Another important and largely overlooked issue related to security and performance of your computer involves keeping the installed software updated. Contrary to popular belief, most of the free software is also constantly being developed and software version updates are available every now and then. So how do you keep track when a newer version for one of your installed software is available? Well you can manually keep checking sites like FileHippo, Softpedia, Download.com or you can use a tool like Techtracker.

Techtracker does all the heavy lifting for you when it comes to making sure the installed software is up to date. CNET requires you to register before you can download Techtracker, which is a bit annoying but comes in handy later in the form of software version update alerts and reports.

Once installed, Techtracker will scan your computer for installed software, check the version you have installed on your computer and the latest version that is available. In about a minute or two you can view the findings. It will list the software version updates that are available. Clicking on any one of them will take you to a detailed report of the scan.

The report lists all the software that Techtracker is tracking. The ones that need updating are displayed towards the top of the list. It lists the version you have installed on your computer and the latest version that is available. You can also find the download link for the latest version. Keep in mind that the download link would be to the latest version, if you are looking for a specific version you might have to hunt around.

The more info links display useful information like ratings, downloads and the file size. You can also customize the alert preferences from this page. By default the alerts are off. You can turn on alerts for all software which means that you will get an email when a newer version of any of your installed software is available, or you can turn off alerts on selected software that you want to be excluded from this feature.

What if you have more than one computer? Does Techtracker support multiple computers? Short answer: NO, Long answer: by the looks of it, they might support multiple computers in the future with a Techtracker pro application and some bucks (hmm..). Right now you would have to uninstall Techtracker from your computer, unlink the computer from your CNET account and then install Techtracker on the second computer.

Phew! That is some work, creating another account seems easier. How do you keep your computer software versions updated? We would love to hear about it in the comments.

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• How To Save & Share Software Updates on Mac (9)
• FileHippo Update Checker Keeps Your PC Software Updated (23)
• Securing Third Party Software With Secunia PSI (7)
• Manage Application Updates With The ‘Google Updater’ Service [Windows] (3)
• How to Stop Annoying “Restart” Prompt after Windows Updates (14)

Surely updating all of your applications manually one by one is not an option. The process should be done as automatically as it can. That’s what computer and technology is all about, right?

Mac OS X comes with its own software update application, but it is limited only to its native applications. That leaves the 3rd-party applications on the stone-age manual-updating world. There are applications that has automatic update features but you still have to open the application to activate it. So much for an automation, huh?

There are several alternatives for Windows; while for Mac there’s AppFresh, the app that will help Mac users to keep all installed applications, widgets, preference panes and application plugins always up to date.

How to keep the rest fresh

The idea behind this app is to provide an easy to use central place – which is fully integrated with Mac OS X – to update all of the 3rd party apps. No more “always updating just before using” thing (or worst: “go online and find the updates yourself”). AppFresh will keep your apps in the latest top notch condition and have them ready to use everytime you open them.

To ensure the “freshness” of its performance, AppFresh integrates the most popular and most common update checking technologies into itself such as Apple Software Update, Sparkle, Microsoft AutoUpdate, Adobe Updater, OSX.IUseThis and more.

However, as with every other beta version application out there, please note that there might be glitches with this one also. So, it’s better to backup than be sorry.

Freshen Up the List

After downloading and unarchiving the 1.4 Mb small zip file, you can directly put AppFresh to use.

The first window that you’ll see upon using the app for the first time is the warning window telling the users that the preview 8 version of the app is still under development process and that the users should always do backup.

There’s also an optional offer to integrate AppFresh with the IUseThis service.

Then AppFresh will scan your system for all of the installed apps,

followed by the process of finding updates to all of those apps.

The result will be listed and grouped into several main categories: Status (Updated, Unknown, Update Available), Type (Applications, Plugins, Widgets, PrefPanes), Vendors (Apple, Third Party), and My Categories (which you can customize to fit your needs).

Here’s the scan result from my Mac: There are 391 applications inside my system (I know there are many, but I’ve never guessed there were that many).  117 of them are updated while the other 109 can be updated with the available newer version. The status of the remaining 165 are unknown.

