Microsoft Delays February Patch Tuesday Indefinitely (sans.edu)

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Microsoft Delays February Patch Tuesday Indefinitely (sans.edu)

Posted by BeauHD on Tuesday February 14, 2017 @10:00AM from the until-further-notice dept.

UnderAttack writes: Microsoft today announced that it had to delay its February Patch Tuesday due to issues with a particular patch. This was also supposed to be the first Patch Tuesday using a new format, which led some to believe that even Microsoft had issues understanding how the new format is exactly going to work with no more simple bulletin summary and patches being released as large monolithic updates. Ars Technica notes the importance of this Patch Tuesday as "there's an in-the-wild zero-day flaw in SMB, Microsoft's file sharing protocol, that at the very least allows systems to be crashed." They also elaborate on the way Microsoft is "continuing to tune the way updates are delivered to Windows 7, 8.1, Server 2008 R2, Server 2012, and Server 2012 R2."

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Sigh by MightyMartian · 2017-02-14 10:04 · Score: 5, Insightful

I've never been a big fan of the way Microsoft rolls out updates, or how the system handles it, but since Windows 10 they've made it just a fucking agony, with annoying pop up screens, unintended system reboots (with loss of data), and just general chaos. How can a company that has been making software for over thirty years have suddenly become so stunningly incompetent.

--
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
1. Re:Sigh by Desler · 2017-02-14 10:06 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Maybe ask the Slashdot coders? They've been incompetent since 1997 so would have plenty of insight.
2. Re: Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 10:13 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  They fired their qa team.
3. Re:Sigh by Penguinisto · 2017-02-14 10:14 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Wait... what did you mean by "suddenly"?
  
  --
  Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
4. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 10:16 · Score: 1
  
  Maybe all the competent programmers have recently retired? That would explain a lot.
5. Re:Sigh by darkain · 2017-02-14 10:46 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Look at the CEOs over the various eras of Microsoft, it seriously explains everything. The current CEO is from their cloud devision, and in distributed computing, take a few nodes offline from time to time for patching is perfectly normal as other nodes are online for redundancy. Rolling updates are the norm in this area. This logic however absolutely FAILS on the desktop. Updates are scheduled to Microsoft's maintenance windows now, rather than when is the most opportune time for the consumer actively using the operating system. Now think of this not only in terms of Windows Update, but Microsoft as a whole. Gates was a business man, all of their primary software focused on productivity within a business environment. Ballmer was all about DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS, and as much as we all love to make fun of him for it, he was indeed quite good to them (Visual Studio had decent advancements during his time). Now we have Nadella, who's entire focus has been on automation, regardless of who all it effects. Again, this worked great in the datacenter, but he's entirely missed the mark when it comes to the end user perspective.
6. Re:Sigh by lgw · 2017-02-14 11:03 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  They fired their QA guys, most of them gone about 2 years ago IIRC. You started seeing a dramatic decline in product quality thereafter. Did you know it's impossible to patch a fresh Win7 install via normal Windows Update? That broke less than a year after they dumped the QA teams.
  
  --
  Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
7. Re: Sigh by CrashNBrn · 2017-02-14 11:19 · Score: 2
  
  Wait, Slashdot had a QA Team?
8. Re:Sigh by QuietLagoon · 2017-02-14 11:39 · Score: 1
  
  ...How can a company that has been making software for over thirty years have suddenly become so stunningly incompetent....
  Microsoft only seems to care about the desktop as a means of personal data collection.
9. Re:Sigh by MoarSauce123 · 2017-02-14 11:47 · Score: 1
  
  They were always incompetent. The factor here is money, as long as people only bitch about Windows and keep buying it nothing will change. You think Microsoft makes bad product? Then stop buying it!
10. Re: Sigh by dougdonovan · 2017-02-14 11:51 · Score: 1
  
  $ talks but we already knew that
11. Re:Sigh by Hognoxious · 2017-02-14 12:05 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Did you know it's impossible to patch a fresh Win7 install via normal Windows Update?
  Yes. Luckily it's easy to download the updates manually at another computer.
  Ha! I lied, it isn't.
  
