diff --git a/Torch/Plugins/PluginManager.cs b/Torch/Plugins/PluginManager.cs
index 158f441..cf2e724 100644
--- a/Torch/Plugins/PluginManager.cs
+++ b/Torch/Plugins/PluginManager.cs
@@ -96,7 +96,9 @@ namespace Torch.Managers
 
         public void LoadPlugins()
         {
-            DownloadPluginUpdates();
+            if (Torch.Config.ShouldUpdatePlugins)
+                DownloadPluginUpdates();
+
             _log.Info("Loading plugins...");
             var pluginItems = Directory.EnumerateFiles(PluginDir, "*.zip").Union(Directory.EnumerateDirectories(PluginDir));
             foreach (var item in pluginItems)
diff --git a/Torch/ViewModels/ViewModel.cs b/Torch/ViewModels/ViewModel.cs
index 7233102..238b103 100644
--- a/Torch/ViewModels/ViewModel.cs
+++ b/Torch/ViewModels/ViewModel.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Collections.Specialized;
 using System.ComponentModel;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Reflection;
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ namespace Torch
     /// <summary>
     /// Provides a method to notify an observer of changes to an object's properties.
     /// </summary>
-    public class ViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
+    public abstract class ViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
     {
         public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;