The Whys and Whats of Updates

I have mentioned that it is important that your computer gets updates, but I have not mentioned what updates and why they are so important.  So lets get to it.

The Why

Updates fall into four major categories:

1. Bug Fixes.  When there is a glitch in a program, device or your operating system that gets past final testing, the only way these can be fixed are through updates.
2. Security Enhancements.  As programs get more widely used, they also get more widely abused.  Security enhancements remove any known vulnerabilities in your applications.
3. Performance Improvements.  If you want things to work faster, some updates are put out to do just that.
4. New Features.  If application developers are feeling generous, they may even add new features to your programs through updates.