If you have the free version of QuickTime, you can ignore Apple's suggestion to go Pro, and you don't need to give your email address.

Did you buy QuickTime authoring software? Is it not eligible for updates?

It is very important to keep the internet-facing plugins up-to-date, even as your authoring software ages gracefully. The plugins run untrustworthy binary content from strangers, and you risk losing a lot more than one program as a result.

I don't know whether the newer free version can coexist along with the older paid version. Users of Adobe Acrobat often face this dilemma in keeping the Adobe Reader plugin up-to-date. I wonder whether Apple has a page on this?

Thanks very much. I will not "go Pro." That leaves me with the irritating pop-ups, and a sense of vulnerability about using the old, free, Quicktime plug-in.

I apologize for my confusing post above, but to be clear: the QuickTime player is completely free. You do NOT need to buy up to the Pro version. Ever.

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

You can uncheck the box about emails, you do not need to give Apple your email address.

I'm guessing that most folks don't read the License Agreements. Yes, Downloading QuickTime Pro is free, but in the steps to install it, you find out:

"APPLE INC. SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR QUICKTIME

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO QUICKTIME PRO USERS: INSTALLATION OF QUICKTIME 7 WILL DISABLE THE QUICKTIME PRO FUNCTIONALITY IN PRIOR VERSIONS OF QUICKTIME. IF YOU PROCEED WITH THIS INSTALLATION, YOU MUST PURCHASE A NEW QUICKTIME 7 PRO KEY TO REGAIN QUICKTIME PRO FUNCTIONALITY. AFTER INSTALLATION, VISIT www.apple.com/quicktime TO PURCHASE A QUICKTIME 7 PRO KEY."

Note: The New will disable the old, AND you must PURCHASE the KEY in order to USE the "free" download!

And when you go to the site to find out how much it will cost and how to get the key, YOU CAN'T LEARN EITHER!

If you follow the link, the first page doesn't say anything about a Key or how to Buy it. At the very bottom of the page you have the chance to "download the user guide." When you do that, you must read the table of contents line by lilne until you get to page 23, "Getting Started." On that page you are told to Download the Pro version and completely install it (losing old functionality, but not getting new) and then follow these steps: "To get QuickTime Pro, choose a QuickTime Pro menu item and click Buy Now, or choose QuickTime Player > Buy QuickTime Pro." ...And you STILL don't know how much it will cost for the Key!

When we started this thread, I thought you had a paid copy of QuickTime Pro and were worried that installing the free version would disable it. So as you can see in my first reply, I asked you about that to confirm, and suggesting checking with Apple.

Then in your response, you said you had the free version of QuickTime. The free version is not the same as QuickTime Pro. So since you just have the free version, I replied that you should install the latest free version.

So my conclusion is that you need to double-check what you have:

• If you have a paid version of QuickTime -- QuickTime Pro -- and do not want to lose the paid features, do not install the free version of QuickTime player until Apple gives you pricing information. Then you can decide what to do.
• If you have the free QuickTime player, install the new free player using the link above. Ignore the Pro version.