Updates - What Do We Need Them For?

[Itchyfinger]

This may sound like one of the stupidest questions ever asked, but I believe it deserves an answer, especially by those who don't consider it among one of the smartest questions that could be asked concerning Microsoft's update system and security. I know I could be missing something here, since I haven't seen the question posted so far, but I just want to know WHAT IN BLUE F$$$ ARE ALL THESE THOUSANDS OF UPDATES FOR ANYWAY? All that Microsoft will say, in plain English to the general public, is a few vague references to security improvements. Well, considering the fact that I, like millions of Windows users in the English-speaking world, would never leave my security to the default Windows Duhfender programs to protect my system and my personal data, have installed my own security programs, and use more secure browsers and email clients than Internet Exploiter and Hey, Take An Outlook, it leaves me to wonder if there's any purpose left which these resource-eating updates serve anyway. I can think of just one other - Microsoft likes to use the Windows Update system to sniff around your computer for what it thinks may be a "Not Genuine" installation, and there is no appeal when you test positive - Microsoft is always right! Therefore, "security updates" are not necessarily about your own security, and then perhaps the token nature of Windows default security may have something to do with that Microsoft's apparent purpose for the update system is to feed you it's trojan horses. Anyway, if you have done the following:

1. Install a decent Firewall (Zone Alarm, Comodo...)

2. Install a good antivirus (AVG, Avira, Avast (I kinda like this one, as it's simple, relatively fast, and there's no nags to buy anything (just to register, which is free).

3. Install a reputable anti-spyware program (Spybot, Ad-Aware, and many more, which are free).

4. Install and use Mozilla Firefox / Thunderbird - faster than IE, highly customizeable, everything actually works and it's much, much more secure out of the box. Alternatively, there's Opera, which is fast, and chock-loaded with features straight out of the box, and Apple's Safari is available for Windows as well (malware doesn't target these two browsers).

5. Go to the manufacturer's web sites, and update your drivers there!

6. Keep all of the above up to date (all but #5 can be set for automatic, without the Windows "Defender" update system)!

than the question is, do you, the user, need Microsoft updates, including the Service Packs, for anything at all, and if so, then for what?

 

[DarkDavil]

mmmmmm good case presented, but for me, i cant ignore all of those updates, i set my updating system off...(i have my own firewall(using ESET's Smart Secruity + NOD32's ) ) and well... i somehow missed a service pack And oh boy.. it ws SP1 for vista, so i had giant troubles making my games + other programs for XP work on my vista..

 

[Itchyfinger]

i somehow missed a service pack And oh boy.. it ws SP1 for vista, so i had giant troubles making my games + other programs for XP work on my vista..

So, backward compatibility didn't ship before the service pack? That would be an issue for many. Since I'm more into media tools, and don't play games (programs I'd want to keep for a long time), I'm free to trade up. Thanks so much for the input!

 

[whs]

In general, I have to agree with you. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But the security updates are really important. Those address (most times) areas where malware could be snuck into your system without the security programs catching it (especially those security programs that you quoted). A lot of the others are usually fixing some bug in an area that you have not yet touched the system - and maybe never will. With an industry average of 1 bug per 1000 lines of code, you can get an idea how many mistakes have to be corrected in the 55 million lines of code in Vista. And that is not because the MS programmers are no good - it is because programming is not a watertight science and people just happen to make mistakes - some of which will only be caught over time. Unfortunately, sometimes you get new errors with the error corrections because of the general rule of 1bug/1000 lines of code (this is, of course, an approximate figure but it staid pretty constant in my 35 years of system programming.

 

[Itchyfinger]

In general, I have to agree with you. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But the security updates are really important. Those address (most times) areas where malware could be snuck into your system without the security programs catching it (especially those security programs that you quoted). A lot of the others are usually fixing some bug in an area that you have not yet touched the system - and maybe never will. With an industry average of 1 bug per 1000 lines of code, you can get an idea how many mistakes have to be corrected in the 55 million lines of code in Vista. And that is not because the MS programmers are no good - it is because programming is not a watertight science and people just happen to make mistakes - some of which will only be caught over time. Unfortunately, sometimes you get new errors with the error corrections because of the general rule of 1bug/1000 lines of code (this is, of course, an approximate figure but it staid pretty constant in my 35 years of system programming.

Thanks.

So, do you mean that the real security fixes aren't limited to Windows Defender Antivirus and Firewall, but are fixing problems at a level which an ace package like McAfee couldn't be helpful with, even if I paid them for their anti-rootkit package? How have they been known to get in without the SPs, anyway? I don't mean to press you on this, but I'm trying to get down to what's really under all of the fear which has terrorized Microsoft users into compliance with their update program, which all too often (and for MS, conveniently) seems to have resulted in overbloated systems being disposed of and replaced a bit too early.

 

[DarkDavil]

Well, you can always use s 3rd party program ot uninstall updates :D But personaly, i havent really noticed any major bugs that any updates fixed, and etc. Same with those secruity things.... But.... I mean, maybe in W7 they will try a new approach? And anyway, in a lil' while they're updating their update system via their update system(heh :D) and that update will provide more info to the rest of us about their lil' sneaky updates!

 

[whs]

For the security updates I would suggest you browse a little thru Corinne's blog. ( Security Garden ). She always gives good explanations. The main concern is always the openings in the various components that allow to slip in malware that can execute programs on your system - thus control it.
For the other fixes it is normal that you may not notice anything being improved in 80% of the cases. That is because a normal user does not use 80% of the functions of the operating system.

 

[Curlew]

Thanks for asking this question, many of us think the same but haven't the courage to ask it for fearing ridicule from the experts.

I had turned off my automatic updating because I ws stuck in an insane loop of failing to install a series of updates with error code 80071AA7 and reverting updates - then repeating the same silly sequence every time I started.

That worked for a couple of months then I found Vista was shutting me down after startup (but long enough after for me to be in the middle of some work) to again go into the same update procedure with failing and reverting - IT HAD ITSELF SWITCHED BACK TO AUTOMATIC UPDATES !!!

How I hate Vista.