It's no great secret. You know it and we know it -- few things in life are more boring than waiting for your computer to reboot. It's a time sink when you have work to do on the machine, and a distraction when you need to be working elsewhere.
It's also one of the single most important things you can do to keep your machine -- and the College's network -- safe and secure.
In both Mac OS and Windows, occasional updates alert you that the computer needs to be restarted after they're installed. There's a natural tendency to either delay the update or delay the reboot to a more convenient time. Don't be fooled, though...that delay may be just the opportunity a bit of badware or other exploit needs to worm its way into your machine, because even after an update is installed, it may not be fully activated until after the machine is restarted!
Then there are functionality updates, things we push out to keep your software running normally. Without them, the tools you need to work may not operate. Delaying a required reboot could break critical software (Banner updates, for instance, may require a reboot to let you run Banner correctly).
There's a side benefit to rebooting occasionally as well: It keeps your computer healthy. An every-now-and-then reboot clears caches, removes accumulated temporary files, and allows critical maintenance tasks to run. All of this amounts to a better computing experience for you.
To all who reboot when requested, our thanks. To those who delay updates and reboots until "a little while from now," a request: Take a minute or three out of your day to reboot any time your computer asks. The minor interruption is a small price to pay for the continued safety and smooth function of your computer and the College network. Your friends and coworkers will thank you.
