Microsoft has adopted a standardized naming schema for all hotfix packages (patches or updates) for Windows that are created and distributed by Microsoft. The new naming schema goes in effect in April 2003 for all update packages.
A Windows hotfix is an executable (.exe) file that contains one or more system files that you can apply to Windows to correct a specific problem. Hotfixes are distributed by Microsoft Product Support Services (PSS) to customers whose computers are severely affected by a specific problem. Critical and recommended updates are hotfixes that Microsoft recommends for all customers. Critical or recommended updates can be obtained from the Windows Update site, the Microsoft Download Center, or from other Microsoft Web sites.
The reasons Microsoft have given for doing so are :
- It creates consistency across Microsoft hotfix packages.
- It makes it easier to search for hotfix packages and Knowledge Base articles.
- It clearly identifies the language of a hotfix package and the intended operating system, when applicable.