"RoseGarden" - - - - - - - from - nscave

So Many Updates    

I don't know about you, but it seems to me every time I turn the computer on there is a long list of updates waiting. And my computers are on every day, and used many times a day.

And it seems they all say important - security related. So that makes you want to do the update right away.

Firefox & Thunderbird

On top of that we have programs like Firefox & Thunderbird, that do upgrades every few months with little more benefit than what appears to be a version number change.

Then most of the extensions or add-ons for those programs don't work anymore, until days later when the authors finally get them upgraded too. You have to keep checking to see if they are updated so everything will work like it used to.

That used to happen about once a year or so. Now it is every month or couple of months. I spend a lot of time just keeping up with updates.

How come the programmers can't get it right like they used to? Seems to me it is a version war to see who can get the biggest version number fastest.

Custom Install

The category I hate the most is those programs everyone almost have to use such as 'java' and their updates always include a little "gotcha". Unless you do a custom install and pay attention, you will end up with an unwanted Yahoo tool bar, or with some others your search engine and home page changed to ask.com.

I've said here many times, always do a custom install when possible and pay attention to the little boxes that are checked. When in doubt, always uncheck. If you miss anything  important you can always go back later via preferences setting in the program.

Important

Whether it is intentional or not, I notice some programs that didn't do it before, are now putting the choice of custom install in a drop down list. You will find an arrow beside (or part of) the install button or the next button. If you just click the box you get the regular install. Click the arrow and the drop down list appears, giving the custom install option, and sometimes some other choices.

Sneaky, it gives the impression custom install is not necessary.

Whether you are installing a program for the first time, or doing an update, make sure you take your time and know what you are clicking on.

All this updating is becoming frustrating. It is beginning to make me want to search for alternate or replacement programs that aren't updated so often. Or at least those that can update their add-ons at the same time by themselves.

This work by NSCAVE is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License