What is the deal with the huge amount of windows updates lately (the last few months especially).

This came up in another thread and it is definitely a good question.

WTF?!?!?!

It isn't like SUDDENLY there are more bugs or holes being found in Windows, IE, Outlook. Clearly there has been some kind of change in tactics by MSFT.

All I can figure is that their old tactic was "don't patch.... pretend there are no problems and most people will think there are no problems."

After about 5 zillion news stories showing otherwise, I wonder if they decided it looks better to APPEAR to be doing something.