Scott Hanselman's Computer Zen - Microsoft Update versus Windows Update

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Microsoft Update versus Windows Update

Posted 2005-07-19 09:27 AM in Musings.

Sigh, well apparently no one in Microsoft marketing remembers the chaos caused (and still caused) by multiple versions of Windows Messenger versus Microsoft Messenger versus MSN Messenger. And it was only a year ago.

Well, anyway, you can switch your system over to Microsoft Update (I have) by visiting http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate. Of course, switch only your personal computer unless your IT department has OK'ed this, yada yada. Looks like a new ActiveX control will be downloaded and you'll have Office Updates included within your Automatic BITS Updates. Shiny.

WindowsUpdate

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Tuesday, July 19, 2005 10:18:48 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Don't forget Office Communicator, which looks like Messenger but isn't.

Ry Jones

Wednesday, July 20, 2005 1:25:00 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

There's also cultural insensitivity. On the "Change Settings" page (which strangely has the heading "options"), the language choices say:

English (Recommended)

Why is English recommended? What if I don't speak English?

RichB

Wednesday, July 20, 2005 4:56:20 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Sigh...updates still are failing when running from a RUNAS (to an user with Administrator rights) instance of IE. :-(

J. Daniel Smith

Wednesday, July 20, 2005 7:53:37 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

They are likly recommending it because your browser reported itself as en-us?

Scott Hanselman

Thursday, July 21, 2005 9:29:55 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Shiny? Is that a Firefly reference?

Jorriss

Thursday, July 21, 2005 9:42:14 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Jorriss. 是啊。Very astute of you.

Scott Hanselman

Wednesday, August 03, 2005 12:32:01 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Eventually, Microsoft Update will provide updates for nearly all major Microsoft products, which will be a big time saver. It's already nice not having to visit Office Update separately now. No word yet on whether new Halo maps will be considered "critical updates" though.