http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/]]>Aug 30th 2007 6:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
I can imagine it now...
User: "I'd like a custom software solution for my Apple Computer-Appliance."
Apple: "NO SOUP FOR YOU!"]]>Aug 30th 2007 9:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
I switched to Ubuntu. Going quite well. Got a 3d desktop, all updates done centrally in a completely open structure(to stay on topic), great stability, easier to use than a Mac, didn't cost me a cent.

ethana2@gmail.com For any help you may need switching. We're all in this together.]]>Aug 31st 2007 12:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 31st 2007 4:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/]]>Aug 30th 2007 6:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 6:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
Bottom line - AP did nothing different than what was already available - it just made it easier than downloading across a pile of webpages and tons of reboots.]]>Aug 31st 2007 10:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 11:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 6:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 8:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 8:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 9:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
As far as checking the legitimacy of your software, Microsoft needs to get over themselves. They've already inconvenienced sysadmins enough with activation, and that prevents most casual piracy. You have to try pretty hard to pirate a copy of XP, and frankly, the people who pirate now won't be slowed down by this minor speed bump.]]>Aug 30th 2007 11:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 31st 2007 12:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
If anyone has trouble with Windows Update... IMO, they must not know what they are doing.]]>Sep 9th 2007 4:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
So you just called Mr. Block & crew stupid?]]>Aug 30th 2007 6:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
I keep it on a short leash and it's just fine.

Even my elderly mother seems to be able to handle it, but admittedly she isn't operating in a big corporate setting either.]]>Aug 30th 2007 6:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
I haven't had any problems getting them direct from the vendor, so I just do it that way now...]]>Aug 30th 2007 7:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Sep 4th 2007 2:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/*Laughs and Points*]]>Aug 30th 2007 6:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 7:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 7:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/*Points and Laughs*]]>Aug 30th 2007 7:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
Suckers.]]>Aug 31st 2007 12:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
I don't know them personally, but I've found the majority of people who complain about Windows not being able to do something are horribly misinformed about what can and can't be done. WSUS is really, really, really easy, and incredibly reliable. There is, quite honestly, no reason to use anything else (especially to PAY for a third party app).

But for some strange reason, people enjoy pretending that Microsoft has no fricken idea what they are doing, and that magically some 14 year old FOSSie living in his parent's garage understands Windows WAY better than MS ever will.

I can understand, and even appreciate, people who don't feel like being "company men". But when it comes to MS, nobody wants to acknowledge that not only does MS know what they are doing, but they are doing far better than anyone else. Is it professional jealousy? I don't know. I usually give people the benefit of the doubt and attribute it to simple ignorance.

The problem, as usual, isn't that people don't know enough. It's that they know too much stuff which is just plain wrong.]]>Sep 4th 2007 5:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 7:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 7:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
Because WSUS requires a windows 2000/3 server running IIS, and if you were a sys admin then you would know right there why that is not a one-size-fits-all solution.]]>Aug 30th 2007 7:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
I'm trying to understand what "problem" presented by WSUS or Windows Update this was supposed to solve. For the home user, Windows Update doesn't do what, exactly? In an enterprise environment, a Server 2003 box is a given; it isn't like WSUS requires an independent box or anything, and its resource footprint is very low. Having users hit the web for updates is a great way to bring your Internet pipe to its knees, but we try to avoid that. We use WSUS in a 6,000-user AD environment at 15+ sites across MD/DC/VA. And WSUS isn't one-size-fits-all; you group machines, target updates to the respective groups, test and deploy, which happens from within your network, NLB if you so choose (we do). Goes off monthly without a hitch. /shrug.

I mean... ROWR MICROSOFT IS TEH EVILLE!]]>Aug 30th 2007 7:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 8:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
Yeah really. The root of the problem.

My machine will be free of copyright within the year. GNU/CC-BY-SA, all the way.

