1197: All Adobe Updates - Revision history

82.132.245.59: /* Explanation */ To try to avoid confusion about the nature of the in-universe confusion, spelling out the general dialog design philosophies being broken here (see the likes of https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/uxguide/win-dialog-box ).

2025-08-06T21:35:16Z

‎Explanation: To try to avoid confusion about the nature of the in-universe confusion, spelling out the general dialog design philosophies being broken here (see the likes of https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/uxguide/win-dialog-box ).

82.132.247.174: Yes, this paragraph is insane. But then so are the real-world examples that this actually isn't too far from depicting. The ambiguity (is the greyed "Download" perhaps even disabled/unavailable?) is also probably intentional.

2025-08-06T16:31:42Z

Yes, this paragraph is insane. But then so are the real-world examples that this actually isn't too far from depicting. The ambiguity (is the greyed "Download" perhaps even disabled/unavailable?) is also probably intentional.

FaviFake: /* Explanation */ This entire paragraphs in insane. No, ok isn't the default action as it's not highlighted, and they don't both do the same thing, and that's not part of the joke, and the reason old computer aren't updated isn't button placement

2025-08-06T14:55:00Z

‎Explanation: This entire paragraphs in insane. No, ok isn't the default action as it's not highlighted, and they don't both do the same thing, and that's not part of the joke, and the reason old computer aren't updated isn't button placement

FaviFake: there is literally one in the comic

2025-08-06T14:46:59Z

there is literally one in the comic

Waldir at 14:48, 5 August 2025

2025-08-05T14:48:05Z

Theusaf: Reverted edits by 172.70.210.224 (talk) to last revision by 172.68.51.223

2023-10-03T23:57:50Z

Reverted edits by 172.70.210.224 (talk) to last revision by 172.68.51.223

172.70.210.224: free -> gratis

2023-10-03T23:50:24Z

free -> gratis

172.68.51.223: Removed unfounded speculation regarding the joke

2023-05-13T23:34:42Z

Removed unfounded speculation regarding the joke

Davidy22: Reverted edits by Explain xkcd server admin (talk) to last revision by Theusaf

2022-05-21T02:55:39Z

Reverted edits by Explain xkcd server admin (talk) to last revision by Theusaf

Show changes

Explain xkcd server admin at 21:39, 20 May 2022

2022-05-20T21:39:36Z

Show changes

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 In fact, the general necessity of such update managers has often been questioned, as they require the user to "download software in order to download other software". Other notable examples of companies who use update managers include {{w|Google}} and {{w|Sun microsystems|Sun}}/{{w|Oracle}}, with the latter being also mentioned in the title text.
-The two buttons 'OK' and 'Download' are implied to have the same effect, indicating the user has no real choice. Or, alternatively, 'OK' may simply just close the dialog without taking any action, as that is common in informational popups in many pieces of software. In that case, the placement of the 'OK' button implies that it is the default action, meaning most users will just ignore the update. Given the extreme frequency and perceived lack of changes (to your average end user), this anecdotally seems to be what most people do. Statistics for the high rate of un-patched systems in the wild support the anecdotal evidence.
+The two buttons 'OK' and 'Download' are implied to have the same effect, indicating the user has no real choice, being both apparent "Affirmative commit" options. When choices are presented, there should ideally be one unambiguous "positive action" option (e.g. Yes/Ok/Install/Download/<Do the next expected response>) followed by one "negative action" one (e.g. No/Cancel/Do not install/Skip/<Don't give the next expected response>), to fit the dialogue ("Do you wish to install? [Yes/No]", "Proceed to installation? [Ok/Cancel]", or perhaps "The installation process was paused, abort? [Yes, do not install/No, continue with installation]"), with the possible separate use of "Cancel", or equivalent term, to add a "no action" to avoid either positive or negative commits ("Do you want to save changes? [Yes, save ''(and quit)''/No, don't save ''(but quit anyway)''/Cancel ''(abort the attempt to quit)'']").
 The title text also suggests that using update helper software which in turn must be updated bears the risk of creating a {{w|dependency hell}}.

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 In fact, the general necessity of such update managers has often been questioned, as they require the user to "download software in order to download other software". Other notable examples of companies who use update managers include {{w|Google}} and {{w|Sun microsystems|Sun}}/{{w|Oracle}}, with the latter being also mentioned in the title text.
 The title text also suggests that using update helper software which in turn must be updated bears the risk of creating a {{w|dependency hell}}.
@@ Line 32: / Line 34: @@
 [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 [[Category:Software updates]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:55, 6 August 2025
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	In fact, the general necessity of such update managers has often been questioned, as they require the user to "download software in order to download other software". Other notable examples of companies who use update managers include {{w\|Google}} and {{w\|Sun microsystems\|Sun}}/{{w\|Oracle}}, with the latter being also mentioned in the title text.		In fact, the general necessity of such update managers has often been questioned, as they require the user to "download software in order to download other software". Other notable examples of companies who use update managers include {{w\|Google}} and {{w\|Sun microsystems\|Sun}}/{{w\|Oracle}}, with the latter being also mentioned in the title text.
−
−	The two buttons 'OK' and 'Download' are implied to have the same effect, indicating the user has no real choice. Or, alternatively, 'OK' may simply just close the dialog without taking any action, as that is common in informational popups in many pieces of software. In that case, the placement of the 'OK' button implies that it is the default action, meaning most users will just ignore the update. Given the extreme frequency and perceived lack of changes (to your average end user), this anecdotally seems to be what most people do. Statistics for the high rate of un-patched systems in the wild support the anecdotal evidence.

	The title text also suggests that using update helper software which in turn must be updated bears the risk of creating a {{w\|dependency hell}}.		The title text also suggests that using update helper software which in turn must be updated bears the risk of creating a {{w\|dependency hell}}.

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:46, 6 August 2025
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	[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]		[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
	[[Category:Software updates]]		[[Category:Software updates]]
		+	[[Category:Computers]]

@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 [[Category:Comics with color]]
 [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
-[[Category:Computers]]
+[[Category:Software updates]]

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ==Explanation==
-This comic was probably a reaction to the installation service {{w|Ninite}} [http://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/1c2h0b/flash_removed_from_ninite/ removing Adobe Flash Player] from their gratis version the previous day.
+This comic was probably a reaction to the installation service {{w|Ninite}} [http://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/1c2h0b/flash_removed_from_ninite/ removing Adobe Flash Player] from their free version the previous day.
 The comic makes fun of {{w|Adobe Systems}} software that delivers new versions of Adobe products to users' computers, such as ''Adobe Updater'' (which [http://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/acrobat-reader-updater-faq-9.html replaced] ''Adobe Update Manager'') and ''Adobe Download Manager'' (which [http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/akamai-download-manager-faq.html replaced] ''Akamai''). These {{w|Patch (computing)|software increments}} might either be technical (to fix compatibility or security issues), or they might add new features that would go unnoticed. In addition, these updates are downloaded automatically by default, but the operating system might install them only if a user allows it to. The frequency of software changes (and changes in the way Adobe allows users to download new software) could result in confused users. In this case, the comic is saying that you must update the program ''before'' it can actually check for updates, something it already seems to be doing.

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 The two buttons 'OK' and 'Download' are implied to have the same effect, indicating the user has no real choice. Or, alternatively, 'OK' may simply just close the dialog without taking any action, as that is common in informational popups in many pieces of software. In that case, the placement of the 'OK' button implies that it is the default action, meaning most users will just ignore the update. Given the extreme frequency and perceived lack of changes (to your average end user), this anecdotally seems to be what most people do. Statistics for the high rate of un-patched systems in the wild support the anecdotal evidence.
-The language of the message also plays with repeated ''up'' and ''down'', as in "there is an ''up''date for the Adobe ''down''load manager..." to give the whole process a feel of preposterousness verging on {{w|Lewis Carroll|Carrollian}} {{w|literary nonsense}}.
+The title text also suggests that using update helper software which in turn must be updated bears the risk of creating a {{w|dependency hell}}.
 ==Transcript==