Developers usually release new versions of software after improving its features, GUI, removing some bugs or when security weaknesses in earlier versions were fixed. If you would like to keep the software on your computer up-to-date, you may find it difficult and time-consuming if you have many programs installed. Sometimes software will automatically check for updates (such as Adobe Reader, Mozilla's Firefox and Thunderbird, Skype, iTunes, etc.), or it will update itself (e.g. Google Chrome) but this isn't true of all software. That's where Software Update Monitors (SUMs) are useful. A (sometimes) quick scan of your computer by one of these products will reveal which software is old and needs to be updated.
So, if you would like to know which tool I recommend to keep your software updated (and which I use to keep my software updated), read on.
My favourite software update monitor is KC Softwares' Software Update Monitor Lite (SUMo) and it may be the best software update monitor for expert users. It's faster than Secunia's PSI, but slower than UDC and requires more bandwidth to check for updates than UDC. During a normal scan SUMo will search your start menu for a list of programs, while a complete scan checks your "Program Files" folder, yielding more results that may require some selective elimination. SUMo also let's you decide whether or not you want to be notified about Beta software. Another feature that you may or may not like about SUMo is the result you obtain by clicking on the "Update" link for new software. Whereas PSI and Update Checker take you directly to a download page, SUMo takes you to a webpage with usage statistics about recent versions of the program, and displays the number of users who use each version. Although that may be interesting, there is no direct link to a download page. SUMo's page gives you links to five major download sites' search pages (which sometimes do not work with the information supplied by SUMo) and a link to a Google search for the software. However, by not being restricted to a database of downloadable software, the SUMo database can support any software its users' SUMo report.
The advantage of SUMo is that it informs you of updates to software that is not limited to security updates (such as PSI) or availablity on FileHippo (UDC). It also lets you add or remove programs to the list it scans for updates by simply dragging the executable into SUMo's open window; a feature not available on any other software update monitor (UDC allows one to add folders to the search space). Unfortunately, some developers do not include version information in their binaries which makes it impossible for SUMo to detect updates for them. This is a problem for most software update monitors. Unfortunately, when SUMo performs its first thorough scan it detects executable files that may not be the main executable files of your installed software. Experienced PC users should therefore take care to add the executable files that should not be checked for updates to the ignore list. Once this has been done, the unwanted executables will not appear in future scans.
Features:-
- Automatic detection of installed software
- Detects required updates / patchs for your software
- Filter / authorize Beta versions (user setting)
- Ignore list : only tracks software YOU want to track
- More compatibility and less false positive than others Update Monitors (according to users feedback ;-)
- Internationalization support.
Read More and Download Free From Here: SUMO
