If I loook on my notebook I find Windows Update, Google Update, EA update together with application integrated autoupdaters (Firefox, Thunderbird, Acrobat Reader, Skype) running. I'm sure there a others, I don't even know about.
If Microsoft had implemented auto update as an simple open operating system feature (which could be used by other software vendors), nobody would need a private update service running all time. Your application would just need to register an autoupdate URL during installation and all updates (OS, applications, drivers) could be handled by a single (hopefully secure) update mechanism. If were a standard OS feature, nobody will bother building proprietary updaters and MS could further reduce TCO by providing enterprise wide policy control (so that a company could enable a specific update or not).
Maybe an open source autoupdater is a first step into that direction (although it would require encouraging others to use a common autoupdate).
Where is the problem in doing the conversion (for the legacy features) in the converter, so that the new format is free from this bloat?
OK, its harder to write the converter (which has to implement this old behaviors), but its Microsoft who wants to have the backward compatibility. So it only needs to be done once.
I'm travelling a lot (for business and leisure) and currently carry a charger for the notebook, the camera, the pda, the phone, the mp3 and the racer. All of these also need (different) converters for different power outlets (although most chargers can cope easily with different voltages and ferquencies) in different countries. A standard (WORLDWIDE including airlines) for AC power could remove all of them from my bag (because this standard power including cables would be available everywhere).
Also I usually strongly oppose any government interference in technical designs, but I really love this one, because it really opens up the market and saves the environment.
Slashdot Mirror
If I loook on my notebook I find Windows Update, Google Update, EA update together with application integrated autoupdaters (Firefox, Thunderbird, Acrobat Reader, Skype) running. I'm sure there a others, I don't even know about.
If Microsoft had implemented auto update as an simple open operating system feature (which could be used by other software vendors), nobody would need a private update service running all time. Your application would just need to register an autoupdate URL during installation and all updates (OS, applications, drivers) could be handled by a single (hopefully secure) update mechanism. If were a standard OS feature, nobody will bother building proprietary updaters and MS could further reduce TCO by providing enterprise wide policy control (so that a company could enable a specific update or not).
Maybe an open source autoupdater is a first step into that direction (although it would require encouraging others to use a common autoupdate).
Where is the problem in doing the conversion (for the legacy features) in the converter, so that the new format is free from this bloat? OK, its harder to write the converter (which has to implement this old behaviors), but its Microsoft who wants to have the backward compatibility. So it only needs to be done once.
I'm travelling a lot (for business and leisure) and currently carry a charger for the notebook, the camera, the pda, the phone, the mp3 and the racer. All of these also need (different) converters for different power outlets (although most chargers can cope easily with different voltages and ferquencies) in different countries. A standard (WORLDWIDE including airlines) for AC power could remove all of them from my bag (because this standard power including cables would be available everywhere). Also I usually strongly oppose any government interference in technical designs, but I really love this one, because it really opens up the market and saves the environment.