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Thread: Universal updater

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    Universal updater

    I was waiting for my old PC to boot up (5 years of crap tends to clog up the old arteries) and decided to clean the startup a bit. Seeing the amount of software there thats just an updater for this that and the other made think - "why can't there be a universal updater?".

    One for all piece of software optimised for smooth running and low profile when it comes to resource clogging.

    You install the universal updater (UU) and after that anything else you install that would normally want to keep an eye out for it's updates would then give the UU a link to the update server and information on it's current version. UU would then check for updates consecutively rather than all at once, thus keeping more of resources available for other taks. If one is available it would launch the necessary application to perform the update (asking your permission first if desired). With adequate funding UU could be made efficient and quick - user donations and small sign up fees paid by the software providers could take care of that.
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    Mostly Me Lucio's Avatar
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    Re: Universal updater

    Whilst you're describing something that seems simple on the surface, in terms of programing langauge it'd be amazingly complex.

    As it stands if you use only Microsoft software, you get what you're describing because of the way they've expanded windows update

    (\___/) (\___/) (\___/) (\___/) (\___/) (\___/) (\___/)
    (='.'=) (='.'=) (='.'=) (='.'=) (='.'=) (='.'=) (='.'=)
    (")_(") (")_(") (")_(") (")_(") (")_(") (")_(") (")_(")


    This is bunny and friends. He is fed up waiting for everyone to help him out, and decided to help himself instead!

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    Administrator Moby-Dick's Avatar
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    Re: Universal updater

    A product like that exisits - have a look at http://www.shavlik.com/
    my Virtualisation Blog http://jfvi.co.uk Virtualisation Podcast http://vsoup.net

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    Re: Universal updater

    Have you tried Secunia's PSI? It's more geared towards security updates for software but it's an awesome piece of software considering it's free!

    http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/

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    Re: Universal updater

    Kinda like the above - but they seem to be focused on security and vulnerabilities. Which is a good thing, but there are plenty other things that believe they warrant an update scheduler running, which are not necessarilly security related.
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    Re: Universal updater

    Quote Originally Posted by Lucio View Post
    Whilst you're describing something that seems simple on the surface, in terms of programing langauge it'd be amazingly complex.

    As it stands if you use only Microsoft software, you get what you're describing because of the way they've expanded windows update
    I think if this is seen as a way of doing things by everyone a set of rules can be set up for using it which would make programming pretty simple or at the very least not extraordinarily difficult. I couldn't write something like that, but then there's a lot of stuff I couldn't write.
    Tough on mirrors, tough on the causes of mirrors.

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    Re: Universal updater

    Such a thing exists outside of Windows - apt-get update works brilliantly on all debian based systems, one major advantage of the software being completely open.

    Back in the Microsoft Windows world, the only real way to get such a thing to work would be for Microsoft to open their updater system so any other vendor can just plug in.

    It won't work though. For years Sun, Adobe, many others and now Google like to do their own thing - this includes UI interface design aswell as things like updaters. They're going to be really hestistant to let MS have final control over any updates.

    The other option is let some independant group control updates. MS won't sign up to that, so at best you'll have 2 systems - MS & everyone else. Even then I can see a few independents still doing their own thing.

    Best way I think is where the application checks for updates at some point when it gets used rather than insisting on a permanently running updater app. This isn't ideal though as it's harder to download when idle.

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