Software Update Monitors

I like to keep all the software on my computer updated to the latest versions, and find it difficult and time-consuming as I have many programs installed. Sometimes software will have automatic updates (such as Adobe Reader, Mozilla's Firefox and Thunderbird, Skype, iTunes, etc.), but this isn't true of all software. In addition, the automatic check-for-updates process bogs down both my PC and my internet connection. Because of this, I sometimes turn off automatic updates and manually check when I'm idle.

However, this process has been made MUCH easier with the discovery of software update monitors. I have two that I particularly like: FileHippo's Update Checker (UDC) and Secunia's Personal Software Inspector (PSI).

Secunia's Personal Software Inspector is the best update monitor for users that are very security conscious. It lets you know which programs are patched, which are insecure and which are no longer maintained. It lists all your programs, and provides links to the vendor's homepage, technical details, the installation folder and "Add/Remove Programs."