As a Mac user, one of the things you can end up doing is automatically installing all the recommended updates from Apple. Today I found out that their automatic updates at some point included QuickTime 7, along with a need to buy a new seat of QuickTime Pro. Now to me that seems rather sneaky -- especially since QTPro is required for software like Final Cut Pro (which I don't really use, but I have installed as a backup editing system).

I was ready to register some snark on the Apple website, when I saw this link on the Support page:

The QuickTime 6.5.2 reinstaller will remove QuickTime 7.0.1 from a Mac OS X 10.3.9 system and restore QuickTime 6.5.2.

Either Apple anticipated this problem (which somehow I doubt) or the collective demands of other users prompted their response.

These kinds of things I find to be rather underhanded -- offering an automatic "update" which actually degrades your software from a "pro" package to something lesser. Is this the way to build consumer loyalty? Or do they figure it's their mission to screw their customers as much as they can get away with?

It just doesn't seem like a very friendly way to do business. You'd think that at least they'd offer some preferred pricing for an upgrade path, and do it before the hapless user clicks that "update" button.

You'd think.

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