I admit it--I've had it with those Windows updates (try here, but note they force you to use IE as your browser, those dogs!). The updates seem to be shoved through the pipe several days a week, and even though I have altered my computer's update settings to avoid "automatic updates," I am constantly having to close down annoying little dialog boxes telling me that my updates are ready to install, "just click here." Enough already!
Why is this so annoying? Well, for one thing, because you never ever EVER have an idea of how long the updates will take to install, whether a restart of your computer will be required, or what other aspects of your computer's operations will be affected by a particular set of updates. So, you take your computer life into your hands when you click "OK, install, please!" Could take 2 minutes, could take 20 minutes, and might blow away all your printer definitions, for example--not something to be done when you're facing a deadline.
Sure, some IT folks like to think of these updates as some type of routine maintenance we just need to "budget for", you know, maybe akin to brushing teeth, or washing the dishes after dinner. The problem with those analogies, though, is that those other activities are predictable in terms of time needed, and they are limited in terms of consequences when things go wrong. I mean, what if you try a new brand of toothpaste? What's the worst thing that could happen? You won't like the taste. There, done. [Sure, you could have an allergic reaction, but have you ever heard of that happening? Me either.] Now, think about installing these updates as "routine maintenance" for your computer--and what is the worst thing that could happen? No, you don't want to even imagine it. Could be BSOD, blown away files, corrupted printer definitions, inability to find archived email messages--you get the picture.
And what about that advice often given, suggesting the "oh, just set it to download and install automatically at 3 in the morning on Thursdays" strategy? Well, that approach does in general address the "will it take 2 minutes or 20" question, but it still leaves you vulnerable to the "OMG, I don't have any printer definitions" prospect. Furthermore, I learned the hard way (from leaving my machine in hibernation mode overnight, as is my custom) that the forced shutdown and restart that accompanies these automatic installations can cause some serious problems--my new PalmOS software (version 6.2.2) has a bit of a bug, so that if you force a system shutdown before properly closing the application, files get corrupted, and you cannot perform a hotsync operation until you've replaced the corrupted database files with some backups. Ridiculous.
Does this mean I'm ready for a Mac? I don't think so! My sons push me on this all the time, but they will clearly lose this argument. I mean, how likely am I to give in that pressure, when I am probably the only economist remaining on the planet still happily using WordPerfect (sold by Corel) instead of Word? They will have to pry my hands off the reveal codes feature if they ever want me to abandon WordPerfect for Word......
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And another thing! Not only can you not predict what collateral damage will accompany these "upgrades," but sometimes you don't discover the problems until much later, when you try to do something that "used to work" but now doesn't. I've just spent 2 hours dealing with a printing problem, and it's not solved yet....and my suspicion is that it is related to the XP SP3 update I installed earlier this month. UGH.
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