Updates & SPs: MAC vs Windows

[Durbs]

My Mac is always whinging about updates for something or another, and they typically seem to be several hundred Mb and require a restart - also it won't let me install the updates unless it's plugged into the mains.

Mine installs updates on battery - It just throws up a warning that updates 'should' be installed on mains power but gives the option to continue anyway.

[VectraMan]

Windows has got better at not rebooting with updates, but there's no question that the *nix based OSs are much better in that regard. I find Windows is usually too slow at shutting down apps that are running when you shutdown the system.

I imagine your dongle, HTC Sync and Visual Studio won't work on a Mac. So yes, if you buy a Mac you won't have that problem anymore.

[Sysman]

Most updates typically don't require a restart, unlike Windows ( unless it's changed recently ). The update tool also tells you if an update will require a restart or not so you have the option to install those separately if you want to.

Security updates usually need a restart, but yes they tell you beforehand.

Many Windows updates say a "reboot may be required" leaving you to find out later whether one is or not.

Windows can be too aggressive in executing a shutdown when apps are running, giving you not enough time to cancel the shutdown and close them properly. This seems to be getting better though. OS X is very good (sometimes frustratingly so) at detecting running apps which need something saved and cancelling a shutdown if it finds any.

[d000hg]

Plus Mac doesn't force a reboot like Windows does...

Windows 7 doesn't always require an update and it very rarely forces it rather than letting you wait until your next restart.

[Moscow Mule]

- also it won't let me install the updates unless it's plugged into the mains.

Yes it will, unless they've changed the question lately.

[stek]

Most updates typically don't require a restart, unlike Windows ( unless it's changed recently ). The update tool also tells you if an update will require a restart or not so you have the option to install those separately if you want to.

The mains power thing is so that you don't accidentally run out of power halfway through a critical OS update and screw the machine as a result.

Plus Mac doesn't force a reboot like Windows does...

[DaveB]

My Mac is always whinging about updates for something or another, and they typically seem to be several hundred Mb and require a restart - also it won't let me install the updates unless it's plugged into the mains.

Most updates typically don't require a restart, unlike Windows ( unless it's changed recently ). The update tool also tells you if an update will require a restart or not so you have the option to install those separately if you want to.

The mains power thing is so that you don't accidentally run out of power halfway through a critical OS update and screw the machine as a result.

[scooterscot]

How does Apple compare to Microsoft for this kind of thing ?

Only problems here are updating to a new OS, some programs particularly parallels has issues. Everything else, cough, just works. Never had a problem with ad-hoc software updates.

[d000hg]

My Mac is always whinging about updates for something or another, and they typically seem to be several hundred Mb and require a restart - also it won't let me install the updates unless it's plugged into the mains.

[PAH]

Try Vista SP3, otherwise known as Windows 7.

As for Apple, I don't think Visual Studio works on that, unless you run an emulator or virtual machine of some kind, in which case why bother?

[wurzel]

Just had to install SP2 on Vista so I could get Visual Studio 2010 working.

Now several things that worked before are screwed up after installing the SP - like my dongle & HTC sync utility for a start

How does Apple compare to Microsoft for this kind of thing ? I get really fed up with continually downloading updates. Might come into play when thinking about getting my next laptop.