Which Windows software update checker do you use?

Doublej · « **on:** 10 Nov 2012, 01:12 am »

There's at least a dozen out there yet I haven't' found one that covers all of the software I have installed on my laptop.

I used to really like SUMO but and ready to toss it as now when you do an update it tries to install a dozen other crap programs on your machine.

WGH · « **Reply #1 on:** 10 Nov 2012, 01:45 am »

The recognized leader for software updating is Secunia Personal Software Inspector 3.0.

Back when I was a computer nerd I always made sure the latest updates were installed. Now I am older and wiser, if everything is working I don't mess with it. Of course I do the Microsoft and Adobe security updates but even then I wait a week or two, these security updates when first released have been known to turn a computer into a brick.

Windows Secrets newsletter is one of the best resources around, it has straight forward answers and well thought out and tested computer related articles that will keep your computer humming. The July 26 newsletter has an article by Fred Langa about software update checkers, it also rates SUMO at the bottom of the list.
https://windowssecrets.com/top-story/software-that-updates-your-other-software/

The archives have 362 back issues that are searchable and cover almost any computer related topic you can think of, and some you can't.

Wayne

MaxCast · « **Reply #2 on:** 10 Nov 2012, 04:58 am »

What's wrong with windows update??

srb · « **Reply #3 on:** 10 Nov 2012, 07:57 am »

Quote from: MaxCast on 10 Nov 2012, 04:58 am

What's wrong with windows update??

Windows Update is fine for the Windows OS and other Microsoft programs, but won't be of any help for all of the other programs installed on a computer. On the other hand, so many of the other programs have their own ability to check for updates and can often be configured to check according to a schedule, when opened or on a manual basis.

Steve

Doublej · « **Reply #4 on:** 10 Nov 2012, 07:30 pm »

Thanks Wayne. At some point, I think I have used almost every program mentioned in the article. Each one comes back with a slightly different list of installed software. I currently have Secunia installed. It looks good although it says I have a software package which I can't find on my machine.

Steve's comments are always on the mark. I just hate having software tell me there is an update when I launch it. I launched it because I want to use it, not update it. Other programs have checkers that run as part of startup. I am not a fan of that either.

I wish both Microsoft and Apple would just write an API so that all vendors could conform to but I guess if they did that there would be less incentive to buy their brand of software.

Doublej · « **Reply #5 on:** 9 Dec 2012, 01:28 pm »

After having run Secunia and Sumo for a month, as much as it pains me to say it, Sumo is still king for me. I install the No RK version which avoids installing the Relevant Knowledge tracking software and now that I am aware that they try to install a bunch of other crap, I just uncheck the boxes or decline the installation. Still it's not for novices as it tries to install stuff as one launches the program for the first time.

Secunia seems to be concerned only with releases that are are somehow tagged as security related and doesn't cover all of the applications I have. Bizarrely, it did find an update to Microsoft Core XML services (or something like that). I say bizarrely because one might think that this should have come up as part of Microsoft's Windows updates but did not.