Software Update Notifications

I am considering implementing some sort of Software Update Notification for one of the web applications I am developing.

There are several questions I came across:

Should the update check be executed on the client or on the server?

Client-side means, the software retrieves the most current version information, performs its checks, and displays the update information.

Server-side check means the software sends its version info to the server, which in turn does the calculations and returns information to the client.

My guess is that server-side implementation may turn out to be more flexible and more powerful than client-side, as I can add functionality to the server easily, as long as the client understands it.

Where should the update info be displayed?

Is it ok to display on the login screen? Should only admins see it? (this is a web app with a database, so updating requires manipulation of db and web, which is only done by admins). What about a little beeping flashing icon which increases in size as the version gets more obsolete every day ;) ?

Privacy issues

Not everybody likes to have their app usage stats broadcast over the internet.

TheOnion question: What do you think?

Thanks for your input. I implemented update notifications based on application and version, ignoring locales. http://devio.wordpress.com/2010/03/05/managing-update-notifications-with-dbscript/

devio 2010-03-05 08:55:47

@devio: Ours isn't localized either. However, the hooks are in place specifically so if we *do* localize it, we can do so purely on the server (so all applicable clients get the message in the newly supported language). In particular, if we have a client complain that users at their company aren't understanding the message, we can have that person do the translation.

280Z28 2010-03-05 18:03:12

ansaurus

tags:

views:

answers:

Software Update Notifications

related questions