I also notice the performance problem Win updates incur. Maybe Chrome does have a performance during its updates but I have yet to realize it. Perception is everything.

I may be wrong, but deactivating automatic updates is not something a normal user would know how to do, since probably he doesn't even realize, that their Chrome browser is constantly being updated. Those who do deactivate the auto updates are more tech savvy users, who will probably be careful to update it manually from time to time, as they realize the advantages of upgraded software in terms of performance and security. I absolutely love the auto-update feature of chrome and wish more software had it. It has made developing webapps for Chrome much easier. I never have to care about old Chrome versions, like I do for IE and Firefox.

As for the not maintained applications, I think users should stop using them (and upgrading to a maintained alternative). Old applications should not be the reason for not upgrading the platform under which the app runs.

"What if some eople have turned off automatic updates and never receive the new update?"

You can't turn off automatic updates in Chrome.

"It just creates thousands of configurations for a web developer to worry about."

Absolutely the opposite. I don't know why this is so hard to see. When users aren't given the option to update, they all end up with the same version. So there is literally only one configuration to worry about.

It is good for my mother. She fell 37 Windows Updates behind because she canceled them. Chrome is stable and most UI changes are configurable, what's to argue with? Google's disciplined six week cycle[1] is what makes Chrome get better faster. It is good for you, the browser consumer/developer.

1. http://google-chrome-browser.com/how-google-speeds-chrome-re...