SNARB  Last FM radio services require a monthly subscription for residents outside the US. I think it's currently $3/month.  
(Version 1.0b3)

RAYCON  I've enjoyed Cover Stream for some time, and what could be more impressive than a next-generation Cover Stream? Well, even though it's a 1.0 beta, I still feel I should offer some constructive criticism.

Functionality complaint: I DO live in the United States. Now I "need to be subscribed in order to use the Radio API"? If it weren't for the tagging (working) and adding to playlist (actually, this isn't working) capabilities, I'd go back to Cover Stream.

GUI complaint: The GUI seems nicer. Light colored backgrounds are in these days, I guess. However, I do miss the large 3D tilted album image I get on my desktop with Cover Stream. This one is not resizable.  
(Version 1.0b3)

MISHA  Those widgets, which effectively provide a front-end to MacUpdate (or the less-good VersionTracker if you prefer) suffer from the same version matching issues other tools do [and which MacUpdate Desktop largely doesn't] and don't feature any ability to automatically download+install updates.

If you don't mind clicking lots of times, though, they certainly can be useful if you're looking for a free alternative.  
(Version 5.0.1)

THYX  Appfresh, anyone?

iUseThis and it works fine, if you know what I mean.

thyx  
(Version 5.0.1)

MISHA  THYX: I'll copy/paste the same comment I left for the person who asked why we don't list AppFresh at MacUpdate:

We don't list AppFresh because the application doesn't meet our standards. osx.iusethis.com has many listings that are out of date and AppFresh poorly matches a lot, as well.

The last thing we want is for our users accustomed to MacUpdate's comprehensiveness to download AppFresh via us believing that they are getting anywhere near the same experience and then being accordingly disappointed with the result.

If this seems a little incredulous, consider that *many* people when informed of MacUpdate Desktop respond with "Why would I need that? I just use Mac OS X's built-in Software Update."

Not everyone is a savvy power use and MacUpdate Desktop is designed to be useful and approachable for all user levels.  
(Version 5.0.1)

SOULSLAVE  hahaha its a real shame that now u re-direct the link to macupdate from the widget I posted to your macupdate desktop app.

that really shows how confident u r in ur product when u have to create an obstacle to a free one who does basically the same as your shareware app. real shame macupdate  
(Version 5.0.1)

MISHA  I'm not sure what you're referring to -- search appupdate and look what you get...  
(Version 5.0.1)

SOULSLAVE  to what im referring to is that when the widget tells you that an app needs an update and it gives you the link to the macupdate webpage to download the app, it now goes to the Macupdate Desktop "download page" instead of the "download page" of the app that needs updating. interesting how this started occurring right after i mentioned the widget as an option to your shareware app  
(Version 5.0.1)

THYX  Well, exactly my reason to comment here…

5 out 8 comments on a rather uncritical review of Macupdate Desktop mentioned AppFresh, 2 of them the redirection to your product which meets your standards better than the alternative…

I really love MacUpdate, my main issue is that if you do it for your own product, it could happen with any other.

thyx  
(Version 5.0.1)

THYX  Try: http://www.macupdate.com/appfresh

The result is NOT "no hits".

It would be nice to try out that fancy font stuff called Unicode, by the way…

thyx  
(Version 5.0.1)

SOULSLAVE  now no one answers my replies? i maintain my opinion, macupdate is insecure about their app and made adjustments to redirect the update links that the freeware widget, i posted, gives  
(Version 5.0.1)

ENJOURNI  I signed up for an account just to comment on this.

First of all, I am making no negative judgements against this app. I am mearly turned off by the developer's flippant responses against appfresh, an app I have long used for software updates (and have had no problems with).

"We don't list AppFresh because the application doesn't meet our standards. osx.iusethis.com has many listings that are out of date and AppFresh poorly matches a lot, as well."

Doesn't meet our standards? Don't you mean, competes against our paid program? I'm sorry, but it is not up to macupdate to judge the quality of an app. It's up to ** users ** to rate and judge apps. As long as an app is functional, and is not a virus or some other such, macupdate's job is to present the app and make sure it lists the current version along with some basic info on what the app is. That's it. The minute macupdate starts pulling or banning apps because they "don't meet our quality standards" (aka our staff doesn't like them), is the minute I use versiontracker or some other service. This is exactly the same attitude that has pissed people off with apple pulling google voice from the iPhone. Don't like competition? You're in the wrong business.

"The last thing we want is for our users accustomed to MacUpdate's comprehensiveness to download AppFresh via us believing that they are getting anywhere near the same experience"

This is complete BS. Users don't equate macupdate's experience to appfresh's experience. We are not dumb enough to think appfresh is in any way tied to macupdate- one experience does not relate to the other. This is plain FUD, and you know it.

"Not everyone is a savvy power use and MacUpdate Desktop is designed to be useful and approachable for all user levels."