Select one of the apps and you will get some information about it on the right pane. Right click on the app and you will have several choices of action from the pop-up menu. To update the app, choose “Install”.

You can also update many apps all at once by selecting several (or all) apps on the list, right click and choose Install.

After the updating process is finished, a Growl notification will pop up.

I also found another useful usage of AppFresh: to delete apps. From the list of installed apps populated by AppFresh, I found many apps that I’ve never used and totally forgotten about. So I just right click on them and choose “Send To Trash”. Spring cleaning comes early this year .

Have you tried AppFresh to update your mac software? Do you know other alternatives? Share your thoughts and opinions using the comments below.

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• Manage Application Updates With The ‘Google Updater’ Service [Windows] (3)
• How to Stop Annoying “Restart” Prompt after Windows Updates (14)
• How To Save & Share Software Updates on Mac (9)
• Find Newer Versions Of Installed Software with Techtracker (22)
• FileHippo Update Checker Keeps Your PC Software Updated (23)

Google Updater is a part of the Google Pack (Google’s own apps and a few third party tools like Firefox, Norton Security Scan etc.). Google Updater is the small itsy bitsy “installer” that downloads and installs the software. But its brevity goes beyond that as it also monitors the apps for updates and manages their run. In short, it’s a meta-installer and auto-updater.

The two hitches …

Being a package management app also means that Google Updater continues to run behind the scenes though in the new version it is controlled by the Windows Task Manager to run once every hour. You can see it running in the background by doing a Ctrl + Alt + Del and going down the Task Manager entries. Some users feel that apps should give the option of self-timed updates rather than the auto-updater butting in. (It is especially annoying when the firewall catches it while auto-updating). Also, a separate service running in the computer (and consuming resources) for update checking is the exception rather than the rule.

Then according to Google,

When Google Update communicates with Google servers, it sends IDs of Google Update-managed applications on your computer and general usage information for these applications. Google Update also uses its own, randomly-generated unique ID number to accurately count total users. This information includes version numbers, languages, operating system, and other install or update-related details, such as whether or not the applications have been run. This information is not associated with you or your Google Account. Additional information may be sent if you choose to send your usage statistics for Google Chrome.

It is this point where a lot of brow wrinkling has come about. Though the information is sent using random IDs, any user might feel a bit ill at ease with his usage information being uploaded however benign the intention. While Google has tried to ease the issues by open sourcing the Google Updater code (the Omaha project), a lot of us will still have a go at blocking it.

The 2 ways to disable Google Updater

A. Remove from startup

1. Click on Start – Run. Type in msconfig in the Open field and click OK.
2. The System Configuration Utility opens up. Select the Startup tab. Go down to the GoogleUpdate startup item and deselect it.
3. Restart the computer.

B. Stop the Google Update service from running

1. Click on Start – Run. Type in services.msc in the Open field and click OK.
2. In Services, scroll down to GoogleUpdate Service. Double click on it to open the Properties box (or right click and select Properties).  The Startup Type drop-down lists three options – select Disabled.
3. Click on Apply and OK.

The 2 ways to manage Google Updater

Manage Updates using the Task Scheduler

Spurred by the concerns of an automatic updater as a background process, Google now has added the option – Let me check for updates myself under the Preferences tab. Also, the Updater runs only periodically as per the Windows Task Scheduler.

To run the task scheduler, click Start – All Programs – Accessories – System Tools – Scheduled Tasks.

The default interval for Updates is to connect to Google’s servers once an hour. It will stop running after it checks for updates. You can change the schedule double clicking on the Google Software Updater and setting a new time in the Schedule Tab.

But as Google says, if the Updater or the Task scheduler is seen to be not working properly then Google Update resumes its automatic behavior. I am also not sure whether a new install of a Google app affect the user set update time.

The Google Updater can also be configured to update either all software in the Google Pack or only software developed by Google. And if you no longer use any Google apps, it uninstalls itself.

Manage Updates using the Group Policy Editor

In mid-May, Google explained how the Google Update could be customized (set update periods or disable it) for enterprise users using the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) using an imported administrative template. Power users can check out the detailed instructions given in the help.

