[wp-hackers] wordpress security

[Lynne Pope]

2009/10/22 William Canino <william.canino at googlemail.com>

> May I ask a question? Why cannot WordPress do automatic (as in
> unattended) upgrades, exactly like all modern operating systems?
>
> XP has been doing this since 2001.
>

Operating systems only install auto updates if the user selects to install
auto-updates.
Unlike operating systems, WordPress runs in many different environments with
many different server setups. Some sites are unable to use the one-click
install. Some sites are highly customised and their owners cannot update
until they apply their customisations to the code. Some people just don't
trust software enough to want to allow it to "own" their system.

Can you imagine the outcry if WP forced an update that crashed a site? There
are loads of users who wouldn't have a clue what to do and those that don't
visit their site every day could end up losing search engine listings,
visitors, and money.

The simple answer is that WordPress *could* do auto updates, but thank
heavens it doesn't.

Lynne