The way to beat a freeware app is to build in paid features that are BETTER in some way, not to just complain and try to ban the app from your marketplace. You've put forth a few benefits to why MUD is worth money, and that's good. But what you should be doing is making an app that is actually worth the $20, not just trying to steer users away from alternatives. IMHO you've already shot yourself in the foot trying to pretend appfresh doesn't exist.  
(Version 5.0.1)

SOULSLAVE  BURNED!!!  
(Version 5.0.1)

DP8  SOULSLAVE - The AppUpdate widget was broken due to a change we made in the site, and has now been fixed. It had nothing to do with whatever submission you are referring to - it had been broken for 2+ weeks since we made the changes. We do not have a public API for apps like this to access our data, and the developer was hacking things to get the widget to work. Earlier this year we worked out an arrangement with the developer of the widget to help ensure that the it does work properly and does not affect our site adversely. We have a good relationship with the developer of the widget, and could just as easily block all access from the "competition" if we wanted to, but we don't.

ENJOURNI - MacUpdate has been tracking Mac software for over 12 years, and yes, we do have quality guidelines and regularly reject submissions for different reasons. We state this to all developers when they go to submit their apps to us. That is our job and what we have been doing since day one. Apple and Versiontracker do the same thing for their listings. As I mentioned in another post, we do not track competitor's products, just as they do not list ours. Believe it or not, people do equate Macupdate's experience to AppFresh's experience, and are dumb enough to think AppFresh somehow related to/supported by/endorsed by MacUpdate. We actually get a ton of support emails by inexperienced users wanting help for apps that we simply list - I am glad that you are smart enough to differentiate MacUpdate from other developers, but many do not.

We have been working hard to make MacUpdate Desktop the best Mac updater app available, and have a lot of plans for it looking forward. We are not trying to steer users away from alternatives, or complaining, or pretending AppFresh doesn't exist. We are focused on providing timely, accurate, and high quality information to the Mac community and want as many Mac users to keep their software updated and secure, and feel that MacUpdate Desktop is the better way to do it.

-Chad  
(Version 5.0.1)

SJK  .

>As I mentioned in another post, we do not track competitor's products, just as they do not list ours.

Simply stating MacUpdate doesn't track competitor's products, and considers AppFresh one, would be a sufficient and clearly understandable reason for exclusion regardless of what anyone else's policies are.

Misha's earlier "doesn't meet our standards" claim sounded more like a dodgy excuse to me (and apparently other people here).

>Believe it or not, people do equate Macupdate's experience to AppFresh's experience, and are dumb enough to think AppFresh somehow related to/supported by/endorsed by MacUpdate.

IMO, someone representing MacUpdate calling any customers "dumb enough" is uncouth and unprofessional.

Btw, I don't think MU staff should be rating any software it lists, as at least Misha sometimes does. Commenting on it, fine, but not star-rating it.  
(Version 5.0.2)

DP8  I wasn't calling anyone "dumb" - I was quoting what the post by ENJOURNI said.   
(Version 5.0.2)

SJK  I explicitly quoted and replied to what you (DP8), not ENJOURNI (who I realize also used "dumb" in his/her comment), had written.  
(Version 5.0.2)

MITCH_DE  Yep. Basicly to compare your Macs / different OS X versions.

Also you can compare to friends / at forum postings by saving the result file and share that (zipped).

Until now there is no buildin Website Result submit+compare feature like geekbench has.

Perhaps the dev could do an manual website with bench values of different macs in the future.  
(Version 1.1.1)

TITANIUM1  Please read requirements... The version 2.1 is for Snow Leopard only!! ;-)  
(Version 2.1b5)

WEBJIB  Thanks for your feedback.

TunesArt can fetch Lyrics since version 0.4 (from lyrics.wikia.com). Currently, it will not fetch lyrics if no exact match is found in lyrics.wikia.com (I'll try to get better fetching in upcoming version of TunesArt).

About menubar icon, any idea (I guess you mean : another icon) ?

And what do you mean with "nicer theme display" ?  
(Version 0.5)

SOULSLAVE  sorry for what i said about the lyrics, i just saw them, and i like the display a lot better than the GimmeSomeTune display!

try giving us a few music notes choices for the menubar icon, and when i mentioned themes it was cz i tought the themes for the album art could be a lil bit nicer, but i guess that comes with time so its OK

oh, and i second the other reply about saving lyrics to songs automatically

i see that ur really trying to make this a great app, it shows when u pay attention to each feedback everyone gives you. its always good to see that  
(Version 0.5)

WEBJIB  Thanks for your feedback.