Most software these days feature automatic updates. The need to keep applications updated is vital to plug malware attacks and remove bugs. But many users voice that there is no need to check for updates so frequently. If your voice is one of them then these methods would help in ‘caging the little beast’.

Do you agree with the concerns or do you feel that automatic updates are the way to go? Let us know in the comments.

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• Share & Centralize Your Health Information With Google Health (7)
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I’m sure you’ve had to deal with this; It pops up every ten minutes after a major system update. Fortunately, it can be turned off. I’m going to help you to create a shortcut that will turn this nag off when double-clicked.

So, how to stop automatic updates from restarting your PC

Step 1

Your first step is to open Notepad. (Start > Run > “Notepad” > OK)

In Notepad, just type the command “net stop wuauserv” (no quotes, as in above). Then close the window, and select “Yes” to save changes.

Step 2

What we’re doing is creating an executable batch file which will run a command when double-clicked, to stop the Windows Automatic Updates Service. Make sure that your “Save as type” is set to “All Files” so that you don’t accidently create a text file. Save your file with an extension of “.bat”

Step 3

This cute little batch file is what you’re left with.

When Windows starts nagging you to restart, just double click this to run it and stop the service. You won’t be bothered again. The service will restart when you reboot, which is needed to install the updates in the first place.

Is there anything that Windows does that annoys you? Maybe we can find a fix for it. Are yu awrae of any easier way to stop automatic updates from restarting your Windows. Please give us some ideas in the comments.

Think it’s time to update your PC? Varun will teach you 5 Ways To Update Your Windows Operating System.

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• 7 Ways to keep on top of your Software Updates (10)
• Securing Third Party Software With Secunia PSI (7)
• Manage Application Updates With The ‘Google Updater’ Service [Windows] (3)
• Keep your Windows Up To Date with UpdateStar (17)
• How To Speed Up The Shutdown Of Your Windows (14)

Keeping up with the constant updates is an art in itself. Not everybody has the time nor the willingness to do that. That’s why most modern software and operating systems have the automatic-updates feature built in.

Mac OS X is no exception.

Software Update Settings

Mac OS X uses an application called Software Update to help keep users up to date with all Apple-related updates. This app is located in the Apple Menu.

By default, Software Update will regularly check the updates in the background. But the settings can be changed via System Preferences –> Software Updates

After the Software Updates Preferences window opens, choose the “Scheduled Check” tab.

Users can also check all the updates that have been installed in the past from the “Installed Updates” tab.

Everything is set to run automatically, from checking to the installing. With user’s permission, Software Updates will acquire the files, install them, and get out of the sight. But the minimal user participation might not fit everyone’s preference.

The Missing Updates

From my low-speed internet connection point of view, most of the updates downloaded from Apple are enormously huge. Some files could go above a hundred megabytes. The thought of having to re-downloading them again gives me major goosebumps.

But it seems that after the installation process, all the downloaded files are nowhere to be found. It means that under this condition, if a person who owns (or manages) several Macs wants update OS X, he/she has to download all of the updates in each and every machine. Wow.

Editor’s note: You may also find some software update packages in /Library/Receipts/

I’m sure that there are a lot of Mac users who would like to backup the updates to be reused later – or to be installed on other machine(s) – but don’t know how.

There’s an easy way to do just that.

Saving the Updates

In the updating process, right after the Software Update window has opened, do not click the “Install X Item(s)” below. Instead, click on the Update menu and choose “Download Only”. Then, continue with the updating process.

After the download is done, you can choose to install the update packages or just close the Software Update window.

Either way, the downloaded packages are stored in the Download folder.

Using this method, me and my fellow Mac users with crawling internet connections could collect and share updates. We can save time, bandwidth, and money; while strengthening the bonds among members of the community.

As always, share your thoughts, opinions and experiences in the comment below. And don’t forget to check out other MakeUseOf articles about software updates.

