But we'd expect compulsory updates to become the norm.



From ArsTechnica:

In response to customer outcry, organizations holding off on deploying the Windows 8.1 Update will be able to get security updates for their systems for another three and a half months, as opposed to the 30 days that Microsoft originally promised.

When the Windows 8.1 Update designed to improve the mouse and keyboard experience of Windows 8.1 was initially released last week, Microsoft said that it was a mandatory update. Any future security updates, starting from next month, would require the update to be installed.

This was met with a frustrated response from IT personnel. Not only did the update cause problems with Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) deployments (though this was fixed today), it was also of a sufficient scale and size that organizations that were part-way through deploying Windows 8.1 don't want to switch to the update part way through, due to the need to re-test and re-validate it.

  Why the Windows 8.1 Update probably means no more Service Packs for Windows