# Computing has become too overwhelming (updates) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 16, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334 "2010-10-16T13:40:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/1 "2010-10-16T13:40:21Z")
Every time I turn around, there is another fucking update. Windows has updates. Fucking Flash has seemingly daily updates. Firefox has updates. iTunes has updates. Every time I turn on the god damn computer I have to install updates. Or ignore them and worry about infections. Or wait until a video won’t play and install it then. A lot of times I want to get on the tubes real quick to just check a phone number or something, and I can’t do it because everything needs to be updated. Oftentimes I will notice my download speed slow to a crawl, and you guessed it, something like Spyware Doctor is downloading a huge update. Today I hit a breaking point. I had been overwhelmed by updates and had put them off, promising myself I would set aside some time this weekend to install all these fucking things. So I get on my desktop and start with the Windows update. Restart. iTunes update. This is an especially onerous update because after iTunes updates none of the fucking icons work any more, so I have to replace the icons in the quicklaunch and startup folder. Restart again. Now Firefox. Oh, wait, the new iTunes is telling me that four of my apps have updates. God Damn it! Then it hits me, I am actually to the point of having to set aside time on the fucking weekend just to update all this shit. And the way things are going, I’m going to have to do this every weekend. God Damn it! Fuck fuck fuckity fuck. I feel better. Although I may be back to rant some more. I have two laptops that I haven’t even started on yet. Fuck. Now I feel worse. * * * Now playing: [Boston - Peace Of Mind](http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/boston/track/peace+of+mind) via [FoxyTunes](http://www.foxytunes.com/signatunes/) ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/2 "2010-10-16T13:56:37Z")
That’s what drove me off AOL over a decade ago. Every time I wanted to log off, they wanted to install updates. I got to the point where I’d just unplug the modem (this was dialup) at the end of each session. Updates should be limited. What these people don’t realize is that updates aren’t a convenience, and they don’t add value. Updates are a sign that someone SCREWED UP THE PROGRAM IN THE FIRST PLACE, for the most part. If it had been done RIGHT in the first place, we wouldn’t need nearly so many updates. Unless an update is critical, it shouldn’t be required. And they shouldn’t be pushed on people. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/3 "2010-10-16T14:04:38Z")
Screw updates. I only update if I have to. I have the antivirus update while I’m at work once a week, that’s it. Everything else I couldn’t give less of a shit about. ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/4 "2010-10-16T14:06:14Z")
Yeah, automatic security updates and bug fixes are nice, but I will download a new version if I want new features. At least tell me what is being changed and don’t remove old features! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/5 "2010-10-16T14:06:40Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Updates should be limited. What these people don’t realize is that updates aren’t a convenience, and they don’t add value… One nice thing about this rash of online program modifications is that people are no longer so prone to call every damned thing that comes down the pipe an ‘upgrade’. That word was seriously _out of control!_ ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/6 "2010-10-16T14:07:25Z")
I think the issue is when programs are too “chatty.” “Hey, there’s an update” every time you start the program. Pop-ups while you work in the program. Then, you decide to download the update, and you’ve deal with more prompts: “Downloading the update [OK]”, “Downloaded the update [OK]”, “Please restart the program [OK]”, “Installing the update [OK]”, “Installed the update [OK]”, “This program has been updated [OK]”. I understand the need for updates, but maybe they’d be less bothersome if modern computer programs weren’t such attention whores. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/7 "2010-10-16T14:07:59Z")
Recently every time I turned on my netbook I would have a window pop up to tell me that my Adobe Flash Player needed to be updated; I would click the button to start the install and then I would get a notice that the install was stopped because I didn’t have an internet connection. Firefox would start fine, so I could never figure out what the problem was. I forget what I did that finally got the update to install, but at least the annoying messages have stopped. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/8 "2010-10-16T14:12:51Z")
