[LINK] SMH: 'Unnecessary' software updates cost millions

[Howard Lowndes]

On Sun, 2004-12-19 at 00:49, Malcolm Miles wrote:
> On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 13:35:46 +1100, you wrote:
> 
> >"As a result (of security concerns) software updates are slowing the 
> >world's communications and adding billions every year to the bandwidth 
> >costs of consumers globally," Nikolouzakis says.
> 
> Spam is probably a significant contributor as well.

...and viruses from infected M$ boxen.

> 
> >Exinda claims that in extreme cases a business network could be brought to 
> >its knees for several hours as each desktop tried to update.
> 
> No large business would permit each of their PCs to individually
> update themselves. Most would have disabled Windows Update on their
> PCs and be delivering required updates via their normal software
> deployment process.

Agreed, but you might find that for each large business that has a
controlled upgrade policy there are 4 small businesses without any
controlled upgrade policy, then add to that private single users.

The other side of the coin might be that the 4 small businesses not only
don't have a controlled upgrade policy, they probably don't have any
upgrade policy, and that could certainly be extended to most private
users.

I tried to run a Windows XP upgrade on a laptop the other day for
someone and got some sort of message saying that it was not possible. 
As the message was in German, and mine is now almost non-existent, it
didn't help.

-- 
Howard.
LANNet Computing Associates;
Your Linux people <http://www.lannetlinux.com>
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