microsoft gdi+ windows update thing

[arkabee]

does this do anything other than run a scan and say "yes/no" and then pop open a webpage that noone is going to read saying you should do your updates?

why have an update telling me to do my updates?!

if i'm not doing my updates, i'm not going to see it!!

if i'm doing my updates it's just going to make me insaner!

[jough]

The GDI+ update checks to see if you are vulnerable to the JPEG Virus thing in Windows and then suggests updates to fix the problem.

It is a Good Thing ™

Of course, one could argue that the problem should never have existed...

[arkabee]

i think you miss my point.

[jough]

Well, the truth is that you already have an update to view your other updates - they call it the Windows Update program and I think it's up to version 5.

This is just a new upgrade to that so that it can search for this new problem.  Right now it only scans for faulty MS programmes, but they claim that they will be updating it to suggest fixes for non-MS made stuff too.  We'll see.  Microsoft isn't exactly known for reliability.

Would you prefer they just hid the update from you and integrated this function into the Windows Update utility?

If they did that, people would complain that they're trying to be sneaky.  Give you the option of downloading the component and you see it as an update to get more updates.

All software but the OS kernel runs other software.  I don't see how this is any more confusing than any other piece of code.

[arkabee]

Well, the truth is that you already have an update to view your other updates - they call it the Windows Update program and I think it's up to version 5.

well, that may be your truth, but my truth would be: there is already a process to update Windows, a process that has been attempted to be beaten into the heads of people who are frightened of computers and are, after years and years, finally starting to get "the hang of" "doing updates".

This is just a new upgrade to that so that it can search for this new problem.  Right now it only scans for faulty MS programmes, but they claim that they will be updating it to suggest fixes for non-MS made stuff too.  We'll see.  Microsoft isn't exactly known for reliability.

Would you prefer they just hid the update from you and integrated this function into the Windows Update utility?

If they did that, people would complain that they're trying to be sneaky.  Give you the option of downloading the component and you see it as an update to get more updates.

All software but the OS kernel runs other software.  I don't see how this is any more confusing than any other piece of code.

i'm not talking about software, jough, i was venting about the PROCESS.

as for slashdotters crying "conspicracy", i could care less but not by much.

[CortJstr]

The other issue is that installing SP2 patches this problem, but there are some programs that will re-break it if they are installed after SP2. So it's still nice to have this checked even after you've patched it.

[jough]

See, I don't understand why they make it *optional* since it's such a critical OS flaw that affects just about every programme using Windows, including Windows itself.

A virus from looking at an IMAGE file?  I know MS has been asleep at the wheel for decades now, but come ON guys, this is just TOO MUCH.

As for the process - I still don't understand the big deal.  You go to windows update, download this along with other critical updates, and let it do its thing.  It in turn suggests other updates for software OTHER THAN WINDOWS that you may need.

See: Windows Update = Updates for Windows
Office Update = Updates for Office

GDI+ = Finds possible updates for other programmes (including Office and Windows, though).  Is that the confusing part?  Would you prefer that the GDI+ update not work as well? :headscratch:

[arkabee]

excatly!

windowsupdate.* = updates for windows
officeupdate.* = updates for office

why are they creating ANOTHER category for a user base that has issues dealing with the first two?

you goto windows updates, you tell it to "Scan".  it shows you have critical updates, you tell them to "do their thing".

NOW, with the gdi+ "update", it "installs" and "runs" and tells you whether it finds vulnerabilites, and spawns an entire new process to do updates that is not within the paradigm that Microsoft has set for MS online updates.

they are reinventing the wheel, a wheel that a userbase has problems realizing exists let ALONE how to use.

do i want people NOT to update things? NO! do i want them to be able to update things on their own without having to call me? YES!


to reiterate my first post:

is the gdi+ update doing anything other than scanning to see if the pc in question has vulnerabilites, spawning a yes/no dialog box, and popping open a url if the answer was "yes, vulnerable"?

IS THAT SPECIFIC UPDATE ACTUALLY FIXING ANYTHING itself?

because if it doesn't actually fix anything itself, then it is an "update" that doesn't update but says to update.  which is fuck*ng STUPID for many reasons, most of which is its going to make much of the userbase ignore the whole system even more.


i ran the update, incidentally, on two disctinct 98SE boxes, and both times the tool did not install anything itself, but gave two disctinct responses:  1. nothing, 2. spawned a web page saying i should run office updates.

[jough]

I've run the tool on about 40 different boxes now running five different kinds of windows, and every single one either said to install an Office Update (for every PC that had office installed) or to do nothing (when Office wasn't installed).

Why install the tool?

Well, Microsoft is losing the browser war.  They've neglected IE for so long that even the new version that comes with SP2 isn't enough to interest people - I mean, what does it offer other than security fixes?  A pop-up blocker?  Mozilla's had this since day 1.

Now with AOL moving back to their own acquired Netscape brand in the new version, IE will have its market share reduced by a much larger number still.

So moving the update tool from the browser (since it only works in IE) to the desktop is a key step for Microsoft to ensure that they still have their foot in everyone's OS door.  This "update finder" is just the first step.

When the new Windows Update is released it will be an application (albeit one that runs IE's API) and will likely just incorporate the GDI+ vulnerability fixes.

Right now it's a kludge because of the scope limits of Windows Update.  Essentially the GDI+ update scans for things that the Windows Update can't.  

You're asking pretty much "Why run a spyware removal tool when I already run a virus scanner?" - eventually these two tools will be merged into one "Security Scanner" as well.

I mean, when you get right down to it the Windows Update application doesn't actually install any updates either.  It is a download enqueuer that auto-runs the downloads once you've downloaded them.  

The real problem is that MS does not make all of the updates that Windows Update finds available for individual download by the user.

Surf to http://www.windowsupdate.com with Firefox and you'll be given a link to download.microsoft.com's front page.  Whoopie, that's helpful.

P.S. Please note that I am not a Microsoft basher, and I believe that there must be some people who work on these things for Microsoft that really want to do a good job, and Windows works well-enough that I use it daily (although I use linux for all web development) for general e-mail, surfing, word processing, etc.

It's really too bad that the marketing department is running the new OS project (Codename: Longhorn) and forcing the developers to drop pretty much every reason to upgrade just so they can meet a marketing deadline set for the people who signed up for (and paid for) bi-annual OS upgrades.

They're starting to call it "Shorthorn" since it won't have the new file system, or really anything but some minor upgrades from XP, which itself was only a point release of Windows 2000 Professional.

I wonder if Longhorn (which will probably be called Windows 2007 or something equally stupid) will be dubbed version 6.0 or version 5.2?

Anyway, IT workers are going to be saddled with shoddy software for a longASS time.

[CortJstr]

I'm so sick of Longhorn stuff I barely even want to read the word anymore. It's been pushed back and pushed back. Now they're saying some of the major features won't actually be in it because they're running out of time. I would be shocked to see Longhorn even move away from NTFS at this point.

I found the GDI thing weird but again, I do see it's point. The GDI flaw is the only bug I'm aware of that one can patch via Windows Update, then install a legitimate 3rd-party application that completely re-opens the flaw. To be that makes it a bit of a different animal than normal WU stuff.