A simple solution is a centralized updater program that you can set to do its thing periodically and that’s the end of it. Like Steam, or Software Update (for OS X), which are minimally interactive to do their jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/9 "2010-10-16T14:33:41Z")
Updates aren’t a problem. Updates as they are on Windows are a problem. Everytime I boot into Windows my computer is crippled by the software updater downloading stuff in the background then stopping me shutting down the computer straight away installing its stupid shit. I don’t understand how I can update the whole of OpenOffice or replace the kernel in the background in Ubuntu, while still having a usable machine, but installing some 5mb security patch in Windows brings everything to a halt. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/10 "2010-10-16T15:00:48Z")
So, looking at this thread reminded me that I’ve been prompted to update Java, which I did. I was then asked to close my browser so the update could finish. Closed it, waited for a few seconds whereupon the browser reopened to “verify” that I have the latest version of Java. I had to click some red button to do this verification and, upon doing so, a popup appears: _To run this application you need an earlier version of Java_ I literally laughed out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/11 "2010-10-16T16:18:01Z")
Yeah, I miss the good old days when the only software on my computer was programs I wrote myself. No nagging about updates then! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/12 "2010-10-16T16:39:58Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > I think the issue is when programs are too “chatty.” “Hey, there’s an update” every time you start the program. Pop-ups while you work in the program. Then, you decide to download the update, and you’ve deal with more prompts: “Downloading the update [OK]”, “Downloaded the update [OK]”, “Please restart the program [OK]”, “Installing the update [OK]”, “Installed the update [OK]”, “This program has been updated [OK]”. You forgot “Please re-read the User Agreement and check the ‘I Agree’ Box” [Check, OK] ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/13 "2010-10-16T16:43:28Z")
🙂 > [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > Updates aren’t a problem. Updates as they are on Windows are a problem. Everytime I boot into Windows my computer is crippled by the software updater downloading stuff in the background then stopping me shutting down the computer straight away installing its stupid shit. I don’t understand how I can update the whole of OpenOffice or replace the kernel in the background in Ubuntu, while still having a usable machine, but installing some 5mb security patch in Windows brings everything to a halt. This is the one that really gets me. In XP Windows doesn’t even ask. It just kicks in, slowing everything down, not telling you what it is doing even if you ask. “Why is this computer so slow” “I dunno”. Or when you need to shut the damn computer down and it won’t let you do it without installing updates. I think you could avoid that if needed but it wasn’t easy. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/14 "2010-10-16T17:17:06Z")
iTunes used to have a “shopping cart” where you could gather the music you were interested in before buying. One of there “upgrades” eliminated the shipping cart. they didn’t say that of course – well maybe they did somewhere in the 4 point font 4 pages of notes which no one has the time or eagle vision to read. Now you click and you’ve bought. And there’s no going back. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/15 "2010-10-16T19:46:48Z")
[QUOTE=Don’t Call Me Shirley] iTunes update. This is an especially onerous update because after iTunes updates none of the fucking icons work any more, so I have to replace the icons in the quicklaunch and startup folder. [/QUOTE] Mega Rant On! Oh yes, a thousands times yes with the I-tunes crap. How in the hell can they keep updating this, they are up to what 10.1 by now, every couple of months! The thing is they never improve the program, just in my opinion make it worse with each and every update. The scroll bars lag so much at time it’s almost non functional, features I never wanted and will never use, can’t search for just music videos like you could before, can’t copy a song title from the web and paste it to the search box like you could before. I don’t give a rat’s ass about Genius and now this Ping crap. RantOff!! ---
