What I was really hoping to read with a title like "Introducing Unified Update Platform" is that Microsoft had provided some sort of API for any program to use the same unified update system to check for and install updates, instead of having a million random updaters checking things in Task Scheduler.
They already do it for graphics drivers and so on. Linux does it of course.
But then I guess the problem is Microsoft would need to check everything in case users started blaming Microsoft for "sending them a virus through Windows Update" when RandomDodgyApp got a bad update.
> instead of having a million random updaters checking things in Task Scheduler.
And a million different popups. The main problem I see with this is that some programs (e.g. Razer Synapse) can't be arsed to have an external process do the patching; demanding a reboot. Combine that with the Windows update reboot nag and you have hell on Earth.
Aside: you do have access to BITS[1], which is the download manager that Windows Update uses. According to an MSDN mag article I read years ago it tries to be as unobtrusive as possible (e.g. backing off if you are using your connection).
> What I was really hoping to read with a title like "Introducing Unified Update Platform" is that Microsoft had provided some sort of API for any program to use the same unified update system to check for and install updates, instead of having a million random updaters checking things in Task Scheduler.
There's nothing worse than turning on a machine you've not used for a few weeks and being slammed with update notifications. Updates should be transparent and automatic by default in my opinion as regular users have zero interest in maintenance updates.
Transparent or not, I'd just prefer to have one main program doing the checks vs. a whole bunch of different vendor's ones doing different checks in different ways at different times.
Agree. An updater that wouldn't involve pop up dialog boxes interupting my work or having to opt out again and again of the updater messing with my browser (I am looking at you Java and Skype!).
Something like that for iOS would be nice too. Less intrusive update reminders and not having to go through all of the nagging for apple services everytime Apple pushes a security patch!
No, they work as-is most of the time. You just have to make sure you're not writing to your install folder or try to install services or something like that. The use of UWP APIs instead of/along classic desktop APIs is completely optional (and most of them are supported out of the box even without the bridge, the exception being the APIs that require app identity, like Tiles or supporting a Share Target contract, at least not in a easy way)
They already do it for graphics drivers and so on. Linux does it of course.
But then I guess the problem is Microsoft would need to check everything in case users started blaming Microsoft for "sending them a virus through Windows Update" when RandomDodgyApp got a bad update.