Install Supee6285 or upgrade to 1.9 CE?

[Michael_CE]

I'm newbie so please bear with me. My delevoper hosts my magento site ver 1.7.0.2 on his server. Wants to charge me $75 to install 6285 security patch OR $350-$750 to update me to ver 1.9.2.0. Small business, 4 items in catalog. I am leaning toward new version but think this is a little pricey. Seeking honest opinion of professionals please. Thank you.

[DLew]

Wow! I need to start running a service like that!
In all seriousness, that price for a shop so small seems high to me. Do you have a highly customized installation with extra modules or anything? 1.9.2 has been really fast for me on php 5.5, with a few minor bugs in the core code I had to fix regarding the online customers log and the Cms static block caching. I'd advise you to upgrade but I wouldn't be happy with that price personally.

[theMageComp]

Hello @Michael_CE

The cost is really too much if we talk about the patch. Yes version upgrade is always best choice, but if you just want to install the patches, we make it more easier for all the Magento store owners. 

Please check our blog here,

http://magecomp.com/blog/how-to-install-magento-security-patches/

Here, you will be able to download the pre patched files, you simly extract and upload the files in the root of the Magento. Please take backup of your files.

If you are still not sure, you can contact us for help with the patch installation,

https://www.magecomp.com/magento-security-patches-installation.html

SECURITY DISCLAIMER: The above website contains Magento Security Patch files which are self-hosted by the user and as such unsafe. Magento Forum advise all users to only download patch files from the official Magento Downloads page. 

[Michael_CE]

Thanks forum members, after doing some research I discovered that installing some of these patches and updates isn't quite the same as it is with say, Windows, just click and run and good to go. My developer is a good guy who has been installing these periodically for 2 years for free. As I said, I was on 1.7 so decided to upgrade to 1.9 rather than keep on patchin! $350, I think was fair and plus, once a website is up and running well and doing it's thing that pretty much ends the developer's involvement and I had an epiphony, web developers gotta eat too! Anyway, to all of you who do this for yourselves or for customers like me, I aprpreciate the work you do and the great info you post on this forum. Thank you.