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Side poll: Do people automatically download OS updates for their computers? A lesson from my Windows days way back when was never to update anything unless abso

Side poll: Do people automatically download OS updates for their computers? A lesson from my Windows days way back when was never to update anything unless absolutely needed -- computer, phones, etc. "Needed" is loosely defined as "key software that you need to work is no longer working on your older OS, hence you need to upgrade your OS to keep using this key software (sorry!)." I'm aware of security patches etc, but risk of regular things breaking for little apparent upside has always led me (and most folks I know) to avoid upgrades except in the above-mentioned case. Edit, not just asking about Windows, but all operating systems, OSX, iOS, Android, Linux, etc.

iknowstuff 7y ago
Yes they do: https://david-smith.org/iosversionstats/ https://david-smith.org/iosversionstats/
- saagarjha 7y ago
  New versions of iOS usually have a much higher adoption rate than their corresponding macOS release.
saagarjha 7y ago
I have automatic downloads enabled, but I usually beat it to install updates as I generally learn of new developer builds fairly quickly.
beart 7y ago
The default in Windows is to auto update and you have no choice without jumping through hoops or working under a corporate group policy. So at least in terms of Windows, the answer to your question is yes - most people automatically download OS updates.
eru 7y ago
> A lesson from my Windows days way back when was never to update anything unless absolutely needed -- computer, phones, etc. Windows 10 seems to be pretty good at keeping its users on the latest version? (Unless you actively tell it, not to?)
- nicolas_t 7y ago
  Yes and because they have a bug with egpu they introduced in August, I had to go in Group policy to disable updates until they finally release a fix or my eGPU won't work (it's in beta apparently and will come out after 11 months)... And I was complaining about Apple but this is even worse...
  - zamalek 7y ago
    > And I was complaining about Apple but this is even worse... So a driver bug, affecting a single external device, is worse than completely bricking an entire machine? Microsoft have had their share of controversies with updates (recent memory is deleting user data folder before they halted the rollout), but they have never made a machine unresponsive to the degree of the multiple anecdotes in this comment section. HN has some smart folks, but the leeway those folks afford Apple despite their continuous hostile and incompetent behavior is incredible.
filchermcurr 7y ago
I love updates! I always update everything as soon as humanly possible. MacUpdater is like a sweet, sweet drug. I find the incidents of things breaking to be fairly low for me, and when things do break, it's usually fairly easy to find a workaround. Thankfully I've never had hardware get bricked before. Having said that, I may have some kind of mental disorder because the thought of being behind when new software is released is abhorrent to me... Oh, but I don't AUTO update. I like to do it manually so I can read changelogs when available. ... I'm starting to feel like that person who enthusiastically tells everybody how much they love to peel their dead skin off. And everybody gives them 'that look'.

iknowstuff 7y ago

Yes they do: https://david-smith.org/iosversionstats/ https://david-smith.org/iosversionstats/

saagarjha 7y ago
New versions of iOS usually have a much higher adoption rate than their corresponding macOS release.

saagarjha 7y ago

I have automatic downloads enabled, but I usually beat it to install updates as I generally learn of new developer builds fairly quickly.

beart 7y ago

The default in Windows is to auto update and you have no choice without jumping through hoops or working under a corporate group policy. So at least in terms of Windows, the answer to your question is yes - most people automatically download OS updates.

eru 7y ago

> A lesson from my Windows days way back when was never to update anything unless absolutely needed -- computer, phones, etc. Windows 10 seems to be pretty good at keeping its users on the latest version? (Unless you actively tell it, not to?)

nicolas_t 7y ago
Yes and because they have a bug with egpu they introduced in August, I had to go in Group policy to disable updates until they finally release a fix or my eGPU won't work (it's in beta apparently and will come out after 11 months)... And I was complaining about Apple but this is even worse...
- zamalek 7y ago
  > And I was complaining about Apple but this is even worse... So a driver bug, affecting a single external device, is worse than completely bricking an entire machine? Microsoft have had their share of controversies with updates (recent memory is deleting user data folder before they halted the rollout), but they have never made a machine unresponsive to the degree of the multiple anecdotes in this comment section. HN has some smart folks, but the leeway those folks afford Apple despite their continuous hostile and incompetent behavior is incredible.

filchermcurr 7y ago

I love updates! I always update everything as soon as humanly possible. MacUpdater is like a sweet, sweet drug. I find the incidents of things breaking to be fairly low for me, and when things do break, it's usually fairly easy to find a workaround. Thankfully I've never had hardware get bricked before. Having said that, I may have some kind of mental disorder because the thought of being behind when new software is released is abhorrent to me... Oh, but I don't AUTO update. I like to do it manually so I can read changelogs when available. ... I'm starting to feel like that person who enthusiastically tells everybody how much they love to peel their dead skin off. And everybody gives them 'that look'.