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I write software for Mac and Windows (in C++/Qt). I put each new release out as a separate application for the user to install. Is there some equivalent to Spar

I write software for Mac and Windows (in C++/Qt). I put each new release out as a separate application for the user to install. Is there some equivalent to Sparkle that runs on both Mac AND Windows, so I don't have to integrate a separate system on each OS? Also I worry about update frameworks as way for bad guys to do bad things via my software. Should I be worried?

hermitcrab 3y ago
Ah, I see https://winsparkle.org/ https://winsparkle.org/ is a thing.
gwbas1c 3y ago
Windows installation system is so fundamentally different that it's hard to have a 1-size-fits-all update mechanism. When I shipped a cross-platform application, we used Sparkle on Mac, and a simple utility that downloaded and ran an MSI file for Windows. In general, I wouldn't worry too much about Sparkle being a vulnerability. It requires that your download servers are hacked: https://9to5mac.com/2017/05/08/handbrake-trojan-mac-malware-infected/ https://9to5mac.com/2017/05/08/handbrake-trojan-mac-malware-...
- hermitcrab 3y ago
  Currently I used Inno Setup to create a .exe installer on Windows and DropDMG to create a .dmg image on Mac. Presumably Sparkle and Winsparkle both use a similar update mechanism and that doesn't involve full Windows or Mac installers (otherwise, what would be the point?).
  - gwbas1c 3y ago
    Sparkle works with a .dmg file, so you'd probably continue using DropDMG. I can't speak much for Winsparkle; I remember looking at it and immediately concluding that it wouldn't work for us. (FWIW: I ended up slipping in a few hacks so we could pop open browser windows on specific versions and commits, and even remotely kill them if needed.)
Deadpikle 3y ago
There is one that is .NET and cross platform (incl. Linux) here: https://github.com/NetSparkleUpdater/NetSparkle https://github.com/NetSparkleUpdater/NetSparkle (disclaimer: I am the primary maintainer of this repository). For C++, WinSparkle works too: https://github.com/vslavik/winsparkle/ https://github.com/vslavik/winsparkle/
- hermitcrab 3y ago
  Presumably that means having to install .Net? I guess that makes sense if your software requires .Net, but mine doesn't.

hermitcrab 3y ago

Ah, I see https://winsparkle.org/ https://winsparkle.org/ is a thing.

gwbas1c 3y ago

Windows installation system is so fundamentally different that it's hard to have a 1-size-fits-all update mechanism. When I shipped a cross-platform application, we used Sparkle on Mac, and a simple utility that downloaded and ran an MSI file for Windows. In general, I wouldn't worry too much about Sparkle being a vulnerability. It requires that your download servers are hacked: https://9to5mac.com/2017/05/08/handbrake-trojan-mac-malware-infected/ https://9to5mac.com/2017/05/08/handbrake-trojan-mac-malware-...

hermitcrab 3y ago
Currently I used Inno Setup to create a .exe installer on Windows and DropDMG to create a .dmg image on Mac. Presumably Sparkle and Winsparkle both use a similar update mechanism and that doesn't involve full Windows or Mac installers (otherwise, what would be the point?).
- gwbas1c 3y ago
  Sparkle works with a .dmg file, so you'd probably continue using DropDMG. I can't speak much for Winsparkle; I remember looking at it and immediately concluding that it wouldn't work for us. (FWIW: I ended up slipping in a few hacks so we could pop open browser windows on specific versions and commits, and even remotely kill them if needed.)

Deadpikle 3y ago

There is one that is .NET and cross platform (incl. Linux) here: https://github.com/NetSparkleUpdater/NetSparkle https://github.com/NetSparkleUpdater/NetSparkle (disclaimer: I am the primary maintainer of this repository). For C++, WinSparkle works too: https://github.com/vslavik/winsparkle/ https://github.com/vslavik/winsparkle/

hermitcrab 3y ago
Presumably that means having to install .Net? I guess that makes sense if your software requires .Net, but mine doesn't.