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Microsoft Delays Windows XP Service Pack 2
Rinisari writes "DesignTechnica, among some others
, explains that Microsoft has once again delayed its release of