If you have a recent version of any modern software on your system, you're well aware that the frequency and amount of updates we are presented with is going up.
The reason for the increased number of updates is likely attributed to a combination of a growing number of sophisticated programs we all have on our systems and (my personal theory), because the delivery and distribution is done via the Internet, where the cost of rolling out updates (compared to the physical media days) is virtually non-existent, developers now kick out a larger volume of small incremental updates as they encounter issues that require attention. Translation: It's (comparatively) quick and easy to whip up a patches, hotfixes, etc. and push it via the internet. Well, it’s easy for them maybe. . .
This is the point where things get a little bit less easy for the users of the constantly updated software. While the easy distribution of updates allows us to have better functioning software, it also necessitates, in aggregate, a moderate amount of time needed to install the updates. In some cases (e.g. Autodesk Applications Manager) it may even require a reboot. This takes time and when these easily created and distributed updates are streaming in on a seemingly constant basis, they can create a bit of a headache for users that are simply trying to get work done.
This issue can be significantly frustrating and distracting if your environment is such that system users do not have the necessary permissions to install all of these updates themselves. In some cases, depending on the software in question, it will present itself like an alert bubble from the system tray and then ultimately for the user attempting to install the update, results in an error message requiring the user seek assistance from the "system Administrator".
Then there's the fun that happens when a system Administrator does log into one of these computers. This can be a real joy when it has maybe been weeks or more since an Administrator had logged into the system and when they do, it's like they've hit the update dialog/popup/alert bubble jackpot! In these cases, several applications had been set free from their pent-up need to be installed and were just waiting for an Administrator to log in to rescue them.
I've personally experienced this many times when logging into a system as an Administrator to do something that should only take a few minutes, then after I've satisfied all of the nagging (and seemingly desperate) programs awaiting updates, find myself having spent a half hour or more clicking “OK” buttons, accepting EULA terms and going through multiple rounds of rebooting. Yippee!
So, what can we do?
Of course there’s the option of giving the required permissions to system users to allow them to install all of these updates themselves. This would lessen the load on the system Administrator during the installation of the updates but, if there’s a reason users don’t have Administrator permissions now, it would probably just create other issues later. So, in most cases that would not be an option.
With some programs, like that electronic document reader program we all seem to have, you know? the one that seems to need to be updated daily!! . . . . Well, it can be set to allow the user to manually install the updates on a schedule that works better for you rather than the pushes that are sent via the internet automatically.
This brings me to the solution I have found has given me the best balance which is to change the settings (logged in with the necessary permissions of course) of as many of the programs as possible to NOT update automatically or, NOT download automatically and instead, update manually. Once this is done, create an update schedule for systems updates that works for you (that’s what Weekend are for, right?). In some rare cases you can locally push updates on the network, increasingly however, it will still require logging into each system, maybe once a month as an Administrator and installing the updates you feel you need.
While this is not a perfect solution, and it still requires Administrator time and attention, it might offer you a balance between the constant bombardment of update alerts/requests which can be distracting and time consuming and, having reasonably updated software on your systems where users can work as efficiently as possible with a minimum amount of annoying bubbles popping up from the tray.
If you have other tips, suggestions, please chime in.