diff --git a/SparkleShare/SparkleAboutController.cs b/SparkleShare/SparkleAboutController.cs
index 506e1712..02af0167 100755
--- a/SparkleShare/SparkleAboutController.cs
+++ b/SparkleShare/SparkleAboutController.cs
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ using System;
 using System.Net;
 using System.Threading;
 
-using SparkleLib;
-
 namespace SparkleShare {
 
     public class SparkleAboutController {
@@ -40,7 +38,7 @@ namespace SparkleShare {
 
         public string RunningVersion {
             get {
-                return SparkleBackend.Version;
+                return SparkleLib.SparkleBackend.Version;
             }
         }
 
@@ -49,7 +47,7 @@ namespace SparkleShare {
         {
             Program.Controller.ShowAboutWindowEvent += delegate {
                 ShowWindowEvent ();
-                CheckForNewVersion ();
+                new Thread (() => CheckForNewVersion ()).Start ();
             };
         }
 
@@ -63,72 +61,20 @@ namespace SparkleShare {
         private void CheckForNewVersion ()
         {
             CheckingForNewVersionEvent ();
+            Thread.Sleep (500);
 
             WebClient web_client = new WebClient ();
             Uri uri = new Uri ("http://www.sparkleshare.org/version");
 
-            web_client.DownloadStringCompleted += delegate (object o, DownloadStringCompletedEventArgs args) {
-                if (args.Error != null)
-                    return;
-
-                string latest_version_string = args.Result.Trim ();
-                Thread.Sleep (750);
-
-                if (UpdateRequired (RunningVersion, latest_version_string))
-                    NewVersionEvent (latest_version_string);
+            try {
+                string latest_version = web_client.DownloadString (uri);
+            
+                if (new Version (latest_version) > new Version (RunningVersion))
+                    NewVersionEvent (latest_version);
                 else
-                    VersionUpToDateEvent ();                    
-            };
-
-            web_client.DownloadStringAsync (uri);
-        }
-
-
-        private bool UpdateRequired (string running_version_string, string latest_version_string)
-        {
-            if (running_version_string == null)
-                throw new ArgumentNullException ("running_version_string");
-
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace (running_version_string))
-                throw new ArgumentException ("running_version_string");
-
-            if (latest_version_string == null)
-                throw new ArgumentNullException ("latest_version_string");
-
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace (latest_version_string))
-                throw new ArgumentException ("latest_version_string");
-
-            int running_major;
-            int running_minor;
-            int running_micro;
-            try {
-                string [] running_split = running_version_string.Split ('.');
-                running_major = int.Parse (running_split [0]);
-                running_minor = int.Parse (running_split [1]);
-                running_micro = int.Parse (running_split [2]);
-
-            } catch (Exception e) {
-                throw new FormatException ("running_version_string", e);
+                    VersionUpToDateEvent ();
+            } catch {
             }
-
-            int latest_major;
-            int latest_minor;
-            int latest_micro;
-            try {
-                string [] latest_split = latest_version_string.Split ('.');
-                latest_major = int.Parse (latest_split [0]);
-                latest_minor = int.Parse (latest_split [1]);
-                latest_micro = int.Parse (latest_split [2]);
-
-            } catch (Exception e) {
-                throw new FormatException ("latest_version_string", e);
-            }
-
-            bool higher_major = latest_major > running_major;
-            bool higher_minor = latest_major == running_major && latest_minor > running_minor;
-            bool higher_micro = latest_major == running_major && latest_minor == running_minor && latest_micro > running_micro;
-
-            return (higher_major || higher_minor || higher_micro);
         }
     }
 }