A new version of SUMO, the Software Updates Monitor, was released today and it was enough reason to take another closer look at the application and some of its features. SUMO can be used to scan the computer system for installed applications, check their versions and compare that with the version stored in an online database.
SUMO will scan the applications listed in the Windows Start Menu by default but the user can let it scan specific drives or folders on the system and add executables manually. Users will be surprised that SUMO will recognize most of the applications that are added manually. A test with MWSnap and Newsbin Pro was successful. SUMO recognized the two applications and was able to check their version in the database.
One interesting option is to include beta versions in the update notifications which can be enabled in the program’s settings. Including beta versions raised the update count from 6 to 26 applications. Some like an update of Firefox 3.03 to Firefox 3.1 would require some research while others are no brainers.
The interesting feature is to add executables manually to SUMO. Not all executables will be recognized though because some developers do not include version information in their files. That’s however not a problem of SUMO but of all software updater.
SUMO will display the applications that need an update including the new version that is available. A click on Get Update will load a website with download links to the latest version. There is no option to download the files directly from within Sumo. The advantage is that the websites contain usually between 2-5 locations that contain the latest version of the software.
Users can propose a link on the websites, perform a Google Search and Report Errors or Beta versions. The latest version and the version of the user is shown on the page as well.
SUMO is missing a few features that would make it an universal software. An option to download all software updates automatically would be more than welcome. As would be a feature to add links to software applications manually to the software. It is possible to add applications but if SUMO does not have them in their database there is no way to update them. The only option is to click the Get Update link and propose a link.
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14 Responses to “Software Update Monitoring With SUMO”
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Is there something like this that would work as a portable app? I would add this to my Windows toolbox if there were.
Dotan I just discovered http://windows-get.sourceforge.net/ and will review it soon, maybe that one would work for you? App Updater might be worth a look as well http://www.nabber.org/projects/appupdater/
I used to use that, then I found Update Star, which has a nicer interface, using the ribbon from MS Office and it sits in your system tray monitoring for software updates. Get it at http://www.updatestar.com
Sorry but IMO this type of software is pointless. Most apps, that are worth much at all has the feature built in these days. Also, if is not built in and you are avid user of an app, anyone with half an ounce of common sense would periodically check for an update.
I agree with Genisis.
Don’t most programs that someone uses on a regular basis have an option to “check for updates” under Preferences?
So why install a another application?
Even if each app can be checked individually, it wure is easier to have it all done from a single place. I like having the system maintain itself, that’s one of the reasons that I use a simple operating system (Ubuntu) that comes with tools like this built in.
This new SUMo 2.6.0.75 introduces and announces in the install a step I personally refuse to accept :
“In order to provide this free download, RelevantKnowledge software, provided by TMRG, Inc., a comScore, Inc. company, is included in this download. This software allows millions of participants in an online market research community to voice their opinions by allowing their online browsing and purchasing behavior to be monitored, collected, aggregated, and once anonymized, used to generate market reports which our clients use to understand Internet trends and patterns and other market research purposes. The information which is monitored and collected includes internet usage information, basic demographic information, certain hardware, software, computer configuration and application usage information about the computer on which you install RelevantKnowledge. We may use the information that we monitor, such as name and address, to better understand your household demographics; for example, we may combine the information that you provide us with additional information from consumer data brokers and other data sources in accordance with our privacy policy. We make commercially viable efforts to automatically filter confidential personally identifiable information and to purge our databases of such information about our panelists when inadvertently collected. By clicking Accept, you acknowledge that you are 18 years of age or older, an authorized user of this computer, and that you have read, agreed to, and have obtained the consent to the terms and conditions of the Privacy Statement and User License Agreement from anyone who will be using the computer on which you install this application.”
I’d rather pay for a license, but this crap : never.
Transcontinental great find. I also find this unacceptable. Thankfully there are several alternatives available.
Indeed, Martin, but I happened to appreciate SUMo for delivering IMO good update information (say a 90% valid hit). Moreover I always feel a disappointment as a scar. I understand developers need to be funded, but why not just talk about it, and make the freeware a shareware?
I’ve found out that there is a SUMo ver. 2.6.0.75 free of the RelevantKnowledge option available on the developer’s FTP site :
FTP : ftp://ftp2.kcsoftwares.com/kcsoftwa/files/
SUMo 2.6.0.75 direst download : ftp://ftp2.kcsoftwares.com/kcsoftwa/files/sumo_FF.exe
This one is *clean*
@Transcontinental: did you determine what are the differences between regular SUMo version and the FF one?
BTW, latest version (2.6.2.77) is also bundled with Seekservice (SS), but for this one and for Relevant (RK) you can decline their installation when installing SUMo: look at the check box for SS, and the radio buttons for RK, both located at the bottom of the screen
HTH