Comments on: Auto-update is a Killer Technology http://www.symphonious.net/2010/01/30/auto-update-is-a-killer-technology/ Living in a state of accord. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:07:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Paulhttp://www.symphonious.net/2010/01/30/auto-update-is-a-killer-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-174565 Paul Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:27:50 +0000 http://www.symphonious.net/?p=1302#comment-174565 I like your thinking. It moves me to think that the same processes are working in people. At your age, I was expected to be learning my trade. You are reflecting on the big picture of your trade which is a very mature process. Well done. It does mean that a generation in thinkers is also now much shorter so we may see even faster evolutions. PS. In case, you hadn't guessed, I am Adrian's Dad & very proud of it. It is good to see you up there for thinking! I like your thinking. It moves me to think that the same processes are working in people. At your age, I was expected to be learning my trade. You are reflecting on the big picture of your trade which is a very mature process. Well done. It does mean that a generation in thinkers is also now much shorter so we may see even faster evolutions.
PS. In case, you hadn’t guessed, I am Adrian’s Dad & very proud of it. It is good to see you up there for thinking!

]]> By: Adrian Suttonhttp://www.symphonious.net/2010/01/30/auto-update-is-a-killer-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-174556 Adrian Sutton Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:36:32 +0000 http://www.symphonious.net/?p=1302#comment-174556 Yeah, there is something to be said for silent updates, but if you look at the upgrade process that Sparkle provides for pretty much every non-Apple application on OS X the prompt to install or not option can work just as well. In fact, for long lived processes (ie: Chrome) it probably works better since you know you should quit and install the update. What FireFox gets completely wrong is two-fold: 1. The update notification window is *way* too big. Actually, Sparkle could do with collapsing the change-log by default to save space as well. 2. More importantly, it should *never* open an ad after the upgrade. FireFox not only opens an ad, it usually opens an outdated ad since it talks about features in the last feature release even though you may have applied a very small security fix. Fortunately, the trend is definitely towards quick and easy upgrading with no muss and no fuss so the upgrade cycle is shortening. Yeah, there is something to be said for silent updates, but if you look at the upgrade process that Sparkle provides for pretty much every non-Apple application on OS X the prompt to install or not option can work just as well. In fact, for long lived processes (ie: Chrome) it probably works better since you know you should quit and install the update.

What FireFox gets completely wrong is two-fold:
1. The update notification window is *way* too big. Actually, Sparkle could do with collapsing the change-log by default to save space as well.
2. More importantly, it should *never* open an ad after the upgrade. FireFox not only opens an ad, it usually opens an outdated ad since it talks about features in the last feature release even though you may have applied a very small security fix.

Fortunately, the trend is definitely towards quick and easy upgrading with no muss and no fuss so the upgrade cycle is shortening.

]]> By: Dylanhttp://www.symphonious.net/2010/01/30/auto-update-is-a-killer-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-174555 Dylan Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:49:43 +0000 http://www.symphonious.net/?p=1302#comment-174555 I think it needs to be even more unnoticed. I think Chrome nailed it - update, don't tell anyone, just do it. Firefox almost got there, but turned into nagware. I think if you give users the option not to upgrade, or annoy them at upgrade time, they might turn it off. I really think stealth upgrades is the way to go - I mean, you don't prompt people to upgrade when a new version of your web page got released, they just get it by default. Supporting legacy platforms really is a deadweight for a developer, so, you're right AJ, that auto-update is a godsend. I think it needs to be even more unnoticed. I think Chrome nailed it – update, don’t tell anyone, just do it. Firefox almost got there, but turned into nagware. I think if you give users the option not to upgrade, or annoy them at upgrade time, they might turn it off. I really think stealth upgrades is the way to go – I mean, you don’t prompt people to upgrade when a new version of your web page got released, they just get it by default.

Supporting legacy platforms really is a deadweight for a developer, so, you’re right AJ, that auto-update is a godsend.

]]>