Automatic Software Update

Power Manager includes the ability to automatically check for updates and new revisions released by DssW. This ability is enabled by default. We recommend leaving automatic version checking enabled; it is important to keep your copy of Power Manager up to date.

Power Manager talks once a week to the DssW server version.dssw.co.uk. During this interaction no personal information is disclosed. By default a basic system profile is included with the request for version information. This information is limited to general hardware and operating system. We use this information to get a gauge of the hardware Power Manager is deployed on. You can disable the sending of this information.

For managed environments, and for Macs maintained by a third party, you may wish to disable the automatic software updates. In these environments, we recommend distributing Power Manager using your administration infrastructure.

Procedure 1.4. Disabling Software Update

1. Launch Power Manager’s System Preference.

2. Click on the version information in the lower right.

3. Select Update Options… from the pop-up menu.

4. Disable (uncheck) the Automatically check for updates checkbox.

5. Select Apply to confirm your new setting.

Procedure 1.5. Enabling Software Update

1. Launch Power Manager’s System Preference.

2. Click on the version information in the lower right.

3. Select Update Options… from the pop-up menu.

4. Enable (check) the Automatically check for updates checkbox.

5. Select Apply to confirm your new setting.

The automatic software update behaviour is controlled through the defaults system. This means you can alter Power Manager’s software update behaviour from the command line, and enforce policy decisions centrally.

Example 1.11. Disabling software update using defaults

defaults write uk.co.dssw.powermanager softwareupdate.check false

Set the software update’s automatic check behaviour to false; this change takes effect after a restart, or log-out/log-in.

The applicable defaults are detailed in the table below.

Table 1.3. Power Manager’s Software Update defaults Keys