we shouldn't be surprised when programs don't work right when updating, especially during optimization. redo_ and update_prebinding--i believe--rewrites parts of the application files, and if these applications are running, surely there's the potential to mess things up. (please tell me if i'm wrong about how prebinding works, because i've never seen a clear answer so i'm only working from assumptions made during my poking around in the terminal.)

i really think it's a bad idea to play with your machine during an update. true--i have no hard evidence to prove my case except this:

i've always had smooth updates with os x. i've also left the computer alone to do its work.

the people here who are having problems seem to be the same ones who continue to use high-level applications during the process.

since the updates require a reboot anyway, why doesn't apple just write the software updater to download the update, reboot into single-user mode, install the update, and reboot into multi-user mode?