I think I can give several choices for the menubar icon, it should be easy to do. About themes, I don't have great design skills, so it's hard for me. I'd appreciate a designer's help for that part ;) Last, about lyrics, I'll make a personal setting to save the lyrics to file automatically, you're right. TunesArt is still young (development started 1 mont ago), so many things need to be bettered !   
(Version 0.5)

HENDO  Yes of course, why would developers want to be paid for their hard work and hours of devoted time? The selfishness is horrendous!  
(Version 1.2.6)

SOULSLAVE  vlc does the same thing, play itunes files with lil resources. this just has a better UI. i really like Ecoute, but its for that reason, the UI.  
(Version 1.2.6)

HENDO  This isn't remotely close to VLC. This is a complete, and compact replacement for iTunes. The UI is fantastic, it's feature rich without being bloated and it works well. It's not like he's charging $50, it's 10 bucks. More than fair if you ask me.  
(Version 1.2.6)

SOULSLAVE  personally i think it should be donationware. u say developers should get paid for the hours they spent developing an app like this, and i agree. but u really think developing this app is worth more than $30,000?! lol

it has 3,756 downloads, lets say half paid for it; THAT IS ALMOST $20K!

i truly appreciate the app, but i do think that it should be free for its just a light media player  
(Version 1.2.6)

CHAS_M  Come back when you've written your own app half as useful as this and we'll see if you feel the same way. :)  
(Version 1.2.6)

SOULSLAVE  haha fine, but dont make it sound like he's starving  
(Version 1.2.6)

HENDO  So why are you blaming him for creating a successful app? Are you saying you wouldn't take $20K because your product "isn't worth that much"

Obviously if he makes that much money he did something right.  
(Version 1.2.6)

IINDIGO  As a long-time Mac user (since 1996) that has written a little bit of software himself, I will have to agree that within the OS X software ecosystem, there are far too many small, single-function applications that are being charged for, especially considering how very similar equivalents on other platforms are either free or donationware.  
(Version 1.2.6)

SOULSLAVE  someone got it! thank u  
(Version 1.2.6)

HENDO  *sighs* I guess you guys just don't get it. Why is a developer who puts in hours of work coding thousands of lines of code drawing up beautiful graphics for custom controls designing a beautiful interface for a highly functional app obligated to just give it to you for free? Software design is a legitimate business, get over it. Sure some software developers will release awesome apps for free but DO NOT blame others for charging small amounts for their hard work. Maybe if this app was a broken featureless piece of crap you could complain but it is a well thought out and well designed functional app. Get over yourselves you penny pinching fools.  
(Version 1.2.6)

EOFSTER  You can choose any SIP provider you want. For example, we already have a number of them listed here: http://code.google.com/p/telephone/wiki/ProvidersTested  
(Version 0.14.1)

ANONYMOUS  Hello.

I have some comments to make in response to yours.

• StockLookupMBI is not sold individually but rather as a part of my extensive collection of software I call the "Utility Bundle". It's quite a good deal!

FREE updates to all software, always.

Read about it here:

http://www.limit-point.com/Utilities.html

• Your rating seems to have nothing to do with the program itself and its features, but rather that it costs money.

• The program is as real time as the web sources are. Every time you invoke it the values are reloaded off the internet. (See the system preference pane for a list of data sources.)

• It only takes up about 20 pixles on the menu bar.

• I prefer this functionality as a menu bar item than a widget. Why should I have to invoke all the widgets just to get a quick update on the stocks I want to monitor periodically through the day? This is quick, easy and very convenient.

• Finally I am very receptive to ideas. So suggestions for improvements are very welcome. Send email directly to me at joe@limit-point.com

Ciao!  
(Version 1.0.4)

BRIAN.TULLY  Same here. GimmeSomeTune 4.2 and iTunes 8.02 do not work well together. When you try to quit iTunes, GimmeSomeTune will hang along with its background daemon which requires you to force quit them from Activity Monitor.  
(Version 4.2)

SMARTEC  I will consider your idea, thank you for the feedback ;-)  
(Version 0.9b)

GCOGHILL  Yeah having system sounds play while music is playing is annoying.

I wonder if the developer could also add an option to pause iTunes as well as mute the system when the screensaver kicks on? No sense in itunes playing if the Mac is muted.  
(Version 0.91b)

SMARTEC  great advices, I'll put that in the to-do list fo future MAM updates

thanks ;-)  
(Version 0.91b)

GCOGHILL  Cool, thanks!  
(Version 0.91b)

RIP0FF  I agree. It's the only weak point I found in this widget.   
(Version 2.9)

WALRUSCP  iTunes tended to be a hog before 8.0, but I have noticed that this latest version does tend to steal more memory.  
(Version 8.0)

ODDYSSEEY  The now playing info window does not show if iTunes is the frontmost, active application. If Finder or, say, Safari is the active application, then the info should be shown by GimmeSomeTune. Hope this helps.  
(Version 4.1.1)

AKROBAT  Soulslave,

Simply close the application from the dock menu instead of the menubar. That way you get no popups.  
(Version 1.1)

APPLE_JULIEN  - Simplify Media use a centralized server (to manage "linked" users). MusicPort work directly from the server to the client.

- Simplify Media need to be registered on this server.

- Simply Media can't share a iTunes database in other place of the installation (my server don't use iTunes : MusicPort work on a backup of my iTunes database).

- Simplify Media is not Open Source

- Simplify Media work on PC, MusicPort not.

- When I tested Simplify Media for the first time (there is three of four month), a part of my database could not be shared (too much file, I think).

But, you can use Simplify Media if you like better Simplify Media ;)  
(Version 1.0.2)