  --
  Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
12. Re:Sigh by Luckyo · 2017-02-14 12:09 · Score: 2
  
  Up until the release of 10, they have been an excellent example of how to do updates. Individually installable, commonly individually uninstallable updates with excellent documentation on what each update does. Ease of both choosing how to install, when to install, and what not to install at all.
  That is all gone now.
13. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 12:13 · Score: 0
  
  I've never been a big fan of the way Microsoft rolls out updates, or how the system handles it, but since Windows 10 they've made it just a fucking agony, with annoying pop up screens, unintended system reboots (with loss of data), and just general chaos. How can a company that has been making software for over thirty years have suddenly become so stunningly incompetent.
  They simply don't care.
14. Re:Sigh by hairyfeet · 2017-02-14 12:19 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Go to YouTube and look up Banacles Nerdgasm's "I was fired" video if you want to know why MSFT's OS division has turned to shit, but the short of it is they fired the QA and tester teams in their entirety in one giant culling. Now YOU are the beta tester for the actual customers which Nutella has made clear is the ENTERPRISE users, not the Windows Home or Pro buyers. Basically Windows Home is now the alpha, Windows Pro the beta, and Enterprise is the finished product.
  Why do you think you can't turn off updates or all that telemetry shit even on Windows Pro, which as the name implied in the past was for professionals? Its because they need to see how badly the patches fuck your system up so they can fix or remove them before it gets to their actual customers, all those corps paying juicy endless rent to have Windows Enterprise licenses. So congrats all of you that took the windows 10 "free" upgrade or worse actually bought Win 10 Home or Pro, you gave your precious time and hardware to be a testbench for a product you don't even get in return.
  
  --
  ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
15. Re: Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 12:37 · Score: 0
  
  Not retired, just a lot of heads removed from their asses and now in "the cloud."
16. Re:Sigh by antdude · 2017-02-14 12:40 · Score: 1
  
  It's not just MS. Many companies. Companies need to know QA is important, but they care not. :(
  
  --
  Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
17. Re: Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 12:41 · Score: 1
  
  Guess who's one of the biggest H1B users in the US?
18. Re: Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 12:56 · Score: 1
  
  Actually it is easy. Google "WSUS Offline".
19. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 12:59 · Score: 0
  
  My reliable HTPC runs Win7. Its hd finally gave out last week, prompting a re-install. Windows won't update, and there's no fix for it available that I can find- making it permanently vulnerable. Is this supposed to be forced obsolescence so I get the latest M$ software? Because it does the opposite- if my purchased OS is only as useful and secure as its makers' whims years later, I'm moving to Linux. It will be a real PITA switching everyone in the house to new software, but there's no way I'm stupid enough to go through all this again. Hell, I bet I can still install and update a BeOS machine; there's no excuse for Win7 to become intentional abandonware.
20. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 13:02 · Score: 0
  
  Forget "Easy", I'd just like it to be Possible...
21. Re:Sigh by lgw · 2017-02-14 13:10 · Score: 1
  
  Manually download and install a "roll-up patch". The earliest one I could find (summer 2015 IIRC) worked for me. Then updates would work. My Win10 tablet OTOH simply won't update. I'm not sure I shouldn't just leave it that way.
  
  --
  Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
22. Re: Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 13:13 · Score: 0
  
  Download WSUS Offline, read the website for directions, and use it to patch your system. Works like a charm and will update normally after that.
23. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 13:26 · Score: 1
  
  It's a common issue on the web, you need to install two KBs (order matters) (also you might need to kill the updater service for them to install)
  KB3020369
  KB3172605
  http://superuser.com/questions/951960/windows-7-sp1-windows-update-stuck-checking-for-updates
24. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 13:41 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  yes, it is.
  http://download.wsusoffline.ne...
  only the actual security updates (and optional things like mse, runtimes, etc), no bullshit.
25. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 13:41 · Score: 0
  
