Update or Upgrade

What is the difference between an update and an upgrade? Many use the terms interchangeably but there is a difference and that difference is important to you, the software user.

To more easily spot the difference it is helpful to look at the software “version number”. The current release is version “5.0.15”. Each of these numbers tells us something. Briefly the first “5” is the “major” version number and the “0” is the “minor” version number. The “15” is a “release number” and doesn’t mean much to you other than indicating when very minor changes were made and a new install released.

We consider the definitions and difference as follows:

Updates – these are classified as “minor” in the version numbering system just described and generally provide bug fixes and even significant enhancements when possible. Development continues on most of our software and some receives several updates after release. All our updates are free of charge. You can always, unless stated otherwise, simply download an update and install over a current version. The existing license files continue to work and all is well. Some have been un-installing.

Upgrades - these are classified as “major” in the version numbering system just described above and are primarily enhancements, usually significant, and any discovered bugs are fixed. Odd, it seems every time I do significant enhancements I find bugs to fix. This is most humbling.

Upgrades typically deserve an upgrade fee. Although free upgrades are rare, GEW was a “free upgrade” for GAW users and WinCAP Wizard version 5 was released as a “free upgrade” to licensed users of version 4. In these cases we wanted all users to enjoy the significant benefits of the latest developments so we released them as “free major upgrades”.