I foolishly upgraded to CIS 3.8.x just a couple days after its release when it was suggested to me by the CIS updater. After an hour of work, I’m back to an older 3.5.x version. Not the same version I was using before the ill-fated update, however. As far a I know, using the internal update feature doesn’t download a standalone version of the installation program.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have the update feature offer to save a complete copy of the installation program? That way I’d be sure to have the latest stable version around for re-installation in the event of a not-ready-for-prime-time release like 3.8.x…
I have not seen this option on any of the other AV software updates, why request it for CIS?
(Avast, SAS, Adware (not Ad-Aware), MBam, system utilities, etc.)
Do the other software packages you listed perform behind-the-scenes upgrades that do not leave a stand-alone installation package? Spy Sweeper and NOD32 download full packages. Windows Update does. I believe all of my system utilities do? Java Update does. Adobe Reader does.
Offhand, I can’t think of any other products on my system other than CIS and the Google toolbar that handle updates completely behind-the-scenes. [There probably are others, though.]
Anyway, the reason I requested it for CIS: based on the flurries of quickly-released and inadequately-tested builds (I call this practice Zone Alarm Disease, and it’s why I’m no longer a Zone Labs customer), it’s clear that having access to a stable version’s installation file could be helpful.
Even w/ adequate testing, the complexity of firewall and a.v. software increases the likelihood of a bad result on at least a small # of machines.