  Hey, maybe Nadella will push Windows towards fault tolerance! As part of the system fails miserably after every update, the rest of the system grudgingly recovers the system and reports another configuration error due to an object not an object to the developers. This way Windows becomes battle tested, rock solid and unbreakable just like real windows, some card board and lots of duck tape.
26. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 14:38 · Score: 0
  
  My Win10 tablet OTOH simply won't update. I'm not sure I shouldn't just leave it that way.
  For once the bug really was a feature.
27. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 14:45 · Score: 0
  
  The consumer chooses a product almost exclusively on the basis of cost and marketed feature set. Why would a company expend resources on quality when it isn't really a factor for success or adoption?
28. Re:Sigh by Motherfucking+Shit · 2017-02-14 15:33 · Score: 2
  
  Manually download and install a "roll-up patch".
  Careful; on Windows 7, the cumulative roll-ups include the backported telemetry KBs.
  
  --
  "BSD: Free as in speech. Linux: Free as in beer. Windows 10: Free as in herpes." --Man On Pink Corner in #52607549.
29. Re:Sigh by Ramze · 2017-02-14 15:58 · Score: 1
  
  Frankly, they got tired of being blamed for botnets caused by users not updating Windows, so now everyone gets updates whether they like it or not, and they get 'em within a reasonable time frame of their release.
  I'm not sayin' it's right, but I understand their reasoning... and botnets on windows have gone down (they've mostly shifted to routers and other IoT devices).
  Windows still has tools to set when updates should be installed -- it's just that no one bothers to do it. Just like no one bothered to keep their machines updated before and kept clicking to install/reboot later or turn the updates off completely.
  You have to remember MS Windows market share is huge. That means a lot of people are using Windows that have below-average technical skills that need a lot of hand-holding. In this case, the good of the many outweighs the good of the few... or the one. So, when you ask why we can't have nice things like a method to better schedule updates -- think of all the people out there that mismanaged their windows boxes for decades that forced MS's hand.
30. Re:Sigh by npetrov · 2017-02-14 20:09 · Score: 1
  
  Some of these great cumulative patches break things like Bluetooth.... Not a big deal for work, but definitely a problem for personal use.
31. Re:Sigh by lgw · 2017-02-14 20:16 · Score: 1
  
  Those are the new roll ups. This is the roll up from before MS pulled that shit. This is entirely different brain damage.
  
  --
  Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
32. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 21:30 · Score: 0
  
  Frankly, they got tired of being blamed for botnets caused by users not updating Windows, so now everyone gets updates whether they like it or not, and they get 'em within a reasonable time frame of their release.
  Now go re-read the summary. They started bundling patches so it's all or nothing. One of the patches in this weeks bundle has a problem, which has required delaying the entire bundle. Another of the patches in the now delayed bundle is an urgent fix for a security hole.
  This is simply going back to the security problems they had before that Bill Gates speech about starting to take security seriously.
  This is not even the first update with a problem, the difference is they caught it this time. Previous updates have had similar problems that weren't caught until some PC's refused to boot. The current all-or-nothing update policy made sure that those people blocked updates completely. Guess how many trusted Microsoft enough to unblock updates once the problem was fixed...
  The current way of distributing updates is a return to the days of Code Red.
33. Re:Sigh by rtb61 · 2017-02-14 22:09 · Score: 1
  
  People are bitching and I think that is exactly what caused the pull back in the latest, unknown compulsory software install. They were probably going for another big control over the user power grab and chickened out, forcing the compulsory software install to be redone. These are not patches, not bug fixes, they are literally compulsory software installs and the user is not informed of the contents not can they refuse, master to slave, obey. Likely they were pushing further into George Orwell 1984 territory and got cold feet just before forcing the big brother install.
  
