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http://www.macnn.com/articles/01/06/26/apple.retires/

Apple retires asu.info.apple.com

updated 06:40 pm EDT, Tue June 26, 2001

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Justin W. notes that Apple has retired asu.info.apple.com, which was used as a source of Apple software updates. The address is now forwarded to an AppleCare Knowledge Base article that notes, "Software Downloads are now available from the Knowledge Base, the same database that contains Apple's Technical documents."

by MacNN Staff

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06/26, 06:56pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
registration required...

a big step backwards, in my book. (1) you have to register; (2) i'm not sure if they'll create a list of "newest updates" as there used to be on asu...

why is this change for the better for us? i'm already registered, but hate having to log in just to download an update...

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06/26, 07:17pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
It Wasn't Broke

And I am wondering why they 'fixed' it...

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06/26, 07:36pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
I agree, stupidity, again

If you need quick access to files, searching through that BS just to get to a file is stupid. And, they cannot expect corporations to put up with that bull. Software update CP does NOT always work.

Why is it that Apple's service and support keep dropping behind everybody else?

The download site is simply a crappy way of looking at an ftp/http server. Great move, Apple, look like a PC site. Smart, NOT.

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06/26, 07:37pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
BIG step backwards

I tried getting MacOS 8.6 today - after a maze of links, clicking on the
"you can download the single or multiple file version of Mac OS 8.6 Update here." on this page:

http://www.info.apple.com/usen/macos8.6/

download link led me to the download article for LaserWriter 8.6.1 :::

http://kbase.info.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/kbase.woa/wa/viewDocument?extKCID=58308

Sheesh. At the top of the new search, there is link to older updates that dumps you into an FTP directory...

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06/26, 08:23pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
This bytes!

Apple, what are you doing??? ASU was GOOD!

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06/26, 08:40pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Really Stupid

I needed to get to the Macintosh Manager 1.4.1 update today. After LOGGING in, I had to enter the search criteria. Entering exactly the string Macintosh Manager 1.4 got me four pages of "hits". I had to go through 3 of the pages before I got to the software link. All in all I have to jump through WAY TOO MANY hoops to get to the software. Next thing they'll want me to submit my mailing address so they can mail me the files in three to five weeks!
Smart move on the "upgrade" of ASU

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06/26, 08:48pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
update

all your update belong to us

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06/26, 09:40pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
check that

Somebody (Apple) set us up the bomb.

What you say!

All you update are belong to us.

Prepare to launch all ZiG � for great justice.

�or�

You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile. Freedom is irrelevant. You will add to our perfection. Join the collective.

APPLE! asu was the best software website from a major corp. HP, MS, etc. have chunky sites, just like yours now. Go back. And release all systems 1.0�8.1 while your at it for freeware, as well as your old apps and stuff (Appleshare 3, Appleworks for Apple).

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06/26, 10:17pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Developers

All Apple Developers already have an account so it saves me and others some trouble getting an account the first time.

But logining in is a pain in the ***.

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06/26, 10:30pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Big Time Mistake!

What the heck? You just went from something easy to use to something hard to use. Do you have some one from Microsoft there make decisions for you? - gee

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06/27, 12:38am | report spam | close Reply | delete
It was broken

They were using Lotus Domino for the server, not worth the time to develop. Probably moved to an OS X server. Hope they fix the 'problems' soon, they had these growing pains with til.info.apple.com a while ago, though it still uses Domino as well.

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06/27, 01:52am | report spam | close Reply | delete
easy answer ?

It seems simple to me, but why not just use versiontracker.com instead? They have the system updates page that tells you all the updates for a certain system version or for a given machine.

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06/27, 08:19am | report spam | close Reply | delete
it's all there...

...links to http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-North_American/Macintosh/System/

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06/27, 09:16am | report spam | close Reply | delete
ftp.apple.com

You can still reach all of the software update files on ftp.apple.com, with the exact same directory structure.. (Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/)

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06/27, 10:37am | report spam | close Reply | delete
NeXTification...

Ah, but what you don't seem to understand is that this is all part of the grand Apple scheme to bring the ease of use, and superior functionality from NeXT to every Mac user.

Just like NeXT OS X allows you to perform the same tasks as OS 9, just requiring more clicks, more work, and more hoops to jump through, so does the 'upgrade' of the 'asu' site now bring web-site functionality in-line with OS X, for the sake of consistency and ego.

Seriously, though, it seems to me that Apple is getting rid of their old Lotus Domino servers (which is a good thing) and replacing them with OS X Servers (which seems like the right thing to do), albeit unfortunately the perceived difference is that this switch resulted in a step backwards (which is bad).

I'm hoping that Apple will actually fix this eventually, and that we are looking at a work-in-progress... then again, the same applies to OS X.

Harry

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06/27, 11:30am | report spam | close Reply | delete
Mac users

gee,... now i know mac users are dumb! komplaining about a simple upgrade like this! and idiot would be able to use Knowledge Base.
And ohhh PLeASE! Registering takes 1 freak'in second!!! And after you register, you never have to log in again b/c it saves ur settings in a browser cookie!!
Mac users: Komplain about everything

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06/27, 12:07pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
WHIN WHIN WHIN

It's amazing to me that apple can't do one simple upgrade without the community bitching at them. Just deal with the damn change and shu up already.

