Is apple.com Safe?

This site is SAFE-TO-SURF. It is not necessary to enter your email address to download the iTunes player -- this is optional, as is the choice as to whether to receive promotional emails from Apple or not (you can just uncheck the relevant tickboxes). In my opinion, Apple's website is easy to use and, if you do not want to download or use anything other than iTunes, you do not have to -- with the small (if a little annoying) exception of QuickTime, which is part of the iTunes install -- I would prefer it if QuickTime were separate, since I have no use for it and it only bloats the install and adds to redundant software installed on my PC. My one small criticism is that the iTunes software is a very large install (I do not find that it takes over my computer, so long as I do a Custom install), and it would be nice if I could choose, for example, to download the audio codecs without the video codecs, for which I have no use -- in other words, a modular install would be better. Apart from this (and even though I'm a dedicated PC fan who has never owned any Apple device), I give Apple's website high marks for safety, protection of privacy, functionality, clarity, variety of downloads available, speed of loading, stability, and overall ease of use. Particularly regarding safety, I have never heard of this site either distributing malware or spamming -- voluntarily signing up for Apple's communications, as you will by default during downloads if you do NOT uncheck the relevant tickboxes, means that you are *inviting* Apple to contact you -- which is not spamming. I have never received an email from Apple, despite downloading iTunes several times. An all-round safe and good site in my opinion.

Apple Computers attempts to make several unsolicited TCP connections to my computer daily. I own no software or products of theres, except Quicktime, and updates are turned off, and I do not use it. I believe they may be trying to discern "consumer patterns."