installing an app not in the app store

[ghanwani]

I recently upgraded from Snow Leopard to Yosemite. I found that when I try to install an application downloaded directly (instead of via the App Store) I get a warning.

Some of my favorite apps, e.g. Coconut Battery, are not available in the App Store.

Is there a general consensus about whether or not these are safe? Apple seems to discourage them by saying that a previously good app could have malware inserted, and the App Store would protect one from something like that.

Thoughts?

 

[gr8tfly]

It's the same as it's always been: know what you're are installing and its source. There's nothing inherently wrong with installing a 3rd party app outside the App Store. Preferably, it should be signed by a developer (through Apple's Dev Program), but even if it isn't, an admin can still install it - overriding GateKeeper.

In the Security & Privacy preference, select the General tab. From there, you can set a default permission for allowing apps from different sources. I think the "Mac App Store and Certified Developers" is the best, as it can still be overriden by opening an app using the contextual menu "Open..." (Right/Secondary click on the app), but yet still keeps Gatekeeper in the loop for security.

 

[ghanwani]

It's the same as it's always been: know what you're are installing and its source. There's nothing inherently wrong with installing a 3rd party app outside the App Store. Preferably, it should be signed by a developer (through Apple's Dev Program), but even if it isn't, an admin can still install it - overriding GateKeeper.

In the Security & Privacy preference, select the General tab. From there, you can set a default permission for allowing apps from different sources. I think the "Mac App Store and Certified Developers" is the best, as it can still be overriden by opening an app using the contextual menu "Open..." (Right/Secondary click on the app), but yet still keeps Gatekeeper in the loop for security.

I already have "Mac App Store and identified developers" checked for that option.

Actually, I was trying to download BlueGriffon
http://bluegriffon.org/
and that is the one that generates the warning. Why would they not go through identifying themselves at Apple?

 

[Gav2k]

I already have "Mac App Store and identified developers" checked for that option.

Actually, I was trying to download BlueGriffon
http://bluegriffon.org/
and that is the one that generates the warning. Why would they not go through identifying themselves at Apple?

Cost. Simple as that

 

[TheBacklash]

Cost. Simple as that

That and some apps do things that Apple doesn't like, so some developers have two versions.. App store version, and the "full" version that you get from the developer website.

Trash It! is an app I found years ago cause something just wouldn't delete from trash.. Not allowed on the App store, and I have it on every mac I own.

 

[maflynn]

Cost. Simple as that

Not just cost, Apple requires apps to be written a certain way, i.e., sandboxing, avoid some APIs or system resources, etc.

 

[KALLT]

Not just cost, Apple requires apps to be written a certain way, i.e., sandboxing, avoid some APIs or system resources, etc.

But that has only to do with the App Store. However, I think the OP meant why developers don’t certify themselves with Apple so that users can install non-App Store apps without a warning. That will undoubtedly boil down to cost. To get such a certification you have to be a registered developer with Apple, which costs a lot of money.

I wouldn’t worry too much about uncertified apps. A bit of common sense and a simple web search should have you covered. Websites like MacUpdate and others are typically a good starting point, as they have plenty of reviews.

 

[Partron22]

Mac users got along without an App Store or Apple certified developers from 1984 to 2008.
For those who exercised some slight prudence in what they downloaded, and where they downloaded it from, that period was remarkably problem free.
Now every time I reboot my Mac, I get those damnable "BBEdit is an Application you downloaded from the internet that you are opening for the first time, are you sure you want to..." dialogs.

There's got to be some mangled plist behind this behavior, but I'd sooner Apple turned the whole children's software garden thing off than have to spend time looking for the problem. Of course they won't, because the current setup increases Apple's profit margin.

 

[KALLT]

Now every time I reboot my Mac, I get those damnable "BBEdit is an Application you downloaded from the internet that you are opening for the first time, are you sure you want to..." dialogs.

You can disable those with OnyX.

 

[Partron22]

You can disable those with OnyX.

A perfect example of useful software that cannot be obtained through the App store. Given what it does, I doubt it ever will be in the store.

 

[TheBacklash]

A perfect example of useful software that cannot be obtained through the App store. Given what it does, I doubt it ever will be in the store.

exactly.
I've had those exact same type of messages... annoyed me to no end. All "official" responses were no help, and blaming the non app store app as the culprit.. when it wasn't.

 

[j800r]

You can alter it in system prefs. Tbh a person who cannot work that out (not intended as an insult) is probably better off with it enabled anyway as they're more likely to get themselves in hot water.

Safety on by default? A bad feature? Really? Is it honestly that hard to turn it off?

 

[Partron22]

You can alter it in system prefs

I already have, doesn't help. As you may or may not know, sometimes the files that hold prefs get messed up during a System update. If you don't believe, just ask some of the people having wifi problems and getting (2)s appended after their computer names about the issue.
I expect I'll get it sorted out in the end, but it's not merely a 'click the right checkbox' sort of problem.