Importance of Software Updates
Software Updates are Good for You
In today’s world, computer systems are continually being updated. Software is being improved, correcting errors, adding features and enhancing functionality. The so-called “silicon valley model” of software as a continually improving service has also been applied to your computer hardware, such as PCs, laptops and mobile devices.
Best practice habits for your devices:
- Configure applications and operating system for automatic updates
- Restart applications or the device when requested
- Reboot weekly as a good hygiene habit
Taking Your Software Vitamins
Following these three habits is like taking daily vitamins. Even when you’re not sick, you take them as a preventative measure. Your computer needs a little regular care just like your body. While you could take your computer to a shop every six months like going to the dentist, in this case you have the ability to do some of that maintenance yourself!
What Software Should I Update?
The most important things to update regularly are your Operating System, your Anti-Virus and your Web Browsers. Next up is any software you use to open attachments and downloads, such as Adobe Reader and Acrobat, Microsoft Office Word and Excel, or file archivers such as 7-Zip, or WinRAR.
If you are running Java or Flash, you should update them each time a notification pops up.
Other software on your computer may need to be updated periodically. Major corporate applications are typically updated by IT Services when required.
How do I Update?
Most operating systems can be configured to update automatically – Windows, macOS, Android and iOS do this. All anti-virus packages auto-update (as long as your subscription is still valid), and modern web browsers such as Firefox and Chrome auto-update, while Edge, Safari and mobile browsers are updated with the operating system.
On the application side, Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat have an auto-updater. A self-updating version of Microsoft Office can be installed from Office 365. 7-Zip and other archivers often need to be manually updated, but this is easily done. Go to the application’s website, download the new version, and install it over top of the existing version.
What if I Don’t Update?
There’s no guarantee that something bad will happen, but not updating your software is a little like not getting your teeth checked or not changing your car’s oil. Eventually problems occur and will cost a lot more to repair than the preventative maintenance does.