Between the Devil and the next urgent upgrade
Posted 22nd February 2008 at 08:49 PM by Oneword
Updated 22nd February 2008 at 08:51 PM by Oneword (corrections)
Updated 22nd February 2008 at 08:51 PM by Oneword (corrections)
If you don't know that I am a computer nut by now, you will never know. But I am and my better half has often questioned whose name is on the marriage certificate besides my own: hers or my computer's.
So, yes, I spend a lot of time online. I love downloading (ask Mweb - they are smiling all the way to the bank because I exceed my cap regularly) (Thanks, guys!)
I love new programmes and that also means that I check out the various download sites religiously (if I may say so?)
And that is where my gripe is today!
These never-ending updates....
Every second day or so this or that programme has yet another update - from version 2.1234566.098765 to 2.1234555.098766! So you download another 3,4 Mb or so.
OK, some really only give an update; they don't replace the whole previous version
My common sense tells me that I am being had - in a BIG way!
My little computer angel on the one shoulder tells me that it is probably some important bug that has been fixed.
My computer devil on the other shoulder says it is a waste of time. The only thing they have changed is the version number!
Who to believe?
Now, programmes like "OpenOffice" or its bigger brother "OxygenOffice" will be upgraded quite regularly. The open source project crew is always improving something or other.
But even here I no longer download a minor upgrade, like from 2.3.1 to 2.3.2 - unless I get the message that something really urgent has been fixed.
The other open source projects, such as the "Gimp", "Paint.Net", "Firefox", and whatever else, I now upgrade when my cap and my wallet allows it.
My home desktop is being refurbished to use as much as possible of the available open source software as I can ... and where it makes sense.
Thers is no real alternative to Adobe "Photoshop" if you have grown up with it from version 5 onwards! Similarly, nothing yet approaches Adobe "PageMaker" or its newest iteration "InDesign CS3". Not if you have used the prgramme since the DOS version and when it was still called "Aldus".
I am learning to use the Gimp - slowly, but surely, but still grab Photoshop if I need something done quickly.
These programmes are there because I believe in the Open Source Principle!
I have been tempted by "Ubuntu "(7.04 and 7.10(?)), but my computer says "NO!". Maybe, one day, I put it on the laptop - when I have had enough of "VISTA"....
But, to get back to my gripe: These authors may not realise that they are spoiling the game for themselves. At least here in southern Africa where the bandwidth is not yet an Autobahn, but resembles Independence Avenue between 07:45 and 08:10 (You know, that piece at Nampost!)
Instead of leading our computer appies towards using their either "freeware", "shareware" or whatever other type of non-mogul-driven software is available, they chase them back into the wide-open arms of Microsoft, Adobe, Nero, CyberLink (PowerDVD), Corel, etc., and even Google nowadays.
There updates are also provided, but - at least - silently and automated or at decent intervals. Probably another fight between the dollar-rich professional and the poor home/own/SME developer - but still.
Most of us do not have the patience, the time or the money and the access to check for another update every day or so.
Will we continue to use those programmes? Of course, they are still cheaper (except for the download time) than commercial software.
Anti-virus companies do the same. What does it help if I have a good and free AVG anti-virus checker? If I do not have pretty good access to the Internet, I have to download a massive 15, 16, 19 Mb update every other week or so. Should do it every day, but .......... money, money, money!
Check it out! www.majorgeeks.com has daily "non-live" updates of all popular virus checkers. They are massive!
OK for tonight. Let me see where my latest update is ... at 50% or at 86% already ..............
So, yes, I spend a lot of time online. I love downloading (ask Mweb - they are smiling all the way to the bank because I exceed my cap regularly) (Thanks, guys!)
I love new programmes and that also means that I check out the various download sites religiously (if I may say so?)
And that is where my gripe is today!
These never-ending updates....
Every second day or so this or that programme has yet another update - from version 2.1234566.098765 to 2.1234555.098766! So you download another 3,4 Mb or so.
OK, some really only give an update; they don't replace the whole previous version
My common sense tells me that I am being had - in a BIG way!
My little computer angel on the one shoulder tells me that it is probably some important bug that has been fixed.
My computer devil on the other shoulder says it is a waste of time. The only thing they have changed is the version number!
Who to believe?
Now, programmes like "OpenOffice" or its bigger brother "OxygenOffice" will be upgraded quite regularly. The open source project crew is always improving something or other.
But even here I no longer download a minor upgrade, like from 2.3.1 to 2.3.2 - unless I get the message that something really urgent has been fixed.
The other open source projects, such as the "Gimp", "Paint.Net", "Firefox", and whatever else, I now upgrade when my cap and my wallet allows it.
My home desktop is being refurbished to use as much as possible of the available open source software as I can ... and where it makes sense.
Thers is no real alternative to Adobe "Photoshop" if you have grown up with it from version 5 onwards! Similarly, nothing yet approaches Adobe "PageMaker" or its newest iteration "InDesign CS3". Not if you have used the prgramme since the DOS version and when it was still called "Aldus".
I am learning to use the Gimp - slowly, but surely, but still grab Photoshop if I need something done quickly.
These programmes are there because I believe in the Open Source Principle!
I have been tempted by "Ubuntu "(7.04 and 7.10(?)), but my computer says "NO!". Maybe, one day, I put it on the laptop - when I have had enough of "VISTA"....
But, to get back to my gripe: These authors may not realise that they are spoiling the game for themselves. At least here in southern Africa where the bandwidth is not yet an Autobahn, but resembles Independence Avenue between 07:45 and 08:10 (You know, that piece at Nampost!)
Instead of leading our computer appies towards using their either "freeware", "shareware" or whatever other type of non-mogul-driven software is available, they chase them back into the wide-open arms of Microsoft, Adobe, Nero, CyberLink (PowerDVD), Corel, etc., and even Google nowadays.
There updates are also provided, but - at least - silently and automated or at decent intervals. Probably another fight between the dollar-rich professional and the poor home/own/SME developer - but still.
Most of us do not have the patience, the time or the money and the access to check for another update every day or so.
Will we continue to use those programmes? Of course, they are still cheaper (except for the download time) than commercial software.
Anti-virus companies do the same. What does it help if I have a good and free AVG anti-virus checker? If I do not have pretty good access to the Internet, I have to download a massive 15, 16, 19 Mb update every other week or so. Should do it every day, but .......... money, money, money!
Check it out! www.majorgeeks.com has daily "non-live" updates of all popular virus checkers. They are massive!
OK for tonight. Let me see where my latest update is ... at 50% or at 86% already ..............
Total Comments 2
Comments
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How I can relate to that, Oneword! As a network adminsitrator I face the weekly - sometimes daily - grind of making sure all mission-critical and business apps are up-to-date. Not only are there tonnes of updates/patches/fixes, there is also the nonsense of "test before deploy". Yeah right - like I have an exact copy of my server farm running somewhere where I can first spend hours/days/weeks testing whether the latest code is compatible. Of course it is best practice to first test deployment of patches for critical apps, but for most other apps there is simply not the time. Luckily I have ample bandwidth to do all the downloading. I can feel your pain though if you have limited bandwidth.Posted 4th March 2008 at 09:29 PM by Geek
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Thanks, geek! One who understands already makes me feel better! I sit with people who have, since their appointment 4 years ago, never even bothered updating either XP or MS Office .... and then complain "that their computer is not working". And I am not even officially IT!
I also admit that I am a download-to-keep-up-to-date-nut ..............Posted 5th March 2008 at 03:02 PM by Oneword
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