  --
  Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
34. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 23:31 · Score: 0
  
  Microsoft is only a name. What's behind that name has changed for the worse.
35. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 23:33 · Score: 0
  
  maybe this will shine some helpful light thru your windows: http://pastebin.com/QTjQ0krK
36. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 23:35 · Score: 0
  
  ...Now we have Nadella, who's entire focus has been on automation, regardless of who all it effects. Again, this worked great in the datacenter, but he's entirely missed the mark when it comes to the end user perspective.
  Nutella's focus is on rounding up teh unicorns; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Big_%28police_procedure%29.
37. Re:Sigh by swb · 2017-02-15 00:28 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Your description is apt, but the salient insight is that a desktop is being treated like a node in a cluster -- in other words, you can take a few down without taking the entire cluster of consumers being taken offline.
  This means that the purpose of the cluster isn't your individual productivity, the purpose of the cluster is your value as a consumer intelligence node. Just as in a clustered environment the specific workload of a physical server isn't important provided there are other nodes running to handle the cluster workload.
  The OS isn't about providing for your productivity, the OS is to provide Microsoft with consumer intelligence.
38. Re: Sigh by Hognoxious · 2017-02-15 01:51 · Score: 1
  
  Tried it. Perhaps there's something else I can Google for that actually works rather than putting up a cryptic message and exiting?
  
  --
  Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
39. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-15 02:59 · Score: 0
  
  Updates are scheduled to Microsoft's maintenance windows now, rather than when is the most opportune time for the consumer actively using the operating system.
  My coworker would beg to differ. We have a laptop hooked up to a TV in the boardroom for presentations. Back when the laptop was on Windows 7, it would reboot in the middle of a presentation due to Windows Update, and the presenter not actively looking at the laptop screen to tell it to postpone the reboot. However, in Windows 10 v1607, I can specify a "user active" period that WU is not allowed to reboot just because it had finished installing updates. After having upgraded that laptop to Windows 10, I haven't heard any further complaints from my coworker.
  (I've had issues with the laptop going to sleep and never to wake up ever again, but I blame it squarely on the manufacturer/UEFI implementation, as I have no such issues with other brands)
40. Re: Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-15 05:03 · Score: 0
  
  Not that AC, but I built a Windows 7 machine on Saturday and patched it with the new version of WSUS offline. Of course, anecdote isn't data but I've been using this product for several years now and haven't had a problem in a significant amount of time. I will admit it was (ahem) patchy when I started using it though.
41. Re: Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-15 06:42 · Score: 0
  
  This guide from @SwiftOnSecurityworks well: https://decentsecurity.com/windows-7-fast-update/
42. Re: Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-15 06:57 · Score: 0
  
  Manual redirection must be cheaper than automatic phone routers that redirect you to a US citizen that can actually fix your problem.
43. Re: Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-18 10:53 · Score: 0
  
  You're dumb, then. Windows 7 gives you the option to download but not install the updates, so you can do the presentation and then install the updates and reboot when you leave the office.
  You can also schedule updates late at night to avoid this.
  You're just not in the loop on how shit works or how to solve problems.
44. Re: Sigh by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-18 11:02 · Score: 0
  
  Just slipstream the updates into the installation before installing 7. It's trivial with ntLite or WinToolKit.
  If you plan to do two or more installs, then slipstream is the way to go.
If you mod me down or comment you're a homo by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 10:05 · Score: -1

I poop in the mouths of freetards and pee in their noses.
Microsoft Delays Windows 10 Indefinitely by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 10:05 · Score: 0

The world breathes a sigh of relief as their computers start working as expected.
SMB? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 10:07 · Score: -1

more like S my D lol
"Tune"? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 10:08 · Score: 0

Translation: "Finding new and innovative ways to fuck up all windows-versions with the telemetry malware"
gavage by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 10:11 · Score: 0

We are continuing to tune the way food is being delivered to the geese.
Oh...Microsoft... by surfdaddy · 2017-02-14 10:23 · Score: 4, Insightful

