Geek thread: Microsoft takes down Autopatcher

[scracha]

One of the few genuinely bloody useful tools is being taken down by Micro$haft. Gah...this defies logic.

http://www.petitiononline.com/SW1SAP1/petition.html

[The Pastor]

WHATS Autopatcher? i WOULD ASSUME IT AUTOMATICLY PATCHES SOMTHING?


EDIT: I READ IT PTACHES WINDOWS FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT INTERNET (I.E., A FRESH INSTALL OR REINSTALL) SO WHAT YOU HAVE THE NET DOWNLOAD THE PATCHES THEN RE INSTALL WINDOWS AND IT PATCHES THEM AUTOMATICLY? NOW WINDOWS BOUGHT / SHUT IT DOWN WON'T THAT BE A FEATURE OF WINDOWS?

[saul]

One of the few genuinely bloody useful tools is being taken down by Micro$haft. Gah...this defies logic.

http://www.petitiononline.com/SW1SAP1/petition.html

Oh o

[karmakillernz]

I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did to be honest. It was a fantastic tool, perfect for patching a freshly installed box without spending hours and hours on Windows Update.

There are two reasons that I can think of for Microsoft wanting it gone:

1. It was the only way for pirated or unverified copies of Windows to get patches
2. It can be used in place of Microsoft's "Windows Software Update Services". This is a tool that can automatically distribute patches to all computers on a network. Of course, it requires Windows Server to operate which isn't cheap and any tool that helps you avoid a Windows Server license is an enemy to Microsoft.

Either way, it hurts Microsoft's bottom line which is why I'm surprised it lasted so long.

Oh well, it just makes me happier that I develop and work completely with open source products.

[scracha]

[*]It was the only way for pirated or unverified copies of Windows to get patches

Fak, I could name about 5 other ways. Micro$haft still give non-genuine/pirated copies the critial updates anyway. The rumour is that the developers are working on modifications that rely on WGA to keep Micro$haft happy.

[scracha]

WHATS Autopatcher? i WOULD ASSUME IT AUTOMATICLY PATCHES SOMTHING?

Basically useful after reinstalling a #@$cked up Windoze installation. The poor sods on dial-up have to download about 200MB of patches (add another 270MB for Serivce Pack 2 if they're got an earlier Windows CD) and reboot numerous times. Autopatcher is basically a rollup of all these patches & extra utils with a few other security and tweaks that can be installed without further user intervention or reboots (ok, there's one at the end).

The Vista patches are already starting to mount up.

AUTOMATICLY? NOW WINDOWS BOUGHT / SHUT IT DOWN WON'T THAT BE A FEATURE OF WINDOWS?

Well there's strong indications that XP Service Pack 3 is on the cards soon. The @#$stards could have waited until that came out before shutting down Autopatcher though.