Tales of software updates: The process of updating software

This paper delves into the process users undergo when updating their software, including both the positive and negative experiences they encounter. Software updates, which can alter functionality by fixing bugs, changing features, and modifying the user interface, can sometimes be unwelcome, leading users to avoid potentially unwanted updates. However, delaying or not installing updates can have serious security implications, as updates are a primary mechanism for correcting discovered vulnerabilities. Without updates, users remain vulnerable to an increasing number of attacks. The study involved asking 307 survey respondents to provide two contrasting software update stories. Through content analysis of these stories, it was found that users go through six stages while updating: awareness, deciding to update, preparation, installation, troubleshooting, and post state. The paper further details the issues respondents experienced during each stage and how these impacted their willingness to update.