What is growl?

[kas23]

I never understood the use of growl on a desktop or laptop either. If you're sitting in front of your machine, working, why exactly would you need a notification that something happened? Aren't people paying attention to what is happening on their system while they're actively using it?

Growl was installed on my MBP when I installed Dropbox. It then started to notify me with just about everything, like unzipped a compressed file. Hmmm, I just clicked to open a rar file, do I really need a notification saying that the file extracting was completed? Whatever.

Growl just seems like another hyped-up application that is supposed to "enhance our digital lives", but it doesn't. It does the opposite. It's very annoying and just adds more bloat to my laptop. As another poster said, it's ends up being just another app that your computer has to run while booting. I like to keep my system lean and fast.

 

[Pink∆Floyd]

wow

I downloaded the trial version of Photoshop yesterday and it downloaded Growl without my permission.
I read the letter Adobe wrote about this; this was back in May of 2010.

Adobe still hasn't solved this 8 month issue, they are either lazy or are true first class ******s

If you recently downloaded Photoshop's trial version, you probably have Growl installed too, without your permission.

 

[rewyn]

Finding Growl useless?

I too have been encumbered by aimless announcements by GROWL after upgrading to CS5, Growl puts a uninstall application within it's update. Simply download the update, mount the .dmg file and click the uninstall app icon. Done. I guess if I used more supporting applications that use Growl, I would find it more useful, instead of useless.

 

[bukalemun]

I too have been encumbered by aimless announcements by GROWL after upgrading to CS5, Growl puts a uninstall application within it's update. Simply download the update, mount the .dmg file and click the uninstall app icon. Done. I guess if I used more supporting applications that use Growl, I would find it more useful, instead of useless.

Or you can just disable CS5 in the Applications pane of Growl in System Preferences. Just sayin'.

 

[randym431]

I, just a few minutes ago, came across GROWL, or should I say it came across me. After searching/reading on it, it seems a lot of people like it/want it/use it and find it useful. But I agree if I didn't order it, I do not want it unless it comes directly from apple purchased software. And in that case Im sure apple or the software vendor would introduce and explain their software add-ons.
Also, I notice a lot of Japanese writing associated with GROWL. That alone, and the fact it took over my imac and installed itself, tells me to get rid of GROWL. Which I did!

 

[LegendKillerUK]

Then you should have unchecked it when you were installing whatever it is you installed

It's a shame apps on the mac don't have this ability. If they want you to have Growl it'll be installed regardless of what you want. There never is a box to untick like you'd get on Windows.

 

[stinkwords]

Grrrr

Installed Adobe CS5 a week ago and now a Growl update box popped up. Funny that you don't get notified of the installation of a third party notification app. I'm nearly certain there wasn't an option for unchecking it when I installed CS5.

 

[henry72]

I reckon it is a useless piece of software. Save some MBs of your RAM

 

[saulinpa]

I bought a new HP printer so installed the drivers for it. Growl came and bit me several times. HP's software has always been flaky; this makes it even worse.

 

[Badrottie]

Growl also come with Trillian but did not install along with it it only ask you if you want to install it or not...I tried Growl and it doesn't do nothing for me so I had to get rid of it.

 

[MacLover1989]

Growl back

!

 

[MacLover1989]

Growl is Baaaaaaad stuff folks

obvious this app is from an hp (gov co) disc for a printer i bought. i also have cs5, but i never installed Growl for sure.
i think it has the look and feel of government spyware.
they may it look like a legit company so you accept it. twitter account and all.
but do you know how many government twitter accounts there are? LOTS! so enjoy your new government controlled mac, might as well trash it, you will never get this off, i guarantee it! ya I know right click, but that just taking it off the settings pain. it also randomly populates iphone control settings popup.
think of the worst words i could use to the developers of this app and i am saying it! so, and, and, you,..@GrowlMac! You are a list of_________________!

 

[dXTC]

obvious this app is from an hp (gov co) disc for a printer i bought. i also have cs5, but i never installed Growl for sure.
i think it has the look and feel of government spyware.

I found this thread and figured out what caused my computer to give this same "Growl update" notification suddenly just a few minutes ago. My wife had just bought an HP OfficeJet 6500A. According to the Growl.info website, the OS X install routine on the disc installs Growl specifically to inform the user when the printer is running low on ink, but the HP install routine doesn't inform the user that Growl is being installed.

Apparently, the Growl developers don't like their software being used in such a "drive-by" install either, and have provided instructions on removal.

I haven't removed it yet (jury's still out on its usefulness), but I have disabled several things in its Preference Pane, including "Check automatically for new updates".

 

[keekl]

I've just had this happen to me also~growl updates began after I installed a new HP printer...kinda nice feature, been better if they'd let ya know what you were installing.