Is it really prudent installing IE Security updates?

  • Thread starter Thread starter George Hester
  • Start date Start date
That depends. Are you really interested in the answer, or did you just feel
like seeing your rant archived for posterity?

If you really are interested, the answer is: yes. Microsoft security updates
are not only prudent, they are vital. People who use their computers
correctly have no trouble with security updates, hotfixes and service packs.
It's the ones who don't know how to use their computers correctly who
experience problems, and will continue to experience problems until finally
they decide to spend the time to learn. I got that through my thick skull
years ago, and since then it's been smooth sailing.
 
I really do not think so. All the errors that arise in the articles I
posted are not due to being dumb. They are due to the Microsoft Secutity
Updates for Microsoft Internet Explorer. That is what they say. My rant is
the truth whether you agree with it or not. I give people a little more
credit than you do.

--
George Hester
_________________________________
Ted Zieglar said:
That depends. Are you really interested in the answer, or did you just feel
like seeing your rant archived for posterity?

If you really are interested, the answer is: yes. Microsoft security updates
are not only prudent, they are vital. People who use their computers
correctly have no trouble with security updates, hotfixes and service packs.
It's the ones who don't know how to use their computers correctly who
experience problems, and will continue to experience problems until finally
they decide to spend the time to learn. I got that through my thick skull
years ago, and since then it's been smooth sailing.
Click to expand...
 
George said:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/834707/

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;873346

Why would anyone want to go through the hell caused by these updates? I
suppose the hell caused by the malware on the Net these days is a good
excuse. I don't know it's a dilemma. And no I am not going sit idly by
while Microsoft does everything in their power to make computer us a bummer
Click to expand...

To be "prudent", yes. Almost all security consultants will
say so. A policy statement for installing MS security updates
is written into our medical center's corporate compliance and
HIPAA programs. But IT professionals are expected to go one
step further and run feasibility and suitability trials since
it should not be expected that lawyers understand computer
engineering or science.
 
Yes, it is prudent to install the security updates. If you read the info of
the Internet, the security updates are mainly preceded with article stating
what vulnerabilities that require an updates. These vulnerabilities could
possibly be "exploited" by other people in hopes of bring down your not
updated Windows.
 
Yes I thought "prudent" would be a good description of the issue. All these
security updates for Microsoft Internet Explorer and all the fixes to the
fixes to the fixes to the fixess... So I asked is it prudent? Of course it
is always Prudent to follow Corporate Compliance Agreements can't knock
that. But I don't know how Prudent it is if all you want to do is keep your
hair.
 
Can't argue with that. And I got another reason why it is prudent. To keep
me busy cleaning out and maintaining their machines both Security updates
and the stuff they are supposed to guard us from.

--
George Hester
_________________________________
Yves Leclerc said:
Yes, it is prudent to install the security updates. If you read the info of
the Internet, the security updates are mainly preceded with article stating
what vulnerabilities that require an updates. These vulnerabilities could
possibly be "exploited" by other people in hopes of bring down your not
updated Windows.
Click to expand...
 
George Hester said:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/834707/

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;873346

Why would anyone want to go through the hell caused by these updates? I
suppose the hell caused by the malware on the Net these days is a good
excuse. I don't know it's a dilemma. And no I am not going sit idly by
while Microsoft does everything in their power to make computer us a
bummer
Click to expand...
Aren't these fixes for IE6 SP?. Well, I have IE6 SP2. I have never had any
trouble caused by any of the fixes, so I am definitely not tearing my hair
out.
Jim
 
People who use their computers
correctly have no trouble with security updates, hotfixes and service
packs.
It's the ones who don't know how to use their computers correctly who
experience problems, and will continue to experience problems until
finally
they decide to spend the time to learn. I got that through my thick skull
years ago, and since then it's been smooth sailing.
Click to expand...

That is not always true. There is a very small number of cases where some
incompatible hardware driver or software can cause a problem with an update.
That is why the KB articles exist, to post workarounds for problems that are
found. If enough systems are affected then an updated update will be
released :-)

One of the reasons pc's became so popular was because of the open
architecture. It is also one of the reasons why writing code is so hard.
There is no way to test every combination of drivers and installed programs.

It is always prudent to backup your system before applying any updates.

Kerry
 
George,

I use W2000, XP and W2003 but none of my systems are "Mission Critical" and
I don't use "Old" software at home so I have always had automatic updates on
and never had a single problem. At work they do use some "Old" software and
so have to be a little more careful in case there's a conflict, but even so
there have been no problems yet. There have been problems caused by NOT
keeping up to date.

So I would say it IS prudent but shoudl be done with care.

When update problems do occur it is not usually the update at fault but the
fact that it "Corrects" something that some other software deliberately
broke. For example if you have some spyware which is not written to conform
to Windows Standards (and a lot of it is not by design) then a security
update may break the bad programming.

Unfortunately it's a fact of life that there are thousands of possible
combinations, so it's like a situation where GM come out with a fix for your
Corvette engine. For most people it will work just fine but if the previous
owner slipped in a Ford V8 with or without your knowledge the fix may well
break the engine.

Charlie


George Hester said:
Can't argue with that. And I got another reason why it is prudent. To
keep
me busy cleaning out and maintaining their machines both Security updates
and the stuff they are supposed to guard us from.
Click to expand...
 
I don't know what their for all I know is they are for IE and would install.
Let me put it this way. I don't want to install IE fixes and "I'm a na
gonna" - George Bush Sr.
 
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