4 ms·

I don't use iTunes or iBooks or any other Apple media apps. I've only had my Air for a few months, and I do love it so, but.... If Mavericks is free, why does

I don't use iTunes or iBooks or any other Apple media apps. I've only had my Air for a few months, and I do love it so, but.... If Mavericks is free, why does the App Store need a credit card in order for me to download it? I do not plan on purchasing anything through iTunes. Never say never, sure, but I don't. Ever. Guess I can't have Mavericks. Even though it's free. Kudos, Apple, you've given me my first reason to feel less than happy about a hardware purchase I reveled in.

jmelloy 13y ago
Why don't you just get a preloaded visa with $5 on it?
- PeterWhittaker 13y ago
  Cf other comments: Because that's just another kludgey workaround, extra steps I have to take because my use case isn't quite mainstream.
bluedino 13y ago
It's possible to make an iTunes store account without a credit card: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2534?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2534?viewlocale=en_US&locale=e...
- PeterWhittaker 13y ago
  OK, thanks, I'll try the "free app" approach. (But, man, do I hate such kludgey workarounds.) EDIT: Seems to have worked fine - download in progress, and I didn't actually complete installation of the free app (AFAIK; I did have to enter tombstone info, but I can live with that).
PilateDeGuerre 13y ago
Have you heard of BitTorrent?
- PeterWhittaker 13y ago
  I'm not sure that I understand the relevance - or the practicality - of that. One of the reasons I finally dumped my HP PC and Ubuntu was that I no longer wanted to play sysadmin. I wanted my computer to "just work" with minimal (non invasive) effort on my part. So far, I am supremely happy. This Air is the bomb: Fast, silent, robust, well made, wow. Nice piece of work. But needing a CC to get a free OS update is neither non-invasive nor effortless, which the platform had been up until now. (Sure, I could get the update from somewhere else, but I would only be doing so because Apple failed to address my particular use case. I'd rather get it from them, jic - as in "just in case something borks in the update" - then I can go back to them with ground upon which to stand. Sure, as noted elsewhere, my use case is in their 1% outlier fringe, but that doesn't mean I wish to be without support or without minimal privacy invasion.)
ladybro 13y ago
Why are so you against purchasing something through iTunes? No hate, just curious as to why you're so set on it.
- PeterWhittaker 13y ago
  It's not that I'm against it, I have no need. I've a S2 and an Asus 300T: I read ebooks via Google books on those devices. Music is streamed through rdio, which allows me offline access to several GB worth on my phone. I have Netflix. I do not own any iOS devices. I see no reason why I would ever want to buy anything through iTunes, since I am happy with my music service, with my books account, and with OSX and the few apps I've added to it. Yeah, I know, I am a 1% outlier (Android Google mobile user, OSX only for the reliable hardware for business and not for personal use). But why use iTunes to distribute Mavericks when the App Store is already there?
  - krrrh 13y ago
    It showed up in the software updates section of App Store for me, just like any other update.

jmelloy 13y ago

Why don't you just get a preloaded visa with $5 on it?

PeterWhittaker 13y ago
Cf other comments: Because that's just another kludgey workaround, extra steps I have to take because my use case isn't quite mainstream.

bluedino 13y ago

It's possible to make an iTunes store account without a credit card: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2534?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2534?viewlocale=en_US&locale=e...

PeterWhittaker 13y ago
OK, thanks, I'll try the "free app" approach. (But, man, do I hate such kludgey workarounds.) EDIT: Seems to have worked fine - download in progress, and I didn't actually complete installation of the free app (AFAIK; I did have to enter tombstone info, but I can live with that).

PilateDeGuerre 13y ago

Have you heard of BitTorrent?

PeterWhittaker 13y ago
I'm not sure that I understand the relevance - or the practicality - of that. One of the reasons I finally dumped my HP PC and Ubuntu was that I no longer wanted to play sysadmin. I wanted my computer to "just work" with minimal (non invasive) effort on my part. So far, I am supremely happy. This Air is the bomb: Fast, silent, robust, well made, wow. Nice piece of work. But needing a CC to get a free OS update is neither non-invasive nor effortless, which the platform had been up until now. (Sure, I could get the update from somewhere else, but I would only be doing so because Apple failed to address my particular use case. I'd rather get it from them, jic - as in "just in case something borks in the update" - then I can go back to them with ground upon which to stand. Sure, as noted elsewhere, my use case is in their 1% outlier fringe, but that doesn't mean I wish to be without support or without minimal privacy invasion.)

ladybro 13y ago

Why are so you against purchasing something through iTunes? No hate, just curious as to why you're so set on it.

PeterWhittaker 13y ago
It's not that I'm against it, I have no need. I've a S2 and an Asus 300T: I read ebooks via Google books on those devices. Music is streamed through rdio, which allows me offline access to several GB worth on my phone. I have Netflix. I do not own any iOS devices. I see no reason why I would ever want to buy anything through iTunes, since I am happy with my music service, with my books account, and with OSX and the few apps I've added to it. Yeah, I know, I am a 1% outlier (Android Google mobile user, OSX only for the reliable hardware for business and not for personal use). But why use iTunes to distribute Mavericks when the App Store is already there?
- krrrh 13y ago
  It showed up in the software updates section of App Store for me, just like any other update.