In the day and age of WannaCry and Petya taking down major companies and government utilities, one would have thought no-one needed to be convinced about the importance of timely patching of Windows PCs, from Windows XP all the way up to Windows 10.
That is, of course, unless you are a columnist for a well-regarded PC magazine, in which case you would recommend computer savvy users switch off automatic updates, since “Microsoft has had a tough time with patches this year.”
Woody remarks on bugs and pulled patches in recent months, urging Windows users to not “join the legions of unpaid patch beta testers.”
Woody automatically count any ComputerWorld reader as savvy enough to know when to patch, saying “advanced Windows users don’t let Microsoft’s poorly tested patches onto their machines until the initial screams of pain have subsided.”
It as exactly this attitude which crippled part of the NHS in the UK a mere 3 months ago, placing lives at risk, and Woody’s recommendation placing him at odds with most security experts, making it hard to believe his article is not a work of parody and humor.
Yes, sometimes Windows patches go wrong, and at worst it can cause some loss of productivity. Unlike malware, however, they are not specifically designed to cause you harm, making Woody’s advice on par with the anti-vaxxer movement, and better suited to be posted in the National Enquirer than a well-respected publication, which is hopefully Woody’s next destination.
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