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Exactly, autoupdate is VERY misleading.
The number of patches and amount of data you download is very misleading when you look at distro updaters like up2date. It seems like a ton more patching than in reality.

1) The updater updates your WHOLE system. Not just your OS. It updates ALL the installed programs like your FTP, SSH, Apache and multiple desktop environments to name a few (minor exceptions). Windows is usually just the stuff that MS gave with your XP (IE, WMP, and OS).

2) People don't realise that not all patches and updates need to be applied. Most GNU software supports a number of platforms and options (IPv6, ssl, ...). If you don't have such platform, or option(s) enabled, you don't need to update if the patch is only for them. Auto-updaters are smart enough for distinguishing platforms, but many times update pointlessly just to "be on the safe side" with the options.

3) Distros seem to take security much more seriously than MS. While MS might race to patch a severe remote exploit, distros have that attitude with even the smallest annoyances like a program output not being in the right visible format.

Overall, most auto-updaters do much more work than is required. If you really want to compare true updating, look at the change logs. Even if you enable all the options and platforms, you will notice that many can safely be ignored. Even more if you have a firewall running.

I use gentoo, and I got 282 packages installed. Every week, I get a handful of packages that were updated (5-10). But when I look at their changelogs, I notice I only need to update five to ten a month. I even skipped the last two kernel patches as they didn't affect me.

You can apply this to MS patches too, but they don't explain the patch very well to conclude to valid results. Still, you will notice that you might not need 2 or more patches.
Posted by: doe_z   Posted on: 04/13/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Rep has been engaged, patches are in transmission...  Mike Cox | 04/13/04
Do you really...  Christopher McLendon | 04/13/04
If you must know...  Mike Cox | 04/13/04
re: If you must know...  cbradshaw@... | 04/14/04
Leave him alone. Mikey's fun...  BitTwiddler | 04/13/04
Project Status Report  hparks | 04/13/04
Great entertainment as always Mike.  TWRX | 04/13/04
Further research for you.  Cardinal_Bill | 04/13/04
I read this when it was first published  mds_z | 04/14/04
Guess I'd better go patch...oh, wait  Chad_z | 04/13/04
Linux has tons of patches also  cancelled@... | 04/13/04
Linux has tons of patches also  cancelled@... | 04/13/04
But the difference between Windows and OpenSource is...  Zogg | 04/13/04
Is that Windows works and users like it.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/13/04
Exactly...  Raichu | 04/13/04
Ha!  tslocum7 | 04/14/04
You did *read* the article, right?  Zogg | 04/14/04
yeah right  meetoo | 04/14/04
The real differnce is the servers  voska | 04/14/04
Got An Answer For Ya  nikoli | 04/14/04
Linux is free, Windows is not  dlu | 04/13/04
No such thing as a free lunch  TheTruthGiver | 04/14/04
Hmm..  FreeBSD | 04/13/04
Brilliant Solution!  d_jedi | 04/13/04
Have you looked  MkIIISupra | 04/13/04
But...  rpmyers1 | 04/13/04
Well you know..  FreeBSD | 04/13/04
Exactly, autoupdate is VERY misleading.  doe_z | 04/13/04
rpmyers1 think about it  Monkey_MCSE | 04/14/04
True enough  cbradshaw@... | 04/14/04
Uninformed and overexcited  michael-t | 04/13/04
number of patches is a metric for SW maintanence comparisons  oldskool | 04/13/04
other differences you missed...  ryusen | 04/13/04
To automate in *nix simply take the command-line tool and use with cron  Richard Flude | 04/13/04
Linux is close to Perfect but patches are important  cancelled@... | 04/13/04
re: Solaris  cbradshaw@... | 04/14/04
hmmm...  PA-ITGuy | 04/14/04
So far, all 4 identified Critical Updates have...  BitTwiddler | 04/13/04
Press is Press  Thimmeschba | 04/13/04
And car mfg's will have to ship cars with working brakes too!  oldskool | 04/13/04
Where is OJ when we need him most?  jrbeaman | 04/15/04
(NT) Gee, Mr. Eschelbeck, I thought every day was MS patch day ???  Plain Logic | 04/13/04
People use Windows outside of games?  Xunil_Sierutuf | 04/13/04
MSBlast has infected more than 8 million computers?  B.O.F.H. | 04/13/04
* million? Hmm, that's more machines than run Linux.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/13/04
And your proud  MkIIISupra | 04/13/04
There is a cost for infected Windows machines!  B.O.F.H. | 04/13/04
How much would it have cost....  ShadeTree | 04/14/04
Problems with latest Windows upgrade  NHNH | 04/14/04
You Should Know Better  Letophoro | 04/14/04
Surprised?  tslocum7 | 04/14/04
SAME PROBLEMS HERE!  srw1@... | 04/14/04
Suggested Fix for future patch problems  Schweizer | 04/15/04
MS willing to leave customers vulnerable (GASP !!! say it ain't so)  Squawkbox | 04/14/04
Much To Do About NOTHING  nikoli | 04/14/04
unfortunately nikoli  Monkey_MCSE | 04/14/04
Oh Please Monkey  nikoli | 04/14/04
pach... ya sure  meetoo | 04/14/04
What An Idiot  nikoli | 04/14/04
RE: Much To Do About NOTHING  cammobus@... | 04/15/04
Were these on my security update CD  Hanover Phist | 04/14/04
re: security update CD  cbradshaw@... | 04/14/04
re: security update CD  crm_z | 04/15/04
Typical  tslocum7 | 04/14/04
M$ Patch May  WhiteSand | 04/14/04
No problems here  itanalyst | 04/14/04
No problems here either!  bunnyman | 04/14/04
Thanks for the VIRUS in the PATCH!  larryrice | 04/14/04
SHop 'em  abcdefghijklmnopq | 04/15/04
Gee. This is such a surprise....HA!  jrbeaman | 04/15/04
writing patches before virus?  hardnoks | 04/15/04
No credibility and no scruples  amanishakhete@... | 04/15/04
Everything's Ok  Krom597 | 04/17/04
The 4 MS "critical patches" are difficult to install.  bphsi | 04/17/04

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