You've always been there throughout my tech career, for some entertainment. I loved that shell that was Windows 3.1 I gloated over Windows ME. I was Tickled when the first Zune "Welcome to the social! effort to chase the iPod came along. I was amused when you laughed at the iPhone and then belatedly came out with Windows Phone, only to crash in the marketplace. Of course there was Longhorn which became Vista. And don't forget Metro and Windows 8! People bought media and counted on Plays for Sure---- but it no longer plays.... and then there was that unlimited OneDrive storage that less than a year later users were "abusing"(haha) and it was rescinded! You gave your word and then changed it! Top it off with the devious Windows 10 "FREE!!!!" upgrade that was tricked upon people including my mother of 83 years old... and then the advertising and the advertising ID in the OS followed...so now your UPDATES DON"T WORK? Microsoft, don't ever change your character, it is entertainment that will last forever...
1. Re:Oh...Microsoft... by JustAnotherOldGuy · 2017-02-14 11:23 · Score: 1
  
  People bought media and counted on Plays for Sure
  As soon as it came out people started calling it "Fails For Sure", and whaddya know, they were right. It lasted, what, 3 years?
  Microsoft is the Shit Show that never stops and never fails to disappoint.
  
  --
  Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
2. Re: Oh...Microsoft... by dougdonovan · 2017-02-14 11:54 · Score: 1
  
  & this is why bill gates is, after 25 years, the so-called richest man on the planet.
3. Re: Oh...Microsoft... by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 13:20 · Score: -1
  
  the only good thing about gtes being rich is that wifey and daddy are making that autistic little shit give the money to help humanity.
  i note with cynical glee that his marriage and the foundation were foisted on gates after he looked SOOO BAD in federal court. he disappeared for a year or so, was brought back with no tie, soft-collar shirts, surrounded by children. and then they got him out of ms leadership, married him off, and started giving his money away.
  if i weren't a cynical fuck i'd call that a cynical ploy.
4. Re: Oh...Microsoft... by JustAnotherOldGuy · 2017-02-14 15:16 · Score: 1
  
  & this is why bill gates is, after 25 years, the so-called richest man on the planet.
  The group Kiss was one of the biggest selling bands on the planet for a while....and they still sucked monkey balls. Having huge sales isn't always an indicator of quality.
  
  --
  Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
5. Re: Oh...Microsoft... by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 15:37 · Score: 0
  
  Gates didn't get rich because his software was the best option, he got rich because his software was the only option.
6. Re:Oh...Microsoft... by Big+Hairy+Ian · 2017-02-15 00:41 · Score: 1
  
  I was amused when you laughed at the iPhone and then belatedly came out with Windows Phone, only to crash in the marketplace.
  Although I agree with most of what you said you do realize that M$ had a Mobile OS which was used successfully on phones & PDA's a nearly decade before Apple brought out the IPhone.
  
  --
  Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.
7. Re: Oh...Microsoft... by unixisc · 2017-02-15 03:31 · Score: 1
  
  Uh, no. When he started, there were all sorts of computer alternatives - Mac, Amiga, Unix, VMS and a whole host of others. On PCs, there was CP/M, and Gates provided DOS for the IBM PC. What made him rich was the PC clones made by other companies that needed an OS other than IBM's own PC DOS. Gates provided MS DOS and the rest was history
8. Re:Oh...Microsoft... by WallyL · 2017-02-15 03:58 · Score: 1
  
  The gift that keeps on giving!
9. Re: Oh...Microsoft... by david_thornley · 2017-02-15 06:44 · Score: 2
  
