Questions arise as to why Windows Vista and Windows 7 have renamed the "Add and Remove Programs" to "Programs and Features", alongside "Windows Updates".
It is possible that Microsoft is planning to release a software center that will be able to find updates for all your programs that are deemed safe by Microsoft, right inside Windows Update. This type of software already exists in programs like FileHippo.com"s Update Checker that scans installed programs on your machine, and compares the updated version on FileHippo.com.
A recent survey was offered to Windows 7 Beta participants, asking them various questions regarding software updates installed on your PC, from a rating of 1 to 9, for how important each of the following items are to users:
- The ability to install a program on my PC.
- The ability to find the program I want to use on my PC.
- The ability to have all programs on my PC up-to-date.
- The ability for me to update specific programs on my PC at a time that is convenient for me.
- The ability to set the schedule for updating programs on my PC.
- The ability to block a program from being installed on my PC when the program publisher cannot be verified.
It seems Microsoft is once again turning to consumers for input on how to improve their operating system. The feature to update software on your PC using a single program, authorized by Microsoft seems long overdue. If Microsoft is secretly working on a software update service for Windows, we could possibly see it in Windows 7 SP1 or later.