SillyDog701

[Fulvio]

Updates to Firefox, Thunderbird and Seamonkey are available. i.e. to FF3.6.13, TB 3.1.7, and SM 2.0.11.
I had no problem using the incremental update of the first two. All addons were compatible in the new FF, but not so with TB and SM. SM had to downloaded in its entirety, and was installed on top of 2.0.10.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.16) Gecko/20101123 SeaMonkey/2.0.11

[Antony]

I got this message this morning:


And I pressed "Restart Firefox"

It all seems fine.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; Intel Mac OS X 10.6; en-US; rv:1.9.2.13) Gecko/20101203 AlexaToolbar/alxf-2.0 Firefox/3.6.13

[Fulvio]

Antony,
you, as many others do, must have checked in Options|Advanced|Updates, to "automatically download, and install update". Some people have run into problems, so I prefer to have the selection of "ask me what to do", so that I can select the time to do this operation, and how to do it.
By the way, all addons were compatible with FF 3.6.13, but one addon each of TB and SM were not. I was able to force installation of Forecastfox in SM, using the Nightly Tester Tools addon. By the way, the same addon was compatible in FF.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.13) Gecko/20101203 Firefox/3.6.13

[James]

I think for "most people", having the updates download and install automatically is the best option for several reasons. First off... most people have no clue as to whether an update/upgrade or add-on is essential or not... whether it will conflict or not. Having the option of installing it would mean absolutely nothing to most users. Secondly, the average user (according to Paul Thurrott and others) has little knowledge of what is important in terms of security. You might liken it to someone driving a car: he has no clue to how the engine works and could care less. He wants one thing: to get from point A to point B. That is typical of most users of computers. They simply have no clue and could care less. All they want is for it to work so they can read their email and surf the web... period. You must remember that very few people in comparison to those who are members of computers forums such as this one, bother to read internet forums on computers/security/internet. Frankly... in all the years I've been using computers, I've always allowed updates to install automatically and I've yet to experience any problems whatsoever. Will I ever have a problem? Maybe... maybe not. Either way it's no big deal.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.13) Gecko/20101203 Firefox/3.6.13

[Fulvio]

James,
I like to select the time. It is that simple. I don't know when the updates take place, but I know that in the early days, they created problems. And, I don't know what kind of choices are given. Can I allow the update to download, and complete the operation when I am ready? It is not a matter of deciding. In fact, Secunia PSI tells me which update is available, so I know even before I open the program. I prefer the shorter incremental update, if available, rather than the complete installer. In fact, I had to repeat the operation twice with Seamonkey, because of technical problems on their server.
If you have any answer, please illuminate me.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.13) Gecko/20101203 Firefox/3.6.13

[James]

James,
I like to select the time. It is that simple.
If you have any answer, please illuminate me.

Hello, Fulvio.

I have no answer because in truth, I don't really understand the issue of "time" as you put it. Let me put it another way. I think that my way of doing these updates is more representative of the general public (not necessarily better... just more typical of the average user). By that I simply mean, that most folks simply don't care one way or the other about their browsers, their e-mail clients, their security software and their computers in general. They have one browser, one e-mail program, and for the most part only update these "if" the settings are set to do so automatically. Time is not an issue because it is done whenever the program is ready to do so. I work with several associates on a part-time basis and I can guarantee you that none of them could care less about these things. And to tell you the truth, my wife and I do the same on our computers: automatic updates... period. And as I've mentioned previously, in all the time we've been doing this, neither of us has ever experienced an issue. Are we just plain lucky? Who knows? If an automatic update presents itself, I simply do not have the expertise to decide whether to install it, ignore it, or wait. And why wait.. really? I know that in reading these forums a few members have said that they had such-and-such a problem with a particular update but that has never been my experience. And the problem with ordinary, uninformed users setting their browsers to update at their time and saying is that they would in all probability forget to do it or blow it off as bothersome. It just makes sense to let it do its thing (for most people).

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.13) Gecko/20101203 Firefox/3.6.13

[Fulvio]

James,
I was ,just saying that I do things the way I do, and I tried to explain way. I was, only, commenting on Antony's post. It is obvious, from what I said that I take updates seriously. I feel very comfortable with Secunia PSI. You told me what you do, and it is fine, and asked to clarify things for me, and you did not.
The issue of time is irrelevant, and all programs that are set up well, give the opportunity to complete the update later. Long ago, the update had to be completed, including restarting the program, if not the computer, with no other options. When I use the computer I want to use it the way I want it, without interruptions of my train of thought. It is very possible that I could do it, but I don't know. So, I continue doing things my way.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:2.0b7) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/4.0b7

[James]

James,
I was ,just saying that I do things the way I do, and I tried to explain way. I was, only, commenting on Antony's post. It is obvious, from what I said that I take updates seriously. I feel very comfortable with Secunia PSI. You told me what you do, and it is fine, and asked to clarify things for me, and you did not.
The issue of time is irrelevant, and all programs that are set up well, give the opportunity to complete the update later. Long ago, the update had to be completed, including restarting the program, if not the computer, with no other options. When I use the computer I want to use it the way I want it, without interruptions of my train of thought. It is very possible that I could do it, but I don't know. So, I continue doing things my way.

I wasn't taking "issue" with the way you do things, Fulvio. As were you, I was also responding to Antony's post. I appreciate that you take things seriously. So do I. I'm glad you're comfortable with Secunia PSI. I'm comfortable with automatic updates. As for the issue of time, you were the one who brought that up, not I. I simply responded to your mentioning time by saying that as far as I was concerned, it was a non-issue.

We all should feel free to use our computers as we so choose... you by manually installing yours when you see fit and others to simply let them auto-update as they see fit. There's no right nor wrong way of doing this.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.13) Gecko/20101203 Firefox/3.6.13

[PaulD]

As mentioned, in the 'old days' (old varies by application) there sometimes were faulty auto-updates. (A MS Office 2007 fix just had a hiccup, so it can still occur. I like to let changes age about a week, and let others catch any arrows.)

For 'the average user' perhaps a valid reason not to accept auto-downloads is if one is on a dial-up line. (One of my friends whom I 'mother hen' was in this category, until this week, after cable became available. I'll have to change the settings for the various products as soon as I can get to the computers. Friend cannot do this, unfortunately.)

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.13) Gecko/20101203 Firefox/3.6.13 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729)