Software Deployment

Well, it all depends. If you push everything out and your users don't perform updates, then yeah, you're pretty much stuck with grabbing new .MSIs and deploying them. Of course, if the new version just fixes a security hole, you might be able to make an adjustment in a GPO to block that hole, and then skip that version. But it's probably just as easy to push out the new .MSI file.

And there are ways to use automated systems (Kbox Kace, Altiris, SCCM, etc.) to push out the updates, but that still requires a person to be involved and to manage things (as well as costing more $$).

Think of it as job security....

In my experience, most websites only enforce major updates. I don't update unless a problem comes up (or critical security issue). Considering flash is small it only takes overnight (if that) to do our 5K machines. Haven't had any issues keeping to major versions yet. But then again... maybe when there's more than one person looking after everything, then I'll do the "wants" instead of just "needs".

If you're using SCCM or even just have your own Windows Update server you can check out EminentWare (http://www.eminentware.com/index.html) which you can download and deploy without having to package it up.