**Author:** ![NOLA\_Cajun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea666f/32.png) [@NOLA\_Cajun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NOLA_Cajun)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/16 "2010-10-16T19:58:31Z")
Mr. Miskatonic, you most certainly can tell WinXP how to handle updates. Apparently you have yours set to download and install automatically. Meanwhile back to the OP… FUCK YOU OPENOFFICE! Had an update available so I downloaded it. Goddamn thing took so long to do I wanted to strangle kittens while kicking puppies! And then to make it even worse…I’m trying to get out the door and every time I tell it YES… DOWNLOAD THE GODDAMN THING AND INSTALL IT! It would pop up another window asking me to click YES or ACCEPT or what the fuck ever before FINALLY it began the install. And to make it worse it seems to have downloaded and installed the complete OpenOffice program instead of just so called “updates”. I’ve got an MS Office CD. Me thinks it’s time to dump OpenOffice and go back to MS Office. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/17 "2010-10-16T20:10:56Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > [QUOTE=Don’t Call Me Shirley] > iTunes update. This is an especially onerous update because after iTunes updates none of the fucking icons work any more, so I have to replace the icons in the quicklaunch and startup folder. Mega Rant On! Oh yes, a thousands times yes with the I-tunes crap. How in the hell can they keep updating this, they are up to what 10.1 by now, every couple of months! The thing is they never improve the program, just in my opinion make it worse with each and every update. The scroll bars lag so much at time it’s almost non functional, features I never wanted and will never use, can’t search for just music videos like you could before, can’t copy a song title from the web and paste it to the search box like you could before. I don’t give a rat’s ass about Genius and now this Ping crap. RantOff!! [/QUOTE] > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > iTunes used to have a “shopping cart” where you could gather the music you were interested in before buying. > > One of there “upgrades” eliminated the shipping cart. they didn’t say that of course – well maybe they did somewhere in the 4 point font 4 pages of notes which no one has the time or eagle vision to read. Now you click and you’ve bought. > > And there’s no going back. Oh, that’s not what kills me- the change from “Party Shuffle” to “iTunes DJ” is my pet peeve. “Party Shuffle” allowed me to create and edit a playlist on the fly and draw from a pre-made playlist when it caught up to me. I could drag songs, jump around in the playlist, and generally control everything I wanted to with a couple clicks. “iTunes DJ” has changed the whole syntax and now I can’t jump down in the playlist at all. “Party Shuffle” was the one thing I loved about iTunes, and now as soon as my iPod finally dies, I’m moving over to something that doesn’t tax my system unreasonably. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/18 "2010-10-17T00:47:10Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > Updates aren’t a problem. Updates as they are on Windows are a problem. For truth. Windows 7 is slightly better, but Windows still can’t seem to update anything without dialogue boxes and forced reboots, and doesn’t let you _globally_ control update cycles for installed programs. My Ubuntu laptop is a dream. I can set my own schedule for updates (I do once every two weeks), it is a single password and “ok” box to click, and everything updates in the background without a reboot or slowing down my machine. I’ve also never had a program dump any shortcut icons on the desktop. ---
**Author:** ![Morella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Morella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morella)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/19 "2010-10-17T00:59:21Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > This is the one that really gets me. In XP Windows doesn’t even ask. It just kicks in, slowing everything down, not telling you what it is doing even if you ask. “Why is this computer so slow” “I dunno”. Turn off automatic updates, or decide to choose when they are performed. > **[Windows Update: FAQ - Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-update-faq-8a903416-6f45-0718-f5c7-375e92dddeb2)** > > Learn how to get the latest Windows updates. Find answers to FAQ about updating Windows to keep your PC up to date. ---
**Author:** ![Morella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Morella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morella)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334/20 "2010-10-17T01:01:39Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > For truth. Windows 7 is slightly better, but Windows still can’t seem to update anything without dialogue boxes and forced reboots, and doesn’t let you _globally_ control update cycles for installed programs. Installed programs have their own update daemons. You can prevent them from starting by disabling them in the registry. WHY IN THE FUCK AM I DOING WINDOWS SUPPORT ANYWAY? I AM BORED, FUCKING BORED! SIX HOURS WITHOUT WORKING! I AM LOSING MY FUCKING MIND! WHY DOESN’T THE PHONE RING WITH SOME WORK FOR ME TO DO? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computing-has-become-too-overwhelming-updates/557334.md?page=2)