Interesting tactic: If you’ve installed iTunes or Quicktime and opted to have Apple update your software automatically (which is the default), Apple has decided that you’ve also given it permission to install the Safari Web browser on your computer.

Imagine if Microsoft force-fed Internet Explorer to Mac users this way — can you imagine the screaming?

If you have Quicktime installed, you may already realize that this kind of shady tactic is par for the course. Without asking permission, Quicktime automatically installs a start-up service for itself (unnecessary and a memory drain, but the only way to remove it is by getting into Windows innards with a tool like EasyCleaner or by using msconfig). And unlike most programs, Apple doesn’t ask if you want an (unnecessary) Quicktime shortcut in your Quickstart bar — it puts is there anyway.

(Note: You can always get Quicktime Alternative instead.)

So now Apple is installing an entire Web browser without my permission. Nice. Luckily, I’ve already shut down Apple’s automatic updates for exactly this reason. But you can bet that, because most people haven’t done so, Apple will soon crow about having some significant market share with Safari even if no one voluntarily downloaded it.

Maybe it’s payback for all the people who have upgraded to Quicktime Pro for free by using the registration info:

Registered to: Dawn M Fredette
Registration Code: 4UJ2-5NLF-HFFA-9JW3-X2KV

Or maybe they’re just jerks.