You can easily use Microsoft Office 2010 without ever updating your software. However, you can improve your experience with Office 2010 by regularly installing updates.
As with almost all software products, hackers exploit all vulnerabilities that they can find. It is impossible for a developer to anticipate every potential hole in their software. The same holds true for Microsoft Office 2010. As Microsoft becomes aware of potential security threats to their Office 2010 suite, they release security updates to patch the problem. Though this is most common for Outlook 2010, other applications in the Office 2010 suite occasionally need security updates as well.
Security updates are the only types of Office 2010 updates available. Until consumers truly begin using a product, it’s hard for Microsoft’s developers to fully test every possible aspect of their software. This is where bug fixes, or service packs, come into play. If you happen to notice a glitch when you open certain menus or problems with certain Office 2010 applications closing unexpectedly, check for the latest Office 2010 updates. In addition to security patches, bug fixes are released to take care of all the little issues Microsoft developers and beta testers may have missed.
As if security patches and bug fixes weren’t enough, Microsoft also provides Office 2010 updates in the form of feature updates. These updates often include additions to existing features, such as added support for languages, spell checker and thesaurus updates and additional web components.
Keep Office 2010 up to date not only keeps your Office 2010 suite running smoother, but also keeps your system more secure and provides access to updated features to make Microsoft Office 2010 even more useful.