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• Find Newer Versions Of Installed Software with Techtracker (22)
• FileHippo Update Checker Keeps Your PC Software Updated (23)
• Securing Third Party Software With Secunia PSI (7)
• Manage Application Updates With The ‘Google Updater’ Service [Windows] (3)
• How to Stop Annoying “Restart” Prompt after Windows Updates (14)

Keeping all of your software up to date is essential for several reasons. Updates typically address security, compatibility or internal issues; as Karl has pointed out. So it’s in your best interest to keep all your software in top shape. However, if you are a download junkie and you have over 100 programs installed, that’s a tedious task. Fortunately, there are tools available that will make your job so much easier.

SUMo, which stands for Software Updates Monitor, is such a tool. It’s small, lightweight and fast. You can run SUMo to automatically detect installed software and check for updates or patches.

There are five quick steps to secure a top notch system when it comes to software updates:

1. Schedule SUMo

To benefit from SUMo, you must make sure that you will actually use it. Hence, schedule the program to pop up in regular intervals, say once a week.

Tim recently explained how to Run Programs Automatically Using Windows Task Scheduler.

Pick a time when you will likely have the time and patience for this task, and don’t forget to test whether your scheduled task works properly.

2. Scan Your System With SUMo

When SUMo pops up for the first time, hit the Scan button, so that SUMo can detect installed software. On my system, it recognized 130+ products within 5 seconds. You can re-scan anytime, but SUMo will remember previous scans and will load that list the next time you use it.

3. Check Software with SUMo

Now, hit the Check button and come back in 3 to 5 minutes to see which software requires your attention. In my case, SUMo reported a baffling 60+ available updates. I’ve clearly been slacking off on software updates…

A green checkmark is a good sign indicating that the software is up to date. A yellow star means a minor update is available. You definitely have to act on the warning triangle for major updates.

4. Get Updates

You can sort the results by Update, mark all programs you would like to update and hit the Get Update button. For each piece of software, SUMo will open a website that breaks down all recent updates from the latest available down to your version or even older ones, including percentages of how many people use these versions.

Beta releases are marked and most popular installs are highlighted in green. This information will eventually help you make a final decision whether you really need this update.

5. Find and Download Updates

Yes, you still have to manually download and install the updates yourself. But it’s fast and painless. Use one of the suggested file hosts or search Google. For standard software like Skype, you should instantly find the relevant update and in a jiffy and you no longer have to worry about bugs or security holes.

If done regularly, the amount of software that turns up with major updates will remain low and easily manageable. It’s only tough the first time you do it — that’s if you’ve been as lazy as me and that’s an accomplishment. 

Are you a responsible and thorough software updater or could you care less? What is your strategy? Let me know in the comments.

Image credits: iprole

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• 3 Software Updaters to Keep Your Programs Up To Date [Win] (7)
• Securing Third Party Software With Secunia PSI (7)
• Poll Results: The Best Software and Shortcuts According to You! (8)
• How To Save & Share Software Updates on Mac (9)
• Find Newer Versions Of Installed Software with Techtracker (22)

First, RadarSync scans your Windows system for programs which may need updating. It did not take long, even on a large, installation-heavy system like mine. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of programs the scanner recognized, including system drivers.  Once the scan results appeared, I had the opportunity to select which updates to download. Alternately, I had the option to save the list as a software “pack” using RadarSync’s Packzoola service, which is free, for later use. Think of Packzoola packs as custom playlists for software which can be shared. You may view my example pack here.

With two clicks, you can download the installer files for all of your updates. RadarSync states that these updates come directly from the programs’ official servers. The installers are stored in a folder under My Documents, and can be launched or deleted from RadarSync’s interface.

You even will get a pop-up notice when the installer is available and will be prompted to create a System Restore point. By default, the installers are deleted after 30 days, which can be changed. For the security-conscious, RadarSync has a privacy policy.

RadarSync makes for a quick and easy way to update Windows programs and system files. You may download it here. It’s compatible with Windows XP and Vista on both 32 & 64-bit platforms.

For variety, here are five more ways to update Windows.

How do you go about updating every piece of application on your computer? Feel free to leave us comments.

