Running a computer can be a hazardous process, as most of us know by now. There’s not only the fear of being attacked by rampant alien herbivores, but also the problem with keeping all of our software programs updated and properly ship-shape. One errant program can wreak havoc with the peace and tranquility of our general mental state.

Patch My PC makes sure you can sleep soundly at night, by automatically keeping a watch out for 89 of the major software programs on the market, and downloading updates as needed. The process can be set to run silently in the background, or you can set it to ask you every time before it does anything. It will also take over the process of updating your Windows installation if you wish.

The freeware copes with software such as Shockwave, Flash, web browsers, Java, Skype and other applications and could save you a bit of a headache if you’re one of those with no time or inclination to tinker under the hood of your PC.