Not recommended by you...it is by others. What are your credentials so that I can decide whether I should give your opinion on this any more weight in this topic than others'.
I think you are reading into "not recommended" to mean something other than "not expressly mandated." By "not recommended" I do not mean to say "applying this update in any other means other than the usual
mode is not advised and will do harm," but rather that Apple simply, does not explicitly recommend to you to repair permissions prior to an update, or (
incredibly) after.
From Apple K Article 106692:
Troubleshooting an unsuccessful installation
Use Disk Utility
Start up from the Mac OS X Install CD. Use the Disk Utility application to verify the disk with Repair Disk (not permissions) of the volume you are trying to install onto. After verification or any necessary repair, try the installation again.
In effect, your raising of this topic has led me to find an instance of Apple actually recommending the alternative to repairing permissions.
If you are looking for Apple certifications in my credentials I will admit I do not have any, only a background in networking, a CCNA, 6 years of administering OS X networks and soon completing a degree in electrical engineering.
Of these "others" that do recommend this procedure, what qualifiers do they have? Also, I would be interested in reading what they have to say.
Apples Mac OS X 10.5.3 Combo Update web page specifically says:
"About Mac OS X 10.5.3 Combo Update
The 10.5.3 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac. "
Hmmm...that doesn't say NOT recommended, and doesn't refer you to anything that suggests you're better off going the Software Update method.
Again, I think there is a miscommunication in the meaning of words. Apple is using "recommended" in the same way I am and they are
not recommending you install this update as in a manner outside of Software Update.
You seem kind of defensive about this now; not trying to ruffle your feathers, just disagreeing with you. It's not a waste of time if it's all being done in the background anyways.
That's fine, but you can't argue that it isn't wasting time.
I wasn't addressing verifying permissions, but I'll disagree with you on that anyways. Not something I usually do, but I wouldn't go so far as to say, NOT recommended, as you do. Other than taking a few extra minutes of your precious time, what's the harm in ensuring you have nice cleans system before applying updates? And it might help something out. Seems to be one of the first things anyone suggests you do, including Apple Tech Support and Apple Geniuses, if you have any kind of problems on your machine. So again, what's the harm? And why are you so adamant against it?
Do you also believe that you can catch cold by being outside in the winter without a coat?
The only reason I am bringing this up is because all too often people recommend this prior to an update when there is no real reason to actually perform this. There is no reason to condition this entire community into doing this procedure based on anecdotal-evidence.
An example: After installing the 10.4.6 update, many saw their machine reboot twice and then users ran repair permissions after the install yet found no permissions required repair. Many jumped to the conclusion that the double reboot was repairing permissions automatically. It wasn't.
Again, all I am saying is that the people who need to repair permissions are in the vast minority. Only if you have fiddled with permissions yourself (for example: chmod at the command line) will you see any real evidence of a problem being solved by repairing permissions.
