Windows Update and Uncommunication

Sorry to anyone who was hoping for a useful post, this is more of a rant than anything else.

The implementation of Windows Update is something that I have long considered to be a thorn in the side of anyone who tries to use Windows. Back in the days of Windows XP, for example, the most typical problem would be that it wouldn't tell you that there were updates available, unless you went to the Windows Update. Otherwise, it would just forcibly install them the next time you shut down your computer. There was no way to force a refresh or check or anything. It would just install them without approval, even if you had set it to notify you and let you choose.

Then there is the problem that continues to plague Windows users, that of automatic restart. Really, the fact that Windows allows automatic restart without authorization of the user is rather irritating, but necessary due to the fact that restarts are required so frequently. However, the implementation of Windows Update is that you can't tell it to wait until you manually restart the computer. That would be ideal, but instead, it forces the restart, unless you manually postpone it. The amount of work that has been lost because of this is incalculable. Of course, you can turn it off, if you are willing to hack the registry, or if you know where to find the Group Policy setting. (Group Policy settings are available only in Professional, Ultimate, or Enterprise versions of Windows 7.)

Also, Microsoft products that they think everyone should have and be using are constantly being pushed to users, unless they take active steps to prevent that from happening. Saying ignore update to install software only ignores the current update. Next time they update it, it will be offered for installation once again. There is no option to ignore software, short of hacking your registry. You can't simply deny the new version of Internet Explorer, for example.

Of course, by all accounts, in Windows 8 it looks like it is being made to work more like Linux than it currently is. It likely will still have the restart issues, but Windows has always required an inordinate number of restarts. However, rumour has it that it will be able to install and update all software that is available for your computer, or at least all of the software that was distributed using Windows Update, or Windows Store. On the other hand, there will be far more reason to distribute through means other than the Windows Store, as compared to Linux.

Windows Update, however, has proved to be buggy, pushy, inconsistent, and limited. Someday, I suppose, it might be effective and efficient. It is improving, after all. They did fix it so that you could go to an application and force a refresh since Windows Vista.