21 March, 2012

Against automatic updates

I might just be paranoid, but I disable automatic updates whenever I can. Maybe it's a remnant from when there were dial-up connections and people made conscious decisions to go online. Automatic updates:
  • Waste bandwidth - both speed and amount of data
  • Reduce your computer's performance without warning
  • May force you to restart, and not give you a choice
  • For large updates like service packs, it's best to let people beta-test it first, and at least backup before you install them.
  • May reduce functionality or introduce undesired features (ads)
  • Give software unfettered access to your computer (spyware and rootkits)
  • Have caused massive system outages in the past (McAfee 5958 in 2010)
I also find it suspicious why some companies are so enthusiastic about pushing updates, even non-essential ones, and MAKE DISABLING AUTOMATIC UPDATES SO HARD:

Google Software Update on OS X runs in the background, cannot be disabled easily without hindering Google software, and gives you no option to turn it off! You know, the same company once said "don't be evil" too!

No comments:

Post a Comment