Add/Remove Programs On a Mac?

[SuperDayv]

I installed a program I want to uninstall, but I can't find an uninstall file for it. Is there an option on a Mac like the add/remove programs in Windows?

[Sam]

You don't need to go through a long process to uninstall most applications in OS X: simply drop its icon into the Trash! More complicated applications like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop do have its own uninstall process though!

[SuperDayv]

WOW! This is so much easier than windows.

[Underpantman]

You can also use free app cleaner.
Which makes the already simple process even easier.
a

[The_Shirt]

On a side note here, if I drag stuff from my download folder to the trashcan, does that uninstall the program? I ask because when I was downloading handbrake, it seemed like I had to do it 2-3 times because it kept disappearing. Finally I just left it in the download folder. Just curious if I should be able to delete everything in my download folder without fear of accidently unistalling programs...

edit - When I say "stuff", I mean the initial downloaded file.

[Underpantman]

It will if you never "installed" the program by dragging it to the app's folder. so if you downloaded handbrake then ran it from the downloads folder, you could delete it and have it "uninstalled" (although technically it never was installed), which is probably why it keeps disappearing.
So to install it correctly, drag the app to the apps folder. Then you can delete what you like from your downloads.
a

ps this is only the case with apps that don't have an installer

[Mackan]

WOW! This is so much easier than windows.

Don't know about that. Just going to the Control Panel in Windows, and click uninstall on the program feels rather simple to me.

The normal procedure by just dragging the application you want to uninstall to the trash can in OS X, will in many cases still leave files behind. Using third party programs like AppCleaner will help remove them, but AppCleaner is not perfect. And that you actually have to resort to use third party programs, and in some cases pay for them, to have a more complete uninstall doesn't feel good.

So over time OS X can get a bit polluted with files from old programs that you have removed. I've noticed some problems when I later reinstalled some programs that I had uninstalled before. They didn't work correctly because they used old settings or data files that were left behind. That's unnecessary trouble I don't want to have. Most of the time there is no problem, though.

[Seshan]

Don't know about that. Just going to the Control Panel in Windows, and click uninstall on the program feels rather simple to me.

The normal procedure by just dragging the application you want to uninstall to the trash can in OS X, will in many cases still leave files behind. Using third party programs like AppCleaner will help remove them, but AppCleaner is not perfect. And that you actually have to resort to use third party programs, and in some cases pay for them, to have a more complete uninstall doesn't feel good.

So over time OS X can get a bit polluted with files from old programs that you have removed. I've noticed some problems when I later reinstalled some programs that I had uninstalled before. They didn't work correctly because they used old settings or data files that were left behind. That's unnecessary trouble I don't want to have. Most of the time there is no problem, though.

Windows is the same way, uninstalling still does not delete everything.

[fastrandstrongr]

Don't know about that. Just going to the Control Panel in Windows, and click uninstall on the program feels rather simple to me.

The normal procedure by just dragging the application you want to uninstall to the trash can in OS X, will in many cases still leave files behind. Using third party programs like AppCleaner will help remove them, but AppCleaner is not perfect. And that you actually have to resort to use third party programs, and in some cases pay for them, to have a more complete uninstall doesn't feel good.

So over time OS X can get a bit polluted with files from old programs that you have removed. I've noticed some problems when I later reinstalled some programs that I had uninstalled before. They didn't work correctly because they used old settings or data files that were left behind. That's unnecessary trouble I don't want to have. Most of the time there is no problem, though.

Windows is the same way, uninstalling still does to delete everything.

yeah for real. vista gets so cluttered after a while that strange things start happening... i havent experienced any slowdown effects on either mac that i've owned (at least not yet), but i have noticed a gradual bogging down on my vista machine.

[HLdan]

yeah for real. vista gets so cluttered after a while that strange things start happening... i havent experienced any slowdown effects on either mac that i've owned (at least not yet), but i have noticed a gradual bogging down on my vista machine.

Yep, that's the REAL difference between the easy way of just dragging and dropping to the Trash in the Mac OS vs. the way Windows handles it. Yes, on the Mac OS it will leave behind files but they are only the Preference files which have absolutely NO EFFECT on the system. In fact it makes it better for when you want to reinstall the same application, it generally keeps your serial key in Preferences. All the files that run the program in question are retained in one folder and not affecting any other programs.
In Windows, this is where it's a problem and why you can't just drag N drop like the Mac OS. In Windows the Registry is the problem. Files from uninstalled programs are left behind that clog up the Registry and end up slowing down Windows. Also when installing a program the Registry shares parts of that program with other programs therefore when you uninstall the program it actually affects those programs and causes issues.
Upon uninstalling Windows tells you that other programs will be affected if you remove all of the program. That's why the Registry sucks and installing programs on Mac OS is much better and more efficient in terms of handling files.