From what I am starting to understand, it may be to one's advantage (and the developer) to buy software titles direct rather than the App Store. I was just reading last night that Apple can and has limited some functions of apps which are purchased at the App Store. I'm also finding that upgrading isn't as a clear path as with something bought direct. Such as VoodooPad. I purchased it on the App Store and never even knew that a new and improved version 5 has come out. Usually, an app will inform you of an available update. Not in the App Store, at least on this title. The developer also takes a hit financially on the sale through the App Store.

It's a pros / cons equation. For example - I just picked up Call of Duty 4 from the MacGameStore (digital download), which had it on sale for 19.95. The Mac App Store has it listed at $39.99. I'm no heavy modder type, but apparently the Mac App Store version of this game is limited in a certain degree, such as the ease of updating PunkBuster data.

On the other hand... it's nice to have a one-stop-shopping, trusted source for Mac Apps.... and with Mountain Lion coming, the new Gatekeeper technology may well indicate that the Mac App Store will eventually become the dominant way to get trusted apps.

Csonni, did you open the App Store application and not see the updates? There is no "push" notification on the Mac; you have to actually open the App Store App once in a while. Did you open it and still not receive a notification?

Apple takes 30% of any sale in the App store, so developers do lose that. However, some have abandoned selling their own apps themselves and ONLY offer them through the App store. There are costs to doing business online - maintaining a secure website with enough bandwidth to handle the traffic required when offering applications for download, maintaining and administering shopping cart apps, maintaining an email list to notify purchasers of updates etc., the percentage that the credit card companies take, the inevitable headaches when purchasers give you fraudulently obtained CC numbers etc. etc. If you think about all that stuff, letting the App store take over all that stuff AND have the potentially increased exposure of being in the App store in the first place could start to look pretty attractive.

So far, I've continued to get updates for much of my software via the developers' sites, but then at least some of it isn't even available in the App Store (ie: SuperDuper) and unless it's something new to me, I didn't get it there in the first place. I do have a few "little" apps that I got via the App Store - I think that's the only way they were distributed.

It is a gamble right now. if a developer has both options at some point in time they could make a decision to only go one way then you will be left out in the cold with no updates. For example Pixelmator has made decision to only sell through the App Store. they do offer a trial on their website but that expires and there is no way to unlock it, they tell you to download from the App Store.

I have read that even the Software Update will be going to the App Store and so I am assuming that for Mountain Lion there will be an auto check for updates where yo don't need to open the App Store to see if there is an update to an app you purchased.

Paddy, yup. No update listed in the store.

I have read that even the Software Update will be going to the App Store and so I am assuming that for Mountain Lion there will be an auto check for updates where yo don't need to open the App Store to see if there is an update to an app you purchased.

But the icon on the dock and in Launchpad do show a little red circle with the number of updates awaiting, no need to open the app to see if there are updates. It's kinda push, just no actual notification popping up or appearing anywhere to tell you unless you have the app on the dock or check Launchpad occasionally...

But the icon on the dock and in Launchpad do show a little red circle with the number of updates awaiting, no need to open the app to see if there are updates. It's kinda push, just no actual notification popping up or appearing anywhere to tell you unless you have the app on the dock or check Launchpad occasionally...

Um that doesn't happen unless you open the App Store app. if you don't launch the app for a very long period of time you will never know you have updates.

^

Right. I opened mine yesterday after a couple of weeks of no use to look for something and found it had six upgrades awaiting.