Why do we need software & website upgrades?

As one’s business grows, systems and software should be updated and upgraded. Imagine paying a cost for using an outdated software due to negligence in the first place.

Is your business or organization relying on older technologies? Do you want to upgrade? As Media Uganda we have a very strong and flexible team to support you in achieving your goals.

Whenever an update of a software is released, ( A new, improved, or fixed software, which replaces older versions of the same software. For example, updating your operating system brings it up-to-date with the latest drivers, system utilities, and security software.) you will always have popups on your computers prompting you to install these new updates. In most cases, we are quick to ignore these popups because we find ourselves very busy with our tasks and that seems a waste of time.

However, this is not the best decision you can make because you will be missing out on important security updates that are vital for the effective operation of a software.

At Media Uganda, year in, year out we encourage our clients to rebuild their websites at least every two years. Sounds like a waste of money and time? The sales and goals data for each client would suggest otherwise.

Software development is a never- ending process for a good reason. While you may be comfortable using the software that was developed years back, think about the pros and cons of upgrading it. 

Software Updates/Upgrades

A software upgrade is a new version of the software that comes with change(s) as compared to the older version. In most cases, a software upgrade may require a purchase and you may get it at a discount if you already own the older version of the software.

If you buy a software a few months before the upgrade is released, you may have an offer from the software company to upgrade it for free but this depends on which package you had purchased.

Alternatively, a Software Update commonly known as a patch is a set of new changes to a particular version of the software to fix a bug or improve it. Software Updates are more frequent than Software Upgrades. Software is always updated for you to have a better experience with the software you already purchased. In most cases, you are not required to pay for software updates.

Website Updates

A Website is a collection of multiple web pages with related content. Updating a web page updates the contents of the website.

Updating your website is something you should do regularly. This will help you prevent security threats to your website, increase traffic and eventually get higher conversion rates.

Adding value to the content on your website will enable your website to rank higher on search engines like Google. A good design and user experience of your website will always keep people on your site for a longer time hence increasing the conversion rates.

Why Software/Website Upgrades?

Why do you need software updates if it can still operate like it did at purchase? Why must you upgrade it? Why do software developers keep updating software all the time? You must be asking yourself these questions.

Software’s are a unique kind of product that one can find in the global market. Once you buy software and you are happy with what it does, you may think that’s enough but I am glad to let you know that a one time purchase is not what you need.

You need software that continues to function properly even when the technology is rapidly changing. As technology grows, Operating Systems like Windows and Linux are upgraded, new hardware products are designed and this software still has to work appropriately.

What is always released is a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). An MVP is a version of a product with just enough features to be usable by early clients who can then provide feedback for future updates.

Software developers continue improving the software, fixing the bugs, and adding new features depending on the feedback they receive from their clients.

If you have the software installed on your computer, you will always receive a notification to download an update whenever it is released.

In summary, the main reasons for software updates/upgrades include;

• Bug fixes
• Adding new features.
• Improving existing features
• Fix security issues
• Compatibility updates

Why your Business needs Software Updates

Security

One of the most irresistible reasons to get your software/website upgraded is security most especially for eCommerce sites that store sensitive user data in their databases.

Most websites get hacked because they are using outdated website frameworks or plugins. The tools used to build your website should always be up-to-date. This can be done by the technical team in your organization or if you don’t have one, you can contact a web design agency.

For a content management system(CMS) that has an administrative interface that may rely on the server executing scripts, hackers could get access to your site’s sensitive data.

It’s important to ensure that the server and the software your website is hosted on are up to date. Even if your website is not a CMS based website, server updates are just equally important.

Reducing the Costs

As you try to avoid a software upgrade, you may end up doing a costly upgrade. This is because an older version of the software is often required by the Technical team to keep up with hardware and software requirements. It may require more attention as technology keeps changing every day.

Timely upgrades can save you a lot of frustration that comes with using an older version of the software. An upgraded software always has significant features that can not be found in the older version.

Hardware Requirements

Every software has its hardware specifications. As technology changes, we have new releases of mobile devices, personal computers, desktops and so on. Mobile devices come with varying screen sizes, and resolutions.

New releases of the software always look into this as it matters for a good user experience. An older version of the software easily breaks when run on a new device with different specifications because it was designed to run on particular specifications.

Furthermore, using older devices becomes a burden as they get outdated with time. Software companies always reach a point and stop providing support for older devices.

Newer Technologies

Your focus should be on newer technologies. Often time software requirements change as technology grows. This is because new ways of building things are being discovered almost everyday.

By running the current release of the software, you can happily use the new technologies. A successive upgrade of the software ensures that you do not miss out on the new integration points, and new functionalities as new features are added.

Operating System Upgrades

Every device your software runs on has an Operating System(OS). Whether your software runs a smartphone, a personal computer, laptop or desktop, all these have an OS in the background. For example, for mobile devices, Android phones run on Android OS and iPhones run on IOS, Windows and macOS for PCs, laptops and desktops.

Every new release of an OS can notably affect your software code. This is why you need to do a software upgrade. Developers will always ensure that the software can still perform and meet the user’s expectations with the new release of an OS. To use the new version of the software, you upgrade it.

Browser Compatibility

Browser functionalities vary on desktop, tablet and mobile devices. Browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox etc. always have new updates that must be tested.

When a new version of a browser is released it is quite possible that it will affect the website because it can affect the behavior and performance of your software.

Third-Party Libraries and Frameworks

Every software relies on a framework that is continually being updated. Migrating from one version of the framework to another is an extra effort. You may have to rewrite some parts of your source to ensure the software does not break.

The same thing applies to the third-party libraries that work with your software. A library update can significantly affect your software functionality.

Changes to APIs

APIs keep changing from time to time just like libraries and frameworks. API owners should inform their integrators whenever the API is updated.

Mere changing a line of code or renaming it can cause something to break. An upgrade is always communicated prior to release so that the developers can know how to work with the upcoming new features.

Want to Upgrade your Website/Software?

Get in touch with us as we shall be glad to work with you.