Apple's Software Update is great and all, but unless you've purchased a membership to
MacUpdate or
VersionTracker for their software management clients, it might be tough to stay on top of new versions of all your non-Apple software. Sure, more and more developers are building in support for
Sparkle, the auto-update framework from
Andy Matuschak, but that's on a per-app basis and it simply isn't a development standard yet. Luckily, for the rest of us, there is
AppFresh, a new utility that is perhaps best described as 'Software Update for the rest of us.' It can scan your Applications (though, for now, we suspect only apps in your main directory; not any that might be in ~/Applications if you've created it), AppleScripts, widgets and even Preference Panes to see if any updates are available. We don't know how and where AppFresh is checking for new versions, though Apple's own
Downloads section and possibly MacUpdate and VersionTracker are the likely candidates.
Since AppFresh is truly brand new (only at v0.2 so far), its developers warn that it is certainly a work in progress. Still, this looks like a great tool with a lot of potential. AppFresh actually does seem to use Sparkle to help you stay on top of its own updates, and you can also read up at the development blog for more info on just where AppFresh is headed.
Thanks, Nathan
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dylan said 3:36PM on 3-27-2007
A few corrections:
-It does not check for AppleScript updates as far as I know
-You can specify the directories to check in the preferences
-It uses iusethis AppCasts to check for updates
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Unknown Coward said 3:45PM on 3-27-2007
Quote from http://metaquark.de/blog/archive/AppFresh/:
"Currently, we get the information on available updates from the application's appcast feed (if it has one, that's great) and additionally check the cool osx.iusethis.com which provides appcasts as well. For application-provided appcasts, we really like what Andy Matuschak has created with Sparkle, since Sparkle-compliant appcasts are our most reliable source of information by far."
No Versiontracker or Macupdate is involved. Do some research before blogging, fellows. ;)
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zxspectrum said 3:57PM on 3-27-2007
Greatest thing since sliced bread!!!
i really hope that the developer is serious on that one.
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Goobimama said 4:15PM on 3-27-2007
What's so f**king great about Sliced Bread? You take a loaf of bread, AND SLICE THE F**KING THING!!!
- Georce Carlin
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ZX said 4:33PM on 3-27-2007
@Georce Carlin - you are such a sweetheart...anyway, when you have 341 apps, it's pretty great:)
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Jon said 4:49PM on 3-27-2007
Hmm... it says it's extracting the updates to the desktop and they never appear.
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Joshua said 4:51PM on 3-27-2007
The application update widget at least lets me ignore a particular version. If the version reported by an app isn't the same as what the feed says it just keeps reporting there is an update.
Some downloads say it happens but it doesn't actually download either. I like the fact that it can automatically download, but it would be nice to have a link to the location.
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jon stieglitz said 5:08PM on 3-27-2007
its a pretty good app
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Lars said 5:25PM on 3-27-2007
I always thought I kept quite up to date with my software, but I found there was quite a bit outdated. Excellent program, though I had to force quit it on two occassions. 0.2 eh...
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Shaaheen said 7:06PM on 3-27-2007
Some progress bar for the update is needed, or just wait until your software is updated and God knows when it is appearing on the desktop!
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Sunrunner said 8:28PM on 3-27-2007
Since the update location used by this app seems to have been an open question, I checked on it: The application connects to osx.iusethis.com after scanning for applications to check. This would seem to be the primary source for update information.
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Mike Rapin said 1:51AM on 3-28-2007
Ubuntu... yes, it has a Software Update application that works like this... and it comes right along with the OS.
But really, I'd like to see this program get developed. As mentioned before, it's quite helpful when you have 150+ non-Apple applications on your computer.
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Clair said 6:41AM on 3-28-2007
@Unknown Coward
Chartier mentions Macupdate and Versiontracker, but does not say or imply this application uses either.
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Ed said 7:09AM on 3-28-2007
Clair: True, but he didn't need to say they "were likely candidates", if he'd actually read the site for the application hes touting.
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ECHO said 5:14PM on 3-28-2007
Awesome! I've always wondered whether such an app exists.
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Dave Chartier said 6:29PM on 3-28-2007
I read over the site and glanced at the development blog. Sometimes people miss things guys; it happens. Life will go on.
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thevil said 4:29AM on 3-30-2007
I use Georg C. Kaindls widget, App Update
Free and works like a charm.
http://blog.gkaindl.com/downloads/app-update
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