  When Gates started, well before the Mac and Amiga and when Unix and VMS were not available for reasonably priced desktop use, Microsoft was best known for their BASIC interpreters, which were good for the time on the available computers. The PCs of the time had 8-bit CPUs without hardware multiply and could address 64K of memory, except that 64K was pretty expensive at the time (I was happy to be able to pay only about $100 for 16K) and not all computers supported it. Most of the big commercial brands had their own proprietary OS, and CP/M was the dominant OS for the other computers. This went on, and Microsoft was a quite successful software company, but not a real standout.
  Then IBM decided to bring out a PC, and didn't want to do any more work than they had to, so they looked for an OS. Gates knew this from his mother's contacts in IBM, and bought exclusive rights to QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) from the Seattle Computer Club. He repackaged it, sold a non-exclusive license to IBM, and it became known as PC-DOS once the PC came out. I read at the time that you could also get your PC with CP/M-86 or the UCSD p-system, but I never saw a PC with either.
  At this point, we can start saying Microsoft was succeeding because it was the only provider. With the exception of some computers that quickly became niches in the market, everybody ran PC-DOS. IBM was selling computers to businesses, because they were IBM. A computer from some place called Apple or Radio Shack was obviously not suited for real business work, but IBM! If you wanted a computer for serious use, and you didn't have a reason to get something else, you got an IBM PC (which was a pretty good computer at the time), and Microsoft got some of your money.
  Remember when I said IBM didn't want to do any more work than they had to? This means that the PC was made as much as possible out of off-the-shelf components, with a 16K BIOS that was nothing really special. Somebody produced a clean-room BIOS that was functionally equivalent, and from there it was easy to use off-the-shelf components to make a PC clone. These needed operating software to run, of course, and Microsoft was happy to supply a renamed version of PC-DOS. The clones would run all IBM PC software, no problem, and they were a lot cheaper (at one time I estimated that getting the IBM on the side of your computer cost about $500 a letter). More manufacturers sold more computers, each of which had to have PC/MS-DOS on it.
  
  --
  "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
10. Re:Oh...Microsoft... by surfdaddy · 2017-02-15 07:15 · Score: 1
  
  Yes but it kind of sucked as it looked like "little Windows". The iPhone was a revolutionary new paradigm.
11. Re: Oh...Microsoft... by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-15 17:58 · Score: 0
  
  You miss the important point. Gates sent IBM to Gary Kildall to get his OS (CP/M) for the IBM PC. Killdall said no to IBM and they went back to Gates. Gates went out (actually one of his peeps) and got the rights to what became MS-DOS. The important bit was the royalty structure that Gates negotiated with IBM. For each copy of PC-DOS IBM paid Microsoft a fee and they (MS) had the rights to sell the OS to any vendor (remember there were no IBM clones at the time). When the IBM clones started showing up they had a place to go and get a OS that software/hardware vendors could work with.
MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 10:49 · Score: -1

I'm still waiting on the December, January and February android security updates on my phone still running 6.01 because there have been no updates for the OS either. This is on my galaxy s7 which is supposed to be one of samsung's flagship phones.
MS may have issues with their update model but with android it's a complete fucking dumpster fire. And before anyone says it's the manufacturer or carrier's fault, perhaps android shouldn't be such a giant ordeal to do even the minor security updates.
1. Re:MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by MightyMartian · 2017-02-14 10:52 · Score: -1, Flamebait
  
  Translation: I'm a MS shill trying to divert attention from the shit show that is MS updates.
  Google can no more control other manufacturers' updates than MS can control how often manufacturers' provide driver updates.
  
  --
  The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
2. Re:MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 11:04 · Score: 0
  
  I'm still waiting on the December, January and February android security updates on my phone still running 6.01 because there have been no updates for the OS either....
  Let me guess... you are on the AT&T network???
3. Re:MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 11:06 · Score: 0
  
  True but the total clusterfuck that is Android is inexcusable. It shouldn't take dozens of shitty 99 cent aftermarket apps to bring base functionality to the OS
4. Re:MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by MightyMartian · 2017-02-14 11:12 · Score: 0
  
  I've never had the problem. Perhaps it is because you buy shitty phones because shilling for Microsoft doesn't pay much. Get a real job and a real phone.
  