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• Manage Application Updates With The ‘Google Updater’ Service [Windows] (3)
• How to Stop Annoying “Restart” Prompt after Windows Updates (14)
• How To Save & Share Software Updates on Mac (9)
• How To Automatically Update 3′rd Party Apps on Your Mac (5)
• Find Newer Versions Of Installed Software with Techtracker (22)

What do you mean you don’t know?

Hmmm….maybe you didn’t know that older versions of software are potential security risks? A lot of the time software is updated exclusively to plug a hole or stop a certain exploit. So by running older outdated software releases you might be doing more damage than you know! Thus make sure to keep your software up to date.

Luckily your friendly neighborhood admin has found a little 153KB application that will use FileHippo’s wonderful software update checker to go out and find the latest and greatest version information for each installed app. It then compares it to what is on your system giving you a list with clickable links to download the updated software.

I browsed on over to here and clicked on the following link:

Update Checker v1.030 FHSetup.exe (153kb) Download now Note: If you wish to download the standalone version without an installer then click here.

I installed it and ran it. It took all of 3 minutes for it to install and run to completion. I didn’t check or change any options and this was what I got back:

And that’s not all – it shows us BETA updates as well:

Wow who would have thought it? I am out of date on a bunch of applications! Shame on me! But as you can see those nifty green arrows on the right of each program will allow you to DIRECTLY download the installable exe file to update your software. Below is a shot of what popped up on my screen when I clicked the green down arrow next to VLC Media Player 0.9.8.a

That’s right – no hunting for software or the right version! FileHippo does it for you!

I have been using their website for a while now to find version information or track down an older version of something.

This is PC only and works on the following setups:

The Update Checker works on any Windows PC running Vista, XP, 2003, 2000, ME or 98.
It requires that the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 is installed, which you may download directly from here, or the installer will prompt and download it automatically.

Most importantly FileHippo has a privacy policy that states clearly that they will not send ANY of your personal info back to their servers. It seems like they make money from Adsense advertisements on their page.

Here is their privacy policy for those of you that are interested:

The Update Checker will not send any personal information back to FileHippo.com. The only information collected is a list of programs and their versions, along with the operating system details to help with processing. Additionally none of this is linked to your IP address and the logs are deleted after processing.

The settings are pretty limited but they give you the option to run this app on startup and specify other directories to look for installed applications (My Program Files is used by default)

How do you keep your Windows Program files updated? Share your methods with our readers in the comments!

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• How To Save & Share Software Updates on Mac (9)
• Find Newer Versions Of Installed Software with Techtracker (22)
• Securing Third Party Software With Secunia PSI (7)
• Manage Application Updates With The ‘Google Updater’ Service [Windows] (3)
• How to Stop Annoying “Restart” Prompt after Windows Updates (14)

For people who are not familiar with apt-get, it’s basically a tool that allows you to download and install (or upgrade) software from a central location in one simple step. You dont have to go to the actual download location, save the file on your computer and then click on it to install. All of this happens in the background with the help of a database of all the available applications and their latest versions.

QWinApt

Download the zip package and extract it. No installation is required. Since most Windows users will not have “wget”, you may also want to download wget and extract and place it in a directory that is in your path variable. If you already have wget set up you can skip this part.

When you run QWinApt for the first time it will need some configuration. The dialog box that appears is not very informative.  However you need to put in the directory where you want to store the downloaded files.

QWinApt will then download a list of all the applications that are available. The list is stored in a xml file in the config directory under the directory where you extracted the application. So if anything goes wrong you can just start all over again by deleting these files.

Once configured you will get a window like the following:

You can then browse for software by category and by their type as well. You can choose to view free software, green software and shareware. Click on the app you like and then download it.

Since Windows installations works different to unix software installations, you will have to run the installer manually. QWinApt however makes it easier to do so by providing you with a context menu to get to the executable of running it from within the application.

Although it may not be quite there yet (requires some manual intervention) , however it still serves as a central tool where you can look for software, download and install them. If you are interested in some advanced stuff or don’t find your favorite application listed there, you can create your own repository. All you have to do is edit the “appinfodb xml” file under the config directory. The author also offers a tool to make this easier for you.

