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Evaluating Windows XP Service Pack 2 RC2

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the get-your-security-on dept.

dncsky1530 writes "Information Week has a good evaluation of Windows XP SP2, excerpt: "The code for release candidate 2 finally looks like a real release candidate. And sure enough, it will help you big-time with security. But what sorts of headaches will the eventual final version mean for IT shops? We'll take it piece by piece... Remember when Microsoft said service packs wouldn't deliver any new functionality? That lasted for about six months back in 1997. Windows XP Service Pack 2 is jammed-packed with both invisible and visible improvements to Windows XP. The biggest boon is that the free update, which will probably ship some time in September, does in fact make Windows XP far more secure""

6 of 448 comments (clear)

  1. How much do you want to bet... by Faust7 · · Score: -1, Troll

    ...that the first few posts, as well as several posts afterward, will be easily-swallowable generalizations about how Service Pack 2 (not even RC2)...

    - "isn't good enough"
    - "actually worsens security"
    - "is just another ploy"
    - "is way behind what Linux already has"
    - "is too risky to download"
    - "is another sign of bad programming"

    And many of these comments will be posted without having read the Information Week article.

    Buy hey, I'm just guessing.

    --
    The coolest voice ever.
  2. Why even bother? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    I'm happy running plain vanilla Windows XP. It's still a hell of a lot more stable than Gentoo!

  3. Re:New features, yes. by sbennett · · Score: 0, Troll

    Poor poor POOR UI design there, Bill...

    Well, at least it's what we've come to expect.

  4. SP2 = more of what I don't like about XP by phrasebook · · Score: -1, Troll

    I haven't looked into SP2 in great detail but it seems like what it adds is more of what I hated about XP when I first moved to it from Windows 2000. You know, all the little extra things like a stupid animated dog when you search, CD burning, thumbnail view you can't seem to turn off, etc. I've tweaked XP back down to the point where it is basically 2000 again, but now I have to have more stupid dialogs like 'Help protect your PC' and 'this website might require a plugin'. I don't want to be told that my PC is 'not protected' even though it damn well is. Ugh. Fuck Windows. I've always thought Windows 2000 was the epitome of MS OSs after seeing and using XP... but I think instead of going back to 2K I might just move to Linux full-time, if I can swallow it. Sigh. I can't believe that in this day and age there isn't an OS out there that really suits me. Fucking Windows. I'm not going to install SP2. SP2 highlights what is wrong with Windows and how it isn't compatible with me anymore. Goodbye.

  5. stupid name ! by phreakv6 · · Score: 1, Troll

    I always wondered if SERVICEPACKS should be called as PATCHES or BUGFIXES.SERVICEPACK is way too polished.

    --
    fifteen jugglers, five believers
  6. Whatever, Troll... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Posting Anonymously, because I don't what you have to say in reply.

    You're an idiot and a jackass if you say Firefox "isn't ready for [you] yet." Firefox is ready for fucking everyone. The only problems it has is with sites that have IE-only features, like Active-X controls.

    GUESS WHAT DIPSHIT - IT WILL NEVER EVER, EVER, EVER SUPPORT ACTIVE-X.

    And yes, plenty of other apps steal focus.