  --
  The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
5. Re:MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 11:22 · Score: 0
  
  WTF are you talking about? Base functionality? What's missing from F-Droid?
6. Re:MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 11:51 · Score: 0
  
  I know this is Slashdot, but... Why is it these days that anyone who expresses an opposing view, is automatically labeled as a shill? Is it not possible that there are people out there who have a different opinion from you and it having nothing to do with being paid to do it? Do you honestly expect anyone here to believe that you have never supported something/someone without being paid to do so?
  Again, I know this is Slashdot, but could we all try to elevate the discussion above personal attacks and baseless ad hominems?
7. Re:MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by geekprime · 2017-02-14 12:33 · Score: 1
  
  not an opposing view as much as "look, it's worse over there!!!1!" which actually has nothing at all to do with the subject at hand.
8. Re:MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 12:49 · Score: 0
  
  Hmm, no. Piss off. MS sucks, android rules.
9. Re:MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 13:37 · Score: 0
  
  what you are finding out is the dirty dark secret that most of Google's tools are simply not ready for prime time.
  how do i know?
  i work there, see what's going on, and have to use this unfinished shit.
  which is why I'm posting ac. M'Kay?
10. Re:MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by Bert64 · 2017-02-14 15:37 · Score: 1
  
  Is windows any different? You have to install tons of third party apps to gain basic functionality that comes as standard on other platforms.
  
  --
  http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
11. Re:MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by unixisc · 2017-02-15 03:33 · Score: 1
  
  I'll second this one. My TrueOS - I've not been able to apply the latest updates, and already, it's screwing up w/ Wells Fargo certificates on my Chromium browser. I'll wait a few months before I order a new DVD for $6 and then try updating then.
12. Re:MS Isn't the only one who sucks at updates by david_thornley · 2017-02-15 06:46 · Score: 1
  
  There are people who simply disagree with me. They're wrong, of course, but that's no big deal. Some hold irrational beliefs (I never would, of course). Some sure seem to act like shills. When Slashdot ran articles on Russian armed aggression, there were several new accounts popping up that pushed bad pro-Russian propaganda, and they looked like shills to me. (You know, I never knew Putin cared about Slashdot.)
  
  --
  "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
Won't fix by Doloresanto · 2017-02-14 10:50 · Score: 1

What else is new? Considering the "great" track record that Microsoft has it's exactly what they can be hesitant about.
End of their "Wimpy" strategy by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 11:20 · Score: 1

As in "I will gladly patch you Tuesday for a Zero Day Today"
Microsoft by JustAnotherOldGuy · 2017-02-14 11:21 · Score: 1

Microsoft: "We couldn't figure out how to pour the piss out of this boot even with the instructions written on the heel!"

--
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
And diagnostic info by hackwrench · 2017-02-14 14:27 · Score: 1

The diagnostic information, if any, is never informative. My Android phone was attempting to connect to my home network over and over again with absolutely zero information. All the devices and software I deal with are like that.
Gandalf's Advice for Those Using MS Windows by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 14:36 · Score: 0

"Fly, you fools!"
1. Re:Gandalf's Advice for Those Using MS Windows by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-15 04:45 · Score: 0
  
  Exactly! DragonFlyBSD for the win.
Exactly why the single large update is bad by simpz · 2017-02-14 20:59 · Score: 1

Before they could have dropped the single patch causing the issue.
The price *you* pay for MS to desperately force you to take their spyware in Windows.
1. Re:Exactly why the single large update is bad by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 23:51 · Score: 0
  
  Yep. People have been saying this since they began with the all-or-nothing updates. This is a return to the old days of Code Red etc.
Nothing incompetent in this program by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-14 23:50 · Score: -1

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This protects you until then by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-15 00:28 · Score: -1

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Good timing? by SphericalCrusher · 2017-02-15 00:35 · Score: 1

Good timing, I guess? I was literally just about to build a Software Update Group in Config Manager for deployment of this month's updates. I will still check for available updates though. :)

--
"Instant gratification takes too long." - Carrie Fisher
This protects you until then by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-15 06:14 · Score: 0

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Nothing incompetent in this program by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-15 06:17 · Score: 0

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* Via what you NATIVELY have built in the IP stack in FASTER kernelmode!
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