AppUpdater

Appupdater is another similar program. Although it has a smaller application database, the design looks more professional. Appupdater also uses metalink and previously mentioned download tool aria2c in the background.

First off, fire up Appupdater and run a scan. This will scan your harddrive for installed software that is also on the appupdater list, so that you can be notified of the updates available.

Now you can upgrade to the latest version of the software that you have installed on your system and which are also on the appupdater list by clicking on “Download all updates”.

You can install new applications from within Appupdater. If you find the application list is limited, you can request a new application to be added to the database here.

Appupdater can also be accessed and used from the command line. Run appudater –upgrade for upgrading all software or appudater –install=<app name> to install the application and appupdater –list to view a list of all applications

Appupdater checks for updates to the installed software every night at 2 am. You can customize this and other settings under Tools > Options.

InstallPad

InstallPad is a simple application that lists common software that you can check and install as desired. The list is limited to about 10 applications.  However you can create your own and use them to silently install and update application.

You can choose a directory to store the downloaded files (from preferences). Further customizations are possible by editing the applist.xml file in the Installpad directory to add new applications and to change settings like silent install and maximum number of simultaneous downloads.

AppSnap, Update Star and 5 other ways

Check out previously mentioned ways to stay up to date with the latest software. Some of them are tools, some are feeds to let you know when your favourite software gets updated.

Have you used any of these applications? Which one do you prefer over the other?

As a side note why not tell us about say 5 applications that you can’t live without, applications you would always like to have installed on a freshly installed system and kept up to date using one of the tools from above.

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• 5 Quick Steps to Manage Software Updates with SUMo (11)
• Securing Third Party Software With Secunia PSI (7)
• Poll Results: The Best Software and Shortcuts According to You! (8)
• How To Save & Share Software Updates on Mac (9)
• Find Newer Versions Of Installed Software with Techtracker (22)

Here are 5 ways you can use to update your Windows operating system.

However you will ask “why not do it the usual way I’ve been doing it in the past?”

The answer is that these alternative ways are specially useful for:

(1) Users that format their hard disks or reinstall Windows frequently.

(2) System builders or network administrators seeking to quickly install all updates to multiple Windows PC’s.

(3) Security conscious users who do not wish to expose their computer to the internet.

(4) Users with a slow connection to the internet who want to avoid slow download times by using a faster connection on another computer to download Project Dakota, and burn it to a CD, DVD or flash drive.

(5) Users with a small internet usage cap who don’t want to use it all on updates.

(6) Users who want a faster way to update Windows without having to connect to the internet to download updates.

So here they are:

1. Autopatcher:

AutoPatcher provides a large collection of updates, common applications and registry tweaks, that can be easily and quickly applied to your computer system with minimum user interaction. What you do is simply download a file, run it and choose the updates, application, tweaks you want to install/apply. Then off you go and have a stroll – that’s pretty much the amount of interaction you have to put in. Nifty! Its available for Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista and Office.

2. Project Dakota:

Project Dakota is a similar project that allows you to get Windows Updates once and then apply and reapply them any number of times with a minimum of interaction.

Available for Windows XP only, it lets you download an ISO file, burn and use it anyway you like. New versions of the Project Dakota ISO are released each month.

Keep in mind your copy of Windows would have to pass the WGA check for the Project Dakota Download to be available. (There are of course workarounds to this, just in case!)

3. Offline Update:

Using the c’t offline updater you can update files offline just like the above two methods. The process however is slightly different. In this case you first download an approx 1MB file and then choose the various options and click Start. This will download files according to the attributes you checked.

c’t Project supports a large number of languages and Service Packs. It’s pretty much the only option if you want to venture into updates for non-English versions.

It supports Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, windows Server 2003, 64-bit editions of XP and Server 2003, Windows Vista, Office 2000, Office XP, Office 2003 and Office 2007.

4. Windows Update Downloader

Windows Update Downloader (or WUD) allows you to download all of the current Windows Updates using a simple interface. To download the updates you would have to add what are called Update Lists. Update lists are available from the site and you can choose the update list for the Operating System/ Software you want to update.

