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How about Microsoft Windows? While it does have a lot of merits to it as an operating system, it also has its share of problems, as well. For the most part, these problems are fairly small and not too damaging to the user. But the one issue that will occasionally pimp slap every user is that Windows has had a lot of patching to it. And while every patch (at least theoretically) makes the operating system more stable and secure against intrusion, there is always going to be the possibility that today’s patch may end up being tomorrow’s head ache. After all, altering the operating system can have all kinds of untested, bizarre effects that the system’s designers may not have ever considered possible.
Consider what would happen if the operating system were patched so that access to the system was more difficult for certain kinds of programs. While this might help you to be a bit safer from viruses, it might also confuse your web browser and your own security software as to how it can connect. Just like with anything that involves the Internet in any way, this whole deal is complicated enough already. So while you might be protected from the latest trojan horse, you might also be protected by default, just from not actually being able to get on the Internet at all.
And while not being able to get online in the first place might be a greatly effective solution to the virus issue, that would be a little bit like solving a leak in your roof by burning down your house- technically effective, but ultimately self destructive. So whenever you are thinking about getting the latest patch, the first thing you want to do is set up a system restore point, just in case. After that, you will want to at least skim over what the patch is actually going to “fix.” In some cases, not patching is best.