[SUGGESTION] Automatic update check

[memodude]

My idea is to have an available command line parameter, such as:

spyblast --update

that would update to the latest definitions. Specifying:

spyblast --updateandprotect

would have the effect of updating, clicking Select All, and then Protect Against Checked Items. This could be used on bootup to make sure you have the freshest definitions all the time, or in a corporate logon script for the same effect. ;D :D :)

[LowWaterMark]

Hi memodude,

Javacool recently answered a similar question regarding automatic updates here:

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=13202;start=msg84729#msg84729

Currently there is no plan for an automatic update feature because of the download bandwidth costs involved. (You see, automated updates that are polling all the time on tens of thousands of systems would use up a lot of bandwidth. :-\ )

But, let's stand-by and see what Javacool has planned in this area as things develop.

Best Wishes,
LowWaterMark

[Gaz]

How about that it asks you if you would like to update every month, what could happen is that it tries every month and if no new updates are detected does not display, however if there is updates:


A message Like so:


********New Definitions are avaliable*********
Would you like to update spyware blaster now?

Yes/No?

*****************************************

Appears!

[Gaz]

Or how about?

If a one click update and protect was avaliable?

Even better...

How about a file on your server that had a sort of version file, and uor software query's it to see if the user has the latest database, this would use less bandwidth, as no one is downloading anything.

It could be a csv file even, that your software asks what is the latest version?

csv has in its database a later version than the one currently installed, then asks the user would he like to install the latest version?

[memodude]

Actually, it wouldn't be necessary to download it all the time, just get the update list file.

But, even better, you can use whats called an etag and available on most all servers. You read the ETag HTTP response header of the update info file and save it in the registry or something. Then, each time it checks, it adds the "last-check-date" (I know thats wrong for sure, something like that, google "etag") HTTP request header. If the request fails, you know nothings new. If it works, you update the registry etag and update.

ETags are essentially a hash of the file.

[BWMerlin]

I like the update and auto protection option as this would involve less clicking which the 1 click update did. Or maybe update, protect then close the programe.

[Gaz]

{QUOTE-> quoting: BWMerlin link=board=34;threadid=13838;start=0#msg89413 date=1064298018]
I like the update and auto protection option as this would involve less clicking which the 1 click update did. Or maybe update, protect then close the programe.
<-QUOTE}

Not only that, it would be simpler for first time users!

[memodude]

3/4 of you didn't read either my top post, or at least my second post. ETags are cool!

[memodude]

{QUOTE-> quoting: Gaz link=board=34;threadid=13838;start=0#msg88374 date=1063835822]
How about a file on your server that had a sort of version file, and uor software query's it to see if the user has the latest database, this would use less bandwidth, as no one is downloading anything.
<-QUOTE}

Thats exactly what it would do! I don't understand why these people bring up "bandwidth issues" for downloading a 1 KB text file from a server?

[Aaron]

How about an option to update systems to a local repository. Ie. we periodically download the updates and post them on our own internal intranet server from which the clients update themselves. This wouldn't take any of your bandwidth and would let use use your product in our corporate environment. I cannot even get management to consider the product unless it has a hands off update feature.... Would be good to support HTTP and UNC paths for updates.

;D