Using those update lists you can then download the updates for the particular OS / Software. It also has a built-in option to use proxy and authentication.

5. The Good Old Way!

Well I’m not so sure about the ‘good’ but yes it’s the traditional and trusted (by many) way of updating Windows. So what if it involves a number of restarts, so what if you have to do it all over again after a re-install, so what if you have to do it separately for all computers? So what if you get errors? Hey it works fine sometimes!

You decide and tell us which one suits you and which ones you use? Or do you prefer not updating Windows for some reason? (I know many who don’t!)

(By) Varun Kashyap – Programmer, Blogger and Tech enthusiast, who likes to maintain and keep his system working nice! He blogs about tips, tricks, tutorials, latest on the web on his TechCrazy Blog

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Thankfully, the days of manual software updates may very well be over thanks to efforts by a security firm called Secunia. Secunia has developed a great piece of software for Windows users called the Personal Software Inspector (PSI). They also offer the Network Software Inspector (NSI) for commercial users.

PSI is a free software application that indexes your currently installed programs and applications and checks for known vulnerabilities. So how is this helpful? Well, Windows Updates will check for applicable updates for your operating system, furthermore Microsoft Updates will update all of your Microsoft products. That leaves all of your other software up to you to keep track of security issues and vulnerabilities. If you’re like me, this is a lot of software and it’s not fun to keep track of. This is where PSI comes in.

This piece of software, by default, runs in the background to constantly monitor new applications and new updates. It is very light in system resources for what it does and you can turn off the background process. When you run the application, you are greeted with a friendly interface that updates you on the status of your system with charts that detail the total amount of programs you have installed, how many are insecure, how many are patched, and how many are no longer supported, or “end-of-life”. Tabs are provided to separate the insecure programs from the end-of-life and patched, or secure programs. The program gives you direct access to downloads, details about the program, and an option to re-scan the program in the event you fixed it yourself.

With the help of this program, anti-malware programs, Windows Updates, and safe practices you should be one step closer to an all around safer and better computing experience.

(By) Nick Volpe is a freelance blogger and web guru from techNETWORK.US, a provider of tech news, open source software, web development tools, useful tips, as well as podcasts, tech videos, and much more.

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If you don’t know this by now, you should learn this immediately, keep your software up to date. Here are 5 methods to aid this task.

1. UpdateStar (Win)- Still in Beta, but highly functional, downloadable software that scans your computer, including your "Add or Remove Programs" area for all installed software. Not only does UpdateStar analyze all of the installed programs on your windows system, it also displays all available updates for the product. The information regarding the software and the information is very thorough. The only draw backs are that they "recommend" programs (that cost money) that they think "you would be interested in".

2. AppSnap (Win)- Gaining recent popularity with it’s latest update, AppSnap is configurable program that scans your computer for all installed applications. Appsnap then guides you through the software that needs updating (incl. size and version #). You can download and install several updates in just a few clicks. Only criticisms are that the database is not as large.

3. AppUpdate (Mac) – AppUpdate is a free Mac Dashboard Widget that combines Apple’s Software Directory, MacUpdate and Version Tracker. "It will present you with a tidy link list of all the updates found, enabling you to read release-notes and download the the updates quickly and painlessly."

4. Individual Feeds – Many software products, especially open source, will have their own feed/news section to subscribe to. This is always the best way to keep on top of your software without having to download any program to tell you what you need to download. In addition, the feeds usually offer explanations and the reason behind each new release.

5. Sourceforge Feed – Sourceforge feeds are a great way to keep on top of individual software projects/programs, and to learn about new software. Especially Open Source software, my favorite kind.

6. Filehippo Feed – Same as Sourceforge, but it is not limited to just open source software. Filehippo includes open source, freeware, shareware and commercial software. Once again, another great way to learn about other programs and software.

7. Version Tracker (Mac or Win) – Version Tracker tarcks updates for thousands of software products (Note: many programs are shareware (free trial) or commercial). Similarly to abov, you can subscribe to their feed and monitor updates for relevant programs. Version Tracker is very comprehensive, I’ve learned about some great programs through their feed.

Something I missed? Let us know in comments …

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