the interface at all.$4.99 in the AppStore and you have to pay $7.99 for “Open URL” and download it from outside the store.
https://movistprime.com/upgrade.html
IINA https://iina.io and VLC https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ do all that for free.
I also like that everything is updated in the same place (App Store) and automatically in the background. I've had mixed experience with VLC back when being a PC user and it not getting updated in the background.
I suspect the vast majority of Mac users out there don't install much of anything, let alone apps from outside the App Store.
Were it not for the fact that I work in the creative industry, I would have little need for anything that I can't get in the App Store. As it stands, I have the Adobe Creative Suite installed along with a few small utilities (such as DefaultFolder), which will never be available in the App Store.
Were it not for the fact that I work in the creative industry, I would have little need for anything that I can't get in the App Store. As it stands, I have the Adobe Creative Suite installed along with a few small utilities (such as DefaultFolder), which will never be available in the App Store.
"Survive?" Sure!
That said, there are non-App Store apps that make my life easier:
- Hazel
- MAMP
- tax software
- Mailmate
- VLC Player
- iTerm2
- GPGTools
- nvALT
- VMWare Fusion
That said, there are non-App Store apps that make my life easier:
- Hazel
- MAMP
- tax software
- Mailmate
- VLC Player
- iTerm2
- GPGTools
- nvALT
- VMWare Fusion
"tie all of our products together, so we further lock customers into our ecosystem" is the point, obviously.
The Steve Jobs email that outlined Apple’s strategy a year before his death
In 2010, a year before his death, Steve Jobs outlined Apple’s strategy in an email to the company’s 100 most senior employees. He heralded the “Post PC era,” vowed “Holy War with Google,” promised to “further lock customers into our ecosystem,” and warned that Apple was “in danger of hanging on...
qz.com