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06/27, 12:10pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
RE: Mac users

gee...now I know you are an a******!

By the way..."complain" has no K in it :P

On to the content of your message: While registration may take one second, many DO still have to log in time after time. I am a systems administrator and consultant, and as I work on many computers, and new machines all the time, I will have to log in every single time I wish to use the system. Further, where as with ASU I knew exactly where to click and within a few seconds was EXACTLY where I needed to be, with the Knowledge Base I have to define search criteria...for instance, say I want to update an old Mac OS 7.5.5 installation of Open Transport 1.0. If I enter "open transport" in the search criteria, just how many hits do you think I am going to get? Whereas with the ASU if I clicked my way to the "Open Transport" folder I would have maybe 10 items to choose from with their associated readme files in case I needed more details. I'm not saying the knowledge base is all that bad, but compared to the ease of use of the ASU archive the knowledge base is terrible. Of course the knowledge base has its uses, BUT SO DOES THE ASU...that is my point. Oh, and considering I work on so many machines and don't frequently need to download software from Apple, on the occations that I do am I to be expected to remember my login and password? I have 20 different logins and passwords to remember as it is, but now I have to remember another one? s***, I want my ASU back, you can keep your knowledge base.

- Jeff

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06/27, 01:16pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
I rather like it

do you people think you are getting way too set in your ways?

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06/27, 01:35pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Adapt or Die

Change is the only Constant in the Universe.

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06/27, 02:44pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
what's next?

killing off til.info.apple.com?

this appears to be running domino, like asu was.

on top of aix, of all things.

maybe this is where all the surplus Apple Network Servers went.

and now they're starting to fail, i mean, be replaced by Mac OS X Server machines running WebObjects.

What is a "Apple Network Server?" Read this: (while you still can)

http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n19362

peace.

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06/27, 03:04pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
grr..spelled whin wrong

Opps...=) either way my point still stands...deal with the change.

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06/27, 03:28pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Bullocks!

This is just another way Apple will be monitoring and tracking us. I bet they have a f**kin database with each user and how many times they've logged in and what stuff they've downloaded.

I say bullocks!

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06/27, 04:35pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Change?

A previous poster said:

Adapt or Die
Change is the only Constant in the Universe.

That doesn't mean changes should be beyond criticism.

Requiring users to log in is annoying and inconvenient. For the less computer literate, it may now be confusing/difficult enough for them that they will skip getting updates entirely (there are still a lot of people running older versions of the MacOS that don't have the Software Update control panel).

Some marketing dofus probably decided it was a good idea to get tracking data for software downloads, and this is the result.

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06/27, 04:43pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Smells like microsoft

enable those cookies my friends and all your information
belong to us. Quit watching microsoft Apple. Next thing you know we will have to pay for updates on a subsribtion basis and the open source code will be open
to only hand picked customers. HAHA(Nelson laugh)

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06/27, 04:58pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Bullocks

Bravo, my friend, Bravo!

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06/27, 05:02pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Tech Support nighmare

Oh f**k this! Now as an ISP tech support person I not only have to send people to a different site to download stuff, but I need to tell them they now have to register with Apple. Jobs you suck!

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06/27, 07:54pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
grrr

I just happened to be reinstalling everything on my PowerBook's new HD (the old one died) yesterday. Not being able to get to ASU to get OS 9.1 confused the heck out of me at first. ASU really kicked a**!

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06/27, 10:44pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Growing Pains

As someone else mentioned, this is terrible for tech support folks. People aren't too happy about needing to go through all that registration while they're paying long distance to call my support line.

The new pages look nice, but are much harder to access, link to, and use.

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06/28, 01:28am | report spam | close Reply | delete
Mac users

Mac users don't know how to change and adapt, witness OS X!

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06/28, 06:53am | report spam | close Reply | delete
ASU and TIL

I used to work for AppleCare in Ireland. I recently found out that not only have they killed ASU and TIL for customers, but they have killed it for service agents. My friends at Apple now have to go through the same process to get information that a customer has to go through. That makes support increadibly difficult especially when you get to the specialist levels.

My personal gripe is that I don't want to have to go through an interview to get to my information. I know how to look for it and I know what I am looking for. Perhaps this is a result of my Attention Deficit Disorder, but I find the Knowledgebase very distracting.

!! SEND FEEDBACK TO APPLE !!

I urge people to send feedback to Apple over this one. There should be a way for "power users" to access information in a different way than a consumer would.

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Apple retires asu.info.apple.com

updated 06:40 pm EDT, Tue June 26, 2001

Related Articles

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registration required...

It Wasn't Broke

I agree, stupidity, again

BIG step backwards

This bytes!

Really Stupid

update

check that

Developers

Big Time Mistake!

It was broken

easy answer ?

it's all there...

ftp.apple.com

NeXTification...

Mac users

WHIN WHIN WHIN

RE: Mac users

I rather like it

Adapt or Die

what's next?

grr..spelled whin wrong

Bullocks!

Change?

Smells like microsoft

Bullocks

Tech Support nighmare

grrr

Growing Pains

Mac users

ASU and TIL

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