(And yes, I'm aware that gnu technically goes on top of copyright. Effectively, though, it simply is not the same thing.)]]>Aug 31st 2007 12:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
First, until last year I worked for a local university that uses Novell servers throughout the campus. Windows servers are few and far between. Also, the campus uses PeopleSoft as an ERP application before that company was bought out. Until recently PeopleSoft DID NOT support Windows XP, only Win2000, so anyone needing access to PeopleSoft had to be running Win2K. This amounted a significant percentage of the 5000+ faculty and staff. Someone (unknown who) introduced a virus into the campus network that attacked a vulnerability in unpatched Win2K systems as soon as they were placed on the network. Autopatcher was the only way at the time to patch new downgraded systems (take XP off and install Win2K) before they were placed on the network to retrieve the newest patches. PeopleSoft now supports XP, and the campus has implemented a couple of WSUS servers

Second: I currently work for a small computer repair company. Due to virus's/spyware and the like, we do a number of computer reloads a week. Microsoft does not officially support using WSUS with Windows Media Center, Windows XP Home or Vista Basic versions. We only have a 1.5mb Internet connection, and downloading the current 350+ MB of patches on multiple systems simultaneously slows down our entire work process. Before anyone jumps, I now have the registry entries and can download the patches from the company WSUS server, but there are numerous occasions where Autopatcher works where WSUS hasn’t, especially for systems that aren’t reloaded.

Third, I do personal PC work for individuals. A number of these folks only have dialup Internet service. When (grand)children, or the owners themselves, trash the system and it has to be reloaded, downloading those same 350+ MB of patches over dialup is downright painful. Autopatcher is indispensable in this situation if the customer doesn’t want to be deprived of their system overnight for me to take it home and patch it using my WSUS system.

Microsoft makes the patches available in monthly DVD ISO files, but these DVD’s are not cumulative and each patch has to be manually installed, an ugly process for a freshly loaded system. Autopatcher enables me to carry only a few CD’s instead of DVD’s from Jan 06 through current.

If anyone knows of another alternative, I’d be more than happy to read about it..


]]>Sep 12th 2007 2:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 7:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 7:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
I don't use Windows myself and have a negative view of Microsoft in general, but I can certainly see the logic behind this action. It's a move they have to make if they want their anti-piracy efforts to succeed.]]>Aug 30th 2007 7:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
Reguardless this is just one more example of how the DMCA is the most abusable law ever passed by congress with the possible exception of the Patriot Act. Hell the RIAA and MPAA lobyists threw around so much money most of our elected reps didn't even bother to read what they were signing.]]>Aug 30th 2007 9:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 8:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 31st 2007 12:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 31st 2007 12:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/ they allow you to update Windows with the use of Firefox.]]>Aug 30th 2007 9:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
All they do is remove the "if id_browser = "IE" then pass else nopass" line in the css. That or actually make it W3C standards compliant.

*I don't know anything of web code. But that does not change what I tried to express just there. I know how microsoft works, to some degree. And the above is correct, to my understanding.]]>Aug 31st 2007 12:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
My mom couldn't use it, neither could my aunt or uncle. Last time I checked their machines hadn't been patched in over 9 months. My mom switched to a mac a year and a half ago and at least her machine is always running the latest version of everything.

If Microsoft wasn't so damned worried about piracy or would at least put its stupid ass DRM somewhere else rather than gumming it up in it's security critical update system, I probably wouldn't be complaining. But the clunky interface, unreliability, and DRM checks make it much harder than it should be, borderline negligent. Microsoft would be smart to make XPs update process more like Vista's. Better yet, make it more like ubuntu's or Apple's.

Not that im bitter or anything.]]>Aug 30th 2007 9:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 31st 2007 12:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 31st 2007 1:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 30th 2007 10:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 31st 2007 12:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Linux is great as a hobby, but when I want to get work done I use Windows!]]>Aug 31st 2007 1:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/Aug 31st 2007 1:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
As for me, this is the last straw. I loved Autopatcher which was great for updating computers with only dial-up access (yes, they still exist). I am now going to make a serious effort to convert entirely to Linux, and encourage every computer owner i maintain to do the same.]]>Aug 31st 2007 12:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/30/microsoft-lays-down-smack-on-autopatcher-service-users-not-plea/
New fixes fix things that were broken last month, which were broken by what was released the month before, which were broken by...

If you run bare and naked into the internet, using only Microsoft apps, I can see why updates might be some use. Or if you have a specific issue that needs addressing.

But beyond that there is NO reason to update in the all-you-can-eat style Microsoft foists on its users. In fact, it is likely to cause more problems than it avoids/solves, IMO.

]]>Aug 31st 2007 12:53AM