I had to update Quicktime today, which lead me once more down the path of minor, niggling annoyances that add up to being totally frustrating.

The first and most obvious one is that the only download easily available for Quicktime is the one bundled with iTunes. In fact, it’s not even a bundle - it’s iTunes with Quicktime tacked on. So if you want the latest Quicktime you also have to install iTunes.

Nope. Thanks but no thanks. I don’t want the latest version of iTunes, I only want Quicktime. It is possible to download just Quicktime, but the only link I have been able to find has been buried deep within technical support. It’s here: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone.html.

Once downloaded, I ran the installer and discovered that Firefox is a ‘Quicktime Application’ as I watched all my open windows closing one by one. I do understand that Quicktime functions as a plug-in for browsers, but there was no mention of closing browser windows anywhere in the installation process.

Ah well, I’ll just have to re-open everything.

Lastly, and perhaps most annoyingly, Quicktime insists on overwriting my preferences and settings with it’s own, especially when it comes to certain video and audio formats which it thinks it should play, despite these being pre-assigned to other software. It also re-adds the Quicktime task to the registry (meaning I have to delete it - again), adds an icon to the desktop (No thanks! And thanks for asking if I wanted an icon!), and tells me I want to have a tray icon displayed as well.

So now I have the latest version of Quicktime. It’s a real shame the process is so damned annoying.