> My Mac is constantly bugging me to install OS updates. Same with my iPad and my iPhone. Apple gives you no option to skip the updates. The only way to avoid the constant carping is to allow Apple to do the update automatically, which is not by any means having control of your own devices.

I've re-read what you wrote several times, and I can't help but come to the same conclusion that the problem you're reporting is related to "constantly bugging" and "Apple gives you no option to skip the updates". Turning off the updates solves both of these.

Now you say you want the harping, but don't want the automatic updates. That's easy: "Check for updates" is on, "Install macOS updates" is off, "Install Security Responses and system files" is off. Now you'll be alerted but the updates won't happen automatically.

I'm not sure if you really couldn't figure this out, or if you're just venting a bit, so I'm happy to give the benefit of the doubt. Either way, now you'll have exactly what you want :)

There’s no OS way to do this, but you can certainly kill all the nagging and find out or subscribe to updates through other means.

Idk what you tried, but it's never bothered me. I went out of date without realizing.