Maker Pro
Maker Pro

PITA Software Updates

D

D from BC

Jan 1, 1970
0
There was a time when many apps on my system were updating like a
bunch of kids looking for their mommy.
What pita... :p

I'm sure there's just bunk software updates such as:

* More advertising.
* Faked support for customer lock-in.
(Ohhh it's updating, that's a nice company.)
* Anti-piracy countermeasures.
* Insignificant code changes to keep programmers from being laid off.
* Dummy update to count number of users. (Also useful to estimate
piracy level.)

I bet most updates are bullshit! So I've now disabled all updates.
Anything that still wants to update gets blocked by the firewall.
I now only update when there's a problem or have a real need for an
update.
Ex. Updating the LTSpice library.

Software is the only product I can think of with the update craze.

Do you take your car in and get it updated?
Do you update your tv?
Do you update your chainsaw, can opener, toilet?

I think the main reason for updates is $$$.
Software companies need to know who's using their product and when.
They can gauge this with updates.

Updates are a market analysis tool..


D from BC
 
M

Martin Griffith

Jan 1, 1970
0
Do you take your car in and get it updated?
Do you update your tv?
Do you update your chainsaw, can opener, toilet?

AVG is ok as well.
But I sort of look at updates as a

change of oil/ brakepads/air in tyres
clean the toilet seat, remove scrotal debris, calcium salts build up
degrease the sink and coffee mug

but only in moderation, except for alien life forms under the antislip
shower mat, instant update....


martin
 
J

James Beck

Jan 1, 1970
0
degrease the sink and coffee mug

I can see the sink, BUT why on Earth would you remove all the flavor
from your mug?
 
M

Martin Griffith

Jan 1, 1970
0
I can see the sink, BUT why on Earth would you remove all the flavor
from your mug?

I did say in moderation, didn't I?
Say, monthly, like the sink.

Vinegar is really good at getting toilets clean, but the basic package
needs some getting used to, they dont squirt uphill very well.
I think I will get an update


martin
 
F

Frithiof Andreas Jensen

Jan 1, 1970
0
Software is the only product I can think of with the update craze.

Do you take your car in and get it updated?

Yep. One software and Two hardware so far (A cowling on the front springs to
stop them from cutting your tyre when they break and a break-light switch
that can ignite the brake fluid)
Do you update your tv?

We will ...
Do you update your chainsaw, can opener, toilet?

Did the dishwasher, A PCB blew up and the replacement came with a fixpack in
the shape of gaskets to be fitted in marked locations and an ejector pump to
be plumbed into the "washing circuit" to keep some level sensor clean.

I even had a plastic thingy break in an electrolux hoover that came with a
fixpack.
 
J

James Beck

Jan 1, 1970
0
I did say in moderation, didn't I?
Say, monthly, like the sink.

Vinegar is really good at getting toilets clean, but the basic package
needs some getting used to, they dont squirt uphill very well.
I think I will get an update

I usually wait until the crystallized goodies in the bottom of the mug
start noticable cutting into the mug's volume. Then just a little wipe
with some hot water, don't want to have to season it all over again.

;)

Seriously, one of our bench guys has a mug here that is beyond funny and
just a quick swish with water is all I've ever seen done to it. There
has got to be a puck of gunk on the bottom that's 1cm thick.

Jim
 
J

James Beck

Jan 1, 1970
0
Yep. One software and Two hardware so far (A cowling on the front springs to
stop them from cutting your tyre when they break and a break-light switch
that can ignite the brake fluid)


We will ...


Did the dishwasher, A PCB blew up and the replacement came with a fixpack in
the shape of gaskets to be fitted in marked locations and an ejector pump to
be plumbed into the "washing circuit" to keep some level sensor clean.

I even had a plastic thingy break in an electrolux hoover that came with a
fixpack.
My wife's Suburban has had 2 software patches and quite a few hardware.
I think if she gets another card in the mail she is going to shove that
monster up some GMC honcho's butt.
 
M

mpm

Jan 1, 1970
0
There was a time when many apps on my system were updating like a
bunch of kids looking for their mommy.
What pita...


I disallow updates too for the same reason.
Many of my audio programs attempt to "update" by placing more and more
restrictions on content, a la "Digital Rights Management".

So now I just say screw it. If you can't deliver content in a
respectable format, (ie, a format that's been out longer than 20
minutes), I don't have time to be bothered with it. It's usually crap
anyway.

-mpm
 
M

Martin Griffith

Jan 1, 1970
0
I disallow updates too for the same reason.
Many of my audio programs attempt to "update" by placing more and more
restrictions on content, a la "Digital Rights Management".

So now I just say screw it. If you can't deliver content in a
respectable format, (ie, a format that's been out longer than 20
minutes), I don't have time to be bothered with it. It's usually crap
anyway.

-mpm
check out/google "Belarc advisor" it will tell you what updates are
really needed on your bloatware


martin
 
M

Michael

Jan 1, 1970
0
D said:
There was a time when many apps on my system were updating like a
bunch of kids looking for their mommy.
What pita... :p

I'm sure there's just bunk software updates such as:

* More advertising.
* Faked support for customer lock-in.
(Ohhh it's updating, that's a nice company.)
* Anti-piracy countermeasures.
* Insignificant code changes to keep programmers from being laid off.
* Dummy update to count number of users. (Also useful to estimate
piracy level.)

I bet most updates are bullshit! So I've now disabled all updates.
Anything that still wants to update gets blocked by the firewall.
I now only update when there's a problem or have a real need for an
update.
Ex. Updating the LTSpice library.

Software is the only product I can think of with the update craze.

Do you take your car in and get it updated?
Do you update your tv?
Do you update your chainsaw, can opener, toilet?

I think the main reason for updates is $$$.
Software companies need to know who's using their product and when.
They can gauge this with updates.

Updates are a market analysis tool..

D from BC


It's getting worse all the time. Recently I've been seeing a commercial for
some auto, which touts voice control of functions that are historically dash
mounted. Micro$oft makes the software (its trade name is identified but I don't
recall it just now). My reaction was to laugh loudly and then mutter to myself,
"From the folks who brought you the Blue Screen of Death". Folks will buy it;
they will complain; they will get no sympathy from me.

Push-buttons instead of knobs and switches came along in cars about 20 years
ago. What garbage! I took my brand new '86 Saab from NY to VA on its maiden
trip, and before I'd got half way through PA I was fed up with the volume
buttons ("+" to increase; "-" to decrease) that also controlled balance and
tone, depending on what "mode" you selected. I couldn't navigate the car and
the stereo's &$^%$!! controls at the same time without taking my eyes off the
road. Wound up stopping a zillion times to set functions. That Clarion stereo
got ripped out by the roots as soon as I got home. Fortunately the dealer was a
friend and gave me several hundred $$ credit for it.

Now we're getting voice controls? I can see it now: "I said 'set volume DOWN!'
dammit!! Set volume DOWN!! Volume DOWN! Lower the volume! Oh crap.... gotta
get another software update!"

I wonder if I could cram a good ol' 60's radio into a DIN hole. One of those
sweet sounding chrome plated ones with mechanical channel buttons. I wanna be
prepared for when the Nakamichi goes tits up.
 
J

Jeff Liebermann

Jan 1, 1970
0
Michael said:
I wonder if I could cram a good ol' 60's radio into a DIN hole. One of those
sweet sounding chrome plated ones with mechanical channel buttons. I wanna be
prepared for when the Nakamichi goes tits up.

Sure, no problem. Here's some radios:
<http://motors.search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZgadgetQ2dguy>
Some are with tubes.

I used to have a Motrola FM-900 tube radio in my 1960 Ford Falcon. I
think it might fit in a DIN rail mount as the hi-v power supply was
external:
<http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7974029157>
Ah, nostalgia...

Incidentally, on the topic of software updates, I'm making good money
on software downgrades. So far, I've done 5 Vista to XP downgrades.
In all cases, these are a PITA, but resulted in 2 to 3 times overall
improvement in speed. However, speed wasn't the prime motivation. It
was the inability of ancient (legacy) applications to run properly
under Vista.

My theory is that the update addiction is cyclic and that a backlash
of downgrades and nostalgia is coming soon. I've demonstrated Windoze
3.1 on fairly modern hardware. It's blindingly fast and amazingly
functional. The Windoze instability of 286 and 386 days seems to be
greatly reduced. The catch is that device drivers for todays exotic
hardware is lacking. Similarly, I've excavated an old Mac SE/30,
which boots runs blindingly fast for basic applications (Word and
Excel). I also have a few Xenix systems running quite nicely.

We tend to forget how fast the older machines ran. They didn't do
much except the basic productivity applicaitons (Word and Excel), but
they were quick and efficient. As of about a year ago, I had two
users still using Windoze 3.1.

Never mind upgrades. Think computer downgrades and retro. No updates
available or necessary.
 
Top