Support Update vs. Upgrade

Discussion in 'Technology' started by Amaury, Jan 13, 2014.

  1. Amaury Legendary Hero

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    I know what their definitions are, so please don't refer me to a dictionary.

    Do these really mean the same thing or is there a difference between them? For example, browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox, use the term "update" (or any other form of the word) when new versions are released. However, forum softwares, such as XenForo, use the term "upgrade" (or any other form of the word) when new versions are released.
     
  2. Jin うごかないで

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    I believe update; Is basically keeping the features within the same version to do date, such as updating plugins you don't upgrade plugins you just upadate them, the same with drivers unless you've switched hardware which means you need to upgrade the software.

    Upgrade basically means to take a step forward, though i can't really find a good example of this because with programs such as sony vegas, the upgrades aren't drastic. A good example would be photoshop comparing CS4 to CS6 because the internal design has a drastic change from that of it's previous version.

    As a conclusion, update is more or less upgrading but on a smaller level internally where as Upgrading is changing the whole thing for the better, i think that's what I'm getting at.
     
  3. Lite The Future

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    I think the difference between the terms "update" and "upgrade" comes down to how drastic a change there is between what something was before it was updated/upgraded, and what it is after. Using what you said as an example, Amaury, when Firefox updates it's usually not something that completely changes how the program is used (unless stated otherwise in the update information, in which case it would be more of an upgrade), where as an upgrade would be like I just said; something that changes how a program/product is used, be it for better or worse.

    As another example I'll use modern-day cell phones. The phone will receive several updates during it's life cycle that maintain, fix, and sometimes add on to what's already available in the device, usually with no purchase or payment required from the user. An upgrade, however, is what you would say when the user purchases the newest edition of that brand of phone, which could include new hardware or software features that were too large or incompatible with the previous edition.

    That's how I see it, anyway. Maybe it all comes down to simply how a person uses the words and I'm just over-analyzing.
     
  4. Meilin Lee RPG (Red Panda Girl)

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    Here's an example:

    My cell phone gets updates every now and then, but once I get a newer and better phone, it's an upgrade
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2014
  5. Amaury Legendary Hero

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    Well, that I understand completely. I'm referring more to when it's the same thing. For example, when new versions of vBulletin or XenForo are released, they are called upgrades, even though the forum platforms are the same.
     
  6. Meilin Lee RPG (Red Panda Girl)

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    Well, if it was a move from vBulletin to Xenforo, then it should be called an upgrade. Otherwise, they're just updates
     
  7. Amaury Legendary Hero

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    Yeah, obviously, moving from vBulletin to XenForo is an upgrade. However, if you are going from vBulletin 4.2.1 to vBulletin 4.2.2 or XenForo 1.2.3 to XenForo 1.2.4, then those are updates -- that's what you're saying. They call them upgrades, though.
     
  8. Meilin Lee RPG (Red Panda Girl)

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    Well, I'm gonna have to say they're wrong in using that word
     
  9. Hayabusa Venomous

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    I tend to associate "update" with simply the software/firmware that's being used by a technological product, while an "upgrade" I associate with the hardware, like its components or the product itself.
     
  10. Amaury Legendary Hero

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    I just thought of something: XenForo 1.2.0 > XenForo 1.2.1 would be an update. However, what about XenForo 1.1 > 1.2 or XenForo 1.2 > XenForo 2.0? Would those still be classified as updates or would they be upgrades?
     
  11. Meilin Lee RPG (Red Panda Girl)

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    If it's still Xenforo, then what you mentioned still counts as an update
     
  12. Technic☆Kitty Hmm

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    It's been mentioned but I'll restate.

    Update is a few steps below upgrade and in ways is actually better than an upgrade. It changes things within the software already present.
    Upgrade completely overwrites the old and replaces with the new. While this sounds good in theory, in practice it is a whole different matter. Upgrades, especially early versions, have bugs. Updates help to fix those bugs. For instance in XenForo 1.2.x, the higher the value of 'x' the less bugs are going to be found and the better the quality. XenForo 1.2.0 was an upgrade. It was riddled with bugs and glitches that are found by the users and reported so that updates, like 1.2.1-4, can take place.

    Update and upgrade are two different things but they go hand in hand with each other. You need the upgrade to allow updates to do their jobs. Upgrades often come with the most noticeable changes while updates are often the lesser seen fixes/patches.


    -Shiranui