MS automated updates because, like the OP , a lot of people never did it and they were opening themselves to all sorts of evil folk
perhaps the auto update is a bit nannyish but it does work
THE problem is that it waits until you are closing down and just about to run for the train/plane to launch........ I therefore update manually once a week - which reduces the inevitable auto update to a few seconds
As for the MS crap - that comes with the territory with any computer service thse days I'm afraid