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Macworld reports that Apple has made a change to its Mac App Store providing warnings to users attempting to purchase apps that are already installed on their computers but purchased from outside the Mac App Store. The warning says:
[App name] is already installed and was not purchased from the Mac App Store
Do you want to buy [app name] again?
The report notes that while Apple has yet to provide a way for users to bring their existing non-Mac App Store apps into the Mac App Store ecosystem, the step does help prevent accidental double purchases of apps in cases where users fail to realize that they have an application already installed.
As noted by The Next Web, however, the existing app and the Mac App Store must be the exact same version in order for the warning to be triggered. Consequently, users will still need to be careful to pay attention to their existing installed apps when browsing the Mac App Store.
Top Rated Comments
They really ought to provide a way to import licenses though. I'm getting sick of developers transitioning to "App Store only" leaving existing customers out in the cold.
SO, given that, I suspect most developers (and Apple) will just hope that the problem goes away by itself over time.
I mean, yeah, I'd sure LIKE to link Aperture 3 with the app store, but by the time Aperture 4 comes out it won't matter. Everyone will have to buy it for the same price no matter what you had before. So the problem will essentially solve itself over time.
Yeah, it's a little anoying, but long-tern it doesn't matter. We'll all end up in the same place eventually (and for the same price).