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macOS installers exist; I think they were used more commonly before the .app format, but that's how you get the Windows situation where the "uninstall" operatio
by _bxg1 6y ago
macOS installers exist; I think they were used more commonly before the .app format, but that's how you get the Windows situation where the "uninstall" operation is a crapshoot because relevant files are scattered across your system.
I don't know the exact purpose behind the "mount a virtual drive to install an app" model, but it seems far too deliberate to not have a purpose.
- RivieraKid 6y agoI'm sure there's some rationale behind it. But it's simply a UX fail.
- ricohboy 6y agoI barely even notice it now. I’ve been a Mac user since OS 8, and the workflow of mounting a disk image to install software has been around since before OS 8. Regular .pkg installers catch me off guard sometimes
- _rs 6y agoTo be fair, there is no supported way to uninstall a .app with all of the scattered files, either (all of the things it places in ~/Library to run, like preferences). For me, AppCleaner is one of the first things I download on a new machine.
- cerberusss 6y agoFor people who prefer the commandline: Homebrew can install not just open source software, but binaries as well, via Brew Cask. And often, you can choose to either uninstall an app with % brew uninstall <appname> Or uninstall and remove all of its cruft as well via: % brew zap <appname>