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Google Update Engine?

Analog Kid

Analog Kid

macrumors G3
Original poster
Mar 4, 2003
9,555
13,057
Just saw that Google released Earth version 5. (How can you have a version 5 of a beta?). Downloaded it, replaced version 4 with it, and then was told that I must install Google Update Engine in order to use version 5.

Deleting the the old version, then telling me I can't use the new one without agreeing to something already has me kind of miffed.

So I look into the Update Engine docs and they're all excited that it can be used to update just about anything on my system-- including root owned files.

Does anyone know anything more about this beast? I'm not liking the looks of this at all...
 
BobZune said:
There were over 40 messages on it at

http://groups.google.com/group/google-earth-browser-plugin/browse_thread/thread/146882feca2788c3

the last time I looked, including some removal solutions (Lingon is probably the easiest, if you don't mind the technical stuff).
Click to expand...
Not afraid of the technical stuff, but I'm now much more afraid of Google. I found an old backrev of Earth that I've reinstalled, and I have no intention of installing any future Google software locally. Not only do I not like that Google tried to worm their code into my system that way, but I'm really concerned about the bad judgement they showed in how they designed that little Updater. Runs as root, lets anyone register with it, and acts like it's all completely safe because it's open sourced? Naive and dangerous.

Thanks for the pointer.
 
BobZune said:
the last time I looked, including some removal solutions (Lingon is probably the easiest, if you don't mind the technical stuff).
Click to expand...

So if I want to disable the service, all I have to do in Lingon is to disable the com.google.keystone.agent entry ?

thx Tex
 

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Tex-Twil said:
So if I want to disable the service, all I have to do in Lingon is to disable the com.google.keystone.agent entry ?

thx Tex
Click to expand...

That's what I have done and don't see any activity in the logs since Feb 6 (before that, once a day about 2140 hrs).
 
ok. If I now run Picassa or Google Earth, will it search for updates ? Or are they completely disabled ?

Tex
 
dolphin842 said:
Yeah, this update thing rubbed me the wrong way too. Good to know I'm not the only one.
Click to expand...

It pissed me off. I hope they remove that "feature" in future updates. Luckily they let you download the previous stable version, which was fine for my needs.

To be honest, I hate having to update these programs by having it ask me to download the new version and having to update it myself. It'd be nice if it would auto-update, but it'd be useful if it actually asked first instead of scheduling things itself as root and possibly running all the time or too frequently. It sounds like it works with cron. Why can't it just ping their server for updates when it's running? I don't need my software to be that up to date. It's highly unlikely that I'll stumble onto their vulnerability before I update. That seems like more of a necessity for Windows users, and yet, as far as I can tell, it's only on the Mac side. Why are we treated differently?

I wouldn't mind if it was an option that could be shut off. I also didn't like that it was ambiguous upon whether or not it would attempt to install their other programs when updating. I don't need things snuck onto my computer, even if they are updates to my software. It would be perfectly fine if they did it like Firefox. Check the server, download the update, ask me to install it, and then relaunch the updated program for me. It's less fuss and you can ignore it until you're ready. Or you can turn the auto download option off in the prefs. Firefox does it better than any other OS X program.

It really makes me annoyed, because I wouldn't mind trying Chrome, but it won't get near my system while the updater is in existence. I not going to waste my time by going through extra work to fix free software so that it runs like it should! That's a shame for them too, because I'm sure that they're going to make tons of money off of everyone who downloads Chrome.

I used to like Google, but they're becoming a little too big brother for me. Hopefully the press and mistrust picks up and they abandon this crap. There's not enough people talking about it yet. Though slashdot did help a little bit.
 
The fact that the updater does not allow the users to adjust its schedule or to be completely disabled is one problem. The bigger issue that I see is that the updater runs with root privileges. After all, most of us don't run antivirus software but rely on the system's in-built security mechanisms.

With an autonomous root process checking some non-disclosed internet sites and downloading and installing software on its own, the system's security is simply undermined. I'm not willing to risk the integrity of my Mac for that.
 
Berlepsch said:
The fact that the updater does not allow the users to adjust its schedule or to be completely disabled is one problem. The bigger issue that I see is that the updater runs with root privileges. After all, most of us don't run antivirus software but rely on the system's in-built security mechanisms.

With an autonomous root process checking some non-disclosed internet sites and downloading and installing software on its own, the system's security is simply undermined. I'm not willing to risk the integrity of my Mac for that.
Click to expand...

Definitely.
 
On Windows they've had Google Updater/Google Pack for ages, and now it's come to Mac it's even WORSE!

On Windows you can disable it. It requires an uninstallation of Google Updater, disabling a service and disabling a startup entry. I'm not in Windows using Google stuff enough to say for certain but after launching Chrome & Earth it stays dead.

On the Mac though it just "disappears" with no real way to get rid of it.

Not to sound like "Oh, Apple do everything right", but at least with the way they've implemented Apple Software Update on Windows that's seriously what Google should be following - a standalone app with easily disabled Scheduled Task :)

It's a painful trend that companies seem to be doing on Windows. Adobe Reader has a "speed launcher" that automatically gets installed (although Reader 9 is now fast enough anyway) and Sun are getting in on it with "Java Updater" and "Java Quick Launcher". If this continues on the Mac I fear for my system, at least on Windows Microsoft provide ways of disabling this stuff. On Mac there is non.
 
Tex-Twil said:
So if I want to disable the service, all I have to do in Lingon is to disable the com.google.keystone.agent entry ?

thx Tex
Click to expand...

Does this work? Just uncheck the "Enable" button and the Google Updater wont load anymore?

EDIT:

Looks like I answered my own question. I downloaded Lingon, disabled the com.google.keystone.agent entry and Google Updater hasnt open since this morning.
 
I just learned of this today. I updated to google earth 4 beta. I found the updater running in activity monitor.
I'm very displeased with googles decision to pull a stunt like this. It is so very unlike them.
I don't want a stupid update check. Running constantly, stealing my computer's resources:mad: Why cant it just check on launch?
This is stupid and invasion of my privacy. Now I have to run a hack, just to use the latest google earth.
Now I'm even more excited about chrome coming to my mac:eek:
 
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