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upgrade

 
Dictionary: up·grade   (ŭp'grād') pronunciation
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v., -grad·ed, -grad·ing, -grades.

v.tr.
  1. To raise to a higher grade or standard: upgrading their military defenses.
  2. To improve the quality of (livestock) by selective breeding for desired characteristics.
  3. Computer Science.
    1. To replace (a software program) with a more recently released, enhanced version.
    2. To replace (a hardware device) with one that provides better performance.
v.intr.
  1. To exchange a possession for one of greater value or quality; trade up.
  2. Computer Science. To replace software or hardware with an upgrade.
n.
  1. The act or an instance of upgrading.
  2. Computer Science.
    1. A software program that provides added enhancements over an earlier version.
    2. A hardware device that provides greater performance than an earlier model.
  3. An upward incline.
adv. & adj.
Uphill.

idiom:

on the upgrade

  1. Improving or progressing.

upgradable up'grad'a·ble adj.

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Computer Desktop Encyclopedia: upgrade
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To replace existing software or hardware with a newer version. See upgradable, update, critical update, bugrade and About this encyclopedia.

Download Computer Desktop Encyclopedia to your iPhone/iTouch

Investment Dictionary: Upgrade
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A positive change in the rating of a security.

Investopedia Says:
For example, an analyst may upgrade a stock rating from 'buy' to 'strong buy', or a bond rating agency may upgrade a bond from AA to AAA.

Related Links:
What's in an analyst report and what should you do with this information? Find out here. Analyst Recommendations: Do Sell Ratings Exist?
We outline reasons that may show why enforcing more sell ratings isn't guaranteed to increase Wall Street's objectivity. Why There Are Few Sell Ratings On Wall Street


Marketing Dictionary: upgrade
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Increase the value of an order either at the time of purchase/order or when a credit order is paid or when a second order is made. Order forms might include an upgrade option such as leather trim instead of vinyl on a suitcase. Invoices sometimes include an upgrade option such as a subscription offer for two years at a lower per copy rate than the one-year subscription ordered. Fund-raisers also attempt to upgrade donations, asking for a larger donation during the current campaign than that made previously or requesting a larger donation than was pledged for the current campaign. renewal promotions usually upgrade the subscriber to a higher-price subscription than the introductory order. Upgrade offers generally do not negatively impact response but vary greatly in their degree of success. See also collection extension.

Thesaurus: upgrade
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verb

  1. To advance to a more desirable state: ameliorate, amend, better1, help, improve, meliorate. See help/harm/harmless.
  2. To raise in rank: advance, elevate, jump, promote, raise. See rise/fall.

noun

  1. The act of making better or the condition of being made better: amelioration, amendment, betterment, improvement, melioration. See better/worse.
  2. A progression upward in rank: advancement, elevation, jump, promotion, rise. See rise/fall.

Wikipedia: Upgrade
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
For the song by Beyoncé Knowles, see Upgrade U.
For the facility that upgrades bitumen (extra heavy oil) into synthetic crude oil, see Upgrader.

The term upgrade refers to the replacement of a product with a newer version of the same product. It is most often used in computing and consumer electronics, generally meaning a replacement of hardware, software or firmware with a newer or better version, in order to bring the system up to date or to improve its characteristics. Contrast update.

Audiophiles use the word upgrade to describe the replacement of a product with a better-quality product with the aim of bringing enhancements to sound quality.

Search Wiktionary Look up upgrade in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Contents

Computing and consumer electronics

Common hardware upgrades include (for example) installing additional memory (RAM), adding larger hard disks, replacing microprocessor cards or graphics cards, and installing new versions of software. Many other upgrades are often possible as well.

Common software upgrades include changing the version of an operating system, of an office suite, of an anti-virus program, or of various other tools.

Common firmware upgrades include the updating of the iPod control menus, the Xbox 360 dashboard, or the non-volatile flash memory that contains the embedded operating system for a consumer electronics device.

Users can often download software and firmware upgrades from the Internet. Often the download is a patch—it does not contain the new version of the software in its entirety, just the changes that need to be made. Software patches usually aim to improve functionality or solve problems with security. Rushed patches can cause more harm then good and are therefore sometimes regarded[by whom?] with scepticism for a short time after release (see "Risks")[1]. Patches are generally free.

A software or firmware upgrade can be major or minor and the release version code-number increases accordingly. A major upgrade will change the version number, whereas a minor update will often append a ".01", ".02", ".03", etc. For example, "version 10.03" might designate the third minor upgrade of version 10. In commercial software, the minor upgrades (or updates) are generally free, but the major versions must be purchased. See also: sidegrade.

When one replaces a product made by one supplier with a product made by a different supplier, one carries out a competitive upgrade.

Risks

Although developers produce upgrades in order to improve a product, there are risks involved—including the possibility that the upgrade will worsen the product.

Upgrades of hardware involve a risk that new hardware will not be compatible with other pieces of hardware in a system. For example, an upgrade of RAM may not be compatible with existing RAM in a computer. Other hardware components may not be compatible after either an upgrade or downgrade, due to the non-availability of compatible drivers for the hardware with a specific operating system. Conversely, there is the same risk of non-compatibility when software is upgraded or downgraded for previously functioning hardware to no longer function.

Upgrades of softwareintroduce the risk that the new version (or patch) will contain a bug, causing the program to malfunction in some way or not to function at all. For example, in October 2005, a glitch in a software upgrade caused trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange to shut down for most of the day[2]. Similar gaffes have occurred: from important government systems[3] to freeware on the internet.

Upgrades can also worsen a product subjectively. A user may prefer an older version even if a newer version functions perfectly as designed.

Audiophile

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Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2008)

The hobby of audiophilia offers a rich playground for potential upgraders and tweakers.

Audiophile circles use the noun "upgrade" to describe the replacement of a system component or components, for example a low quality or low powered electronic amplifier, with a better quality or more powerful amplifier from the same or different manufacturer's product range ostensibly to improve on the quality of reproduced music from a hi-fi system.

However, the description generally excludes the modification to the sound using different types of interconnect cables, or the replacement of electronic components within the system components by the owners in order to customise the sound, as this would constitute DIY or tweaking.

The word "upgrade" has spawned the noun upgraditis, used to describe a person's obsession, compulsion, or addiction (akin to a disease) to perpetually changing his/her hi-fi system components in order to obtain ever greater enjoyment and fulfillment through enhancements to sound quality. Although the original aim is to improve the sound quality, persons with extreme manifestations of this disorder may completely lose sight of the objective and make frequently and highly expensive component changes for their own sake.

References

  1. ^ Lea Rush (2007-08-07). "Windows Vista patch ready for download". News Digest IT News Digest. (Web link). Retrieved on 2008-07-30.
  2. ^ Williams, Martyn (2005-11-01). "Software glitch halts Tokyo Stock Exchange". InfoWorld. http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/11/01/HNtokyoexchange_1.html?APPLICATION%20PERFORMANCE%20MANAGEMENT. Retrieved 2008-07-30. 
  3. ^ Associated Press (2006-04-20). "Official: Software glitch, not bomb, shut airport". MSNBC. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12411853/. Retrieved 2008-07-30. 

See also

External links


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Translations: Upgrade
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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - opgradere, forbedre, opprioritere, hæve, højne, forfremme
v. intr. - opgraderet, opproriteret, forfremmet
n. - opgradering, opdatering, forfremmelse
adv. - opgraderet, opdateret, stigende
adj. - opgraderet, opdateret, stigende

idioms:

  • on the upgrade    for opadgående, i stigning, ved at forbedres

Nederlands (Dutch)
verbeteren, opwaarderen, promotie geven, opwaartse helling, bergop(waarts), moeilijk

Français (French)
v. tr. - moderniser, améliorer, (Comput) augmenter (la mémoire), améliorer (un logiciel), promouvoir (qn), revaloriser (un emploi), surclasser (un passager d'un avion, etc)
v. intr. - échanger (un bien) contre un de valeur ou qualité supérieure, troquer
n. - montée, progrès, amélioration, en hausse (des prix), en voie de guérison (une personne), surclassement (pour le tourisme)
adv. - en montée, en amont (en ski)
adj. - (lit) qui monte, (fig) difficile

idioms:

  • on the upgrade    (être) en progrès, (être) en hausse, (être) en voie de guérison

Deutsch (German)
v. - verbessern, befördern, aufrüsten (Computer usw.)
n. - Steigung, Korrektur nach oben, Verbesserung
adv. - bergauf
adj. - aufsteigend

idioms:

  • on the upgrade    im Aufsteigen begriffen, ansteigend

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - αναβαθμίζω
n. - αναβάθμιση

idioms:

  • on the upgrade    σε άνοδο, σε βελτίωση (υγείας)

Italiano (Italian)
migliorare, promuovere, salita

idioms:

  • on the upgrade    in aumento

Português (Portuguese)
v. - atualizar
n. - aclive (m), subida (f), rampa (f)

idioms:

  • on the upgrade    estar progredindo, estar subindo (preços, custos)

Русский (Russian)
повышать в должности, придавать большее значение, обновлять путем замены устаревших компонентов, подъем, повышение в должности

idioms:

  • on the upgrade    на подъеме, на поправке (о больном)

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - ascender, subir, mejorar, sustituir (un producto de calidad inferior) por otro mejor y más caro, promover
v. intr. - mejorar la calidad de
n. - cuesta, mejora, rampa, pendiente en subida
adv. - en forma inclinada y ascendente
adj. - ascendente

idioms:

  • on the upgrade    ir mejorando, prosperar, recuperarse, remontar la pendiente, ascendente, progresivo

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - befordra, förbättra, uppgradera
n. - stigning

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
使升级, 改良品种, 提升, 提高, 改善, 升级, 上坡, 上升, 往上, 向上坡的, 向上的

idioms:

  • on the upgrade    上升, 进步

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 使升級, 改良品種, 提升
v. intr. - 提高, 提升, 改善
n. - 升級, 上坡, 上升
adv. - 往上
adj. - 向上坡的, 向上的

idioms:

  • on the upgrade    上升, 進步

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 승진시키다, (컴퓨터의 용량을) 늘리다
v. intr. - 향상되다, 증진되다
n. - 오르막길, 증가, 상승
adv. - 오르막이 되어, 증가하여
adj. - 오르막의

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 上り勾配, 増加, 上り坂, 進歩
adj. - 上り勾配の, 上り坂の
adv. - 坂の上の方へ
v. - 格上げする, 品質をよくする, 改良する

idioms:

  • on the upgrade    向上して

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) رقى درجته, رفع درجته (الاسم) تحسن‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮קידם בדרגה, שיפר, השביח, שידרג‬
v. intr. - ‮החליף נכס בנכס בעל ערך או איכות גדולים יותר‬
n. - ‮עלייה, מעלה, שיפור, גרסה משופרת‬
adv. - ‮במעלה הגבעה‬
adj. - ‮במעלה הגבעה‬

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