A Quick Glance Into Software Patch Management For The Beginner

So, what is software patch management anyway? Well, it is really just like it sounds. It is a "patch" used for fixing things that go awry on your software - or on your computer itself, for that matter. It's a bit like the bicycle patch "method", but it is actually a lot more extensive than that.

If you have never heard of this type of "patch", don't worry, you are in good company. So, with that, keep reading for a brief description of a few different types of "fixes" available:

Know that your personal computer or your game console is more than likely to already come with previously built-in patches. These are placed there to keep your machine or software functioning correctly. These machines also usually come with patches that automatically fix glitches and fight the viruses that you may not be aware you are up against when you go online to surf, or to play a game.

In fact, anyone who owns a personal computer with previously installed programs on it, has already has been exposed to one good example of a patch - and probably more than once. This is in reference to those automatic updates that you undoubtedly recall getting alerted to when you are online. Of course, these alerts usually occur while you are middle of doing something important - and when you get them, you know you will have to close out all your programs and restart your computer so they can install correctly.

Another example of patches is when your computer suddenly shuts down while you are in the middle of something, and you get a message that says 'your program has stopped working, the computer will now try to resolve the problem'. What usually happens after a few minutes is that you are then informed that the problem has been corrected. So, in these cases, be aware that a patch was most likely responsible for the correction.

Then there are the gaming and other miscellaneous software that come with the patches for anticipated problems already included in their programs. So, if something goes wrong with the software, it will be fixed immediately - internally. Plus, many times the gaming or software manufacturer will also include any new "patch" updates in your purchase agreement - and these are usually sent to you via the internet or your email account. Many times a person with a certain software or gaming console can go online and do a search for their product, and will find that free updates, upgrades and other "patch fixes" are being given away for download at the product website. However, download these at your own risk - and make sure that you know just who you are downloading the patches from. Many times you can mess up your software, or even your computer, by downloading the wrong version of the patch, or inadvertently downloading one that has been infected with a virus.

So now you know a bit more about software patch management - and you have been given a brief summary of examples too. If this is a subject that interests you, or you wish to find a patch for one of your programs, then by all means, go online and research the subject for yourself.