A new software update is available!

[Tsutarja]

Ooo, a new software update is available, and it has an option to skip this update as well!

Most of the time, many software companies allow for the user of their software to choose how to install patches and updates to their software, whether it'd be automatic, or manual. So I want to know, how do you typically prefer to do any software updates? Do you update automatically just so it doesn't annoy you, or do you perhaps shrug off the update notification?

 

[Sheep]

If it's something big like a new operating system (OS X Mavericks, for example) then I'll hold off until I'm absolutely sure I won't have issues updating. Right now Mavericks has quite a lot of bad reviews so I'm not in any rush to get that installed. Otherwise I manually install my updates; it's my preference so I'm aware what's being installed and the details of the installation/update. Too many bad memories from automatic installs, especially when I still had a Windows laptop uuuurgh. I'm happy being in control of when and what I update.

Shrugging it off entirely usually isn't an option since I like to be up-to-date.

 

[Hiatus]

I prefer manually updating all my softwares, because that way, I could keep better track of things. I know it's a bit of hassle doing all these things yourself, but I personally find it to be worth it. Not all updates are needed (well, at least in my opinion, because some are small and don't make much changes at all), so you'd be better off installing one after a few had been released all together. Plus, if your connection's not fast enough, it could slow it down even further without you even knowing. :( Last time I actually had an automatic update was about four to five years ago, haha.

 

[twocows]

I like to be notified before my software updates, specifically so that it doesn't start thrashing my hardware or my network when I'm in the middle of something that requires those things not to be thrashed.

I do make a habit of getting updates installed promptly for software I regularly use, though. I also run FileHippo's update checker every now and then to catch anything I missed, too.

 

[vocis]

Fffffff god I hate update notifications. I almost always ignore them, and I hate when they don't give you a "shut up forever" box, but just a "remind me later" button. Then every once in a blue moon I go through and update everything manually.

I like automatic updates as long as they only happen when I open the program. It really irks me when a program installs a separate, eternally-running background program just to check for updates all the time whether you've opened the main program or not. I hate that about Adobe products--you have to install a program just to download and install the programs. Then it installs all this other crap like update checking that runs on startup.

Run -> msconfig was my best friend when I was on Windows machines. UNCHECK ALL THE THINGS.

 

[twocows]

Fffffff god I hate update notifications. I almost always ignore them, and I hate when they don't give you a "shut up forever" box, but just a "remind me later" button. Then every once in a blue moon I go through and update everything manually.

I like automatic updates as long as they only happen when I open the program. It really irks me when a program installs a separate, eternally-running background program just to check for updates all the time whether you've opened the main program or not. I hate that about Adobe products--you have to install a program just to download and install the programs. Then it installs all this other crap like update checking that runs on startup.

Run -> msconfig was my best friend when I was on Windows machines. UNCHECK ALL THE THINGS.

msconfig is for diagnostic purposes and is not meant as a permanent solution. For a permanent solution, use Sysinternals autoruns.

Also, whether you like it or not, you should at least let your updates run within a few days of when they're available, especially if it's system-level stuff or anything visible from the internet. Not doing so is a security risk.

 

[Raine]

I get annoyed whenever those updates pop up, to be honest >>;; Being the procrastinator that I am, software updates are no exceptional. For example, I'm pretty sure my MacBook has been notifying me for the past week or so to update the applications that have them, but I always click the "remind me later" button XD Some of the updates take so long that I'll put it off indefinitely.