Microsoft Windows is far and away the most popular operating system in the world. It was the first mainstream desktop operating system and with Microsoft as strong as it now is, there's no end of the Windows factory line in sight.
By appealing to an international market, Microsoft is constantly seeking to come up with solid new functionality for its flagship product, without detracting from the ability to ship that product to a diverse audience that covers you, me and a whole range of different consumer needs.
Windows is not foolproof. Despite extensive testing before release, there will always be bugs picked up that require fixing. Such is the nature of an evolving digital age where online technology is becoming just as sophisticated as the operating system, Windows is constantly having to adapt and provide new solutions.
The Microsoft Updates website is a haven for keeping your Windows in the best possible working order. Say you were to purchase Windows XP in 2003 and still be using it now in 2008, thats five years where technology has advanced incredibly and new security threats have been exposed. How does the original XP 2003 customer stay safe without purchasing Vista? Downloading updates is the answer! Windows updates are free of charge and released almost daily. You can specifically ask Microsoft to inform you of pending updates and keep your PC updated every time you start up - but as many people will confirm, the updating process can become tedious when you really want to be cracking on with your work.
The most important Windows updates are where security is concerned. Viruses are constantly being designed to attack loopholes in the Windows framework. Plugging the gaps in that framework is a business that Microsoft hires an entire team to perform on a day to day basis. Their work is available for free from the Microsoft Updates website where you can grab the latest fixes hot off the press as and when they are released.
Of course, it's a constant shift in power between the security guys and the hackers who are trying to get the better of them. But if you don't bother to install Windows Updates, you're putting yourself at a highlighted risk.
Microsoft is also known to periodically release Service Packs which bundle all known fixes with improvements to the actual functionality of Windows. These service packs are quite large to download, but are also free and can make quite a big impact on your experience with the PC. You'll also find that many software apps for Windows XP now requite Service Pack 2 to be installed at the very least. This is necessary due to the change on coding structure and essential Windows library files.
Just visit the Microsoft website to get the latest Service Pack, but be aware that you will need a valid licensed version of Windows to download anything from the Microsoft site. Yes, they DO check before you download and you'll be prevented from downloading if the version of Windows is found to be illegitimate!
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