Software patches
Summary Description 5 Minute Guides tells you where to find the latest versions of software and how to decide whether to upgrade.
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Roullas Top10 Simon Vandore

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Article Topic 5 Minute Guides
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Story Group 001126
Post Date 20/11/2000 08:10 AM Status Posted Entered by Simon Vandore on 17/11/2000 01:58 PM


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Why do software companies never get it right the first time?
When you buy or download a piece of software, you simply receive a version of it. As time goes by, that version is likely to be improved by the manufacturer with the addition of new features and the resolution of problems such as security flaws. Sometimes these improvements appear as new, off-the-shelf versions which you can buy, but often they are implemented as an update file or 'patch' that you can choose to install. Nowadays, patches are usually made available for download across the Internet. You transfer them to your PC and follow the installation instructions.
What if I don't bother to install patches?
Sometimes it's best to ignore patches. Software companies often make new mistakes when they fix old ones, so upgrading is not always sensible until you hear from others who have found the patch reliable. However patches are often vital, especially where show-stopper bugs are being fixed that might otherwise prevent effective use of the software. For example, an update to a virus scanner is probably more important than a new feature added to a game. It's up to you to gauge the level of urgency.
Usually it's possible to continue using your software without upgrading. The exceptions tend to be programs which rely on access to a central server -- you generally need to run the same version as the server, or a new version that is backwardly compatible. Many users continue to run the original version for many years, blissfully unaware of any new features or bug fixes available. Others like to be early adopters, scouring the Internet for new releases and acting as virtual beta testers for the latest patches.
Where can I find these patches?
The most obvious place to find the latest version of your software is the manufacturer's Web site. The address is usually written somewhere on the software packaging -- if not, try entering www.companyname.com, where companyname is the manufacturer.
However, if you own a lot of software this task can get very annoying. It is often better to visit a site like C|Net's download.com or Tucows, where the latest downloads from around the Internet are collated, rated and made available to users from a single site.
Some applications, particularly those designed to be used with the Internet, come with internal update facilities which automatically check the manufacturer's Internet site for a new version and download it if required.
If you don't like downloading patches across the Internet, you can often ask the manufacturer to send the patch to you on a floppy disk or CD-ROM. You can also find important new patches on cover CDs shipped with magazines like Australian Personal Computer.
What is Windows Update?
Microsoft has a Web site called Windows Update which caters to users of its Windows operating system. Security patches and new versions of Windows components are offered here. You can find Windows Update in the Start menu.
There are usually more updates available on Windows Update than any user could possibly be expected to download. Some are quite time consuming to download via modem. Fortunately they are sorted into categories of importance and you can quickly assess which to download. Windows Update access now requires Microsoft Internet Explorer and one of the products offered is Internet Explorer itself.
What are drivers and do I need to patch them?
Drivers are component-specific software instructions for the hardware in your PC. For example, your operating system is currently running a video card driver and a sound card driver, which enable you to see graphics and hear audio. Default drivers are built in to most operating systems or are included on CD when you buy a new component.
Most manufacturers issue regular driver updates which are quite important to download if you want to get the best performance from your hardware. Multimedia and games users running Windows will also want to make sure they install the latest version of DirectX, a Windows add-on used by multimedia drivers to process information more efficiently.
What are some tips for successful patching?
If you download a lot of patches, it's best to arrange them in a folder on your hard drive (and make a backup) where you can easily grab them again if you need to reinstall the operating system. When you download a patch, it's usually best to use an FTP (file transfer protocol) client which can resume an interrupted download, rather than forcing you to restart if the modem hangs up. A downside of Windows Update is that it does not support this feature -- it takes the risk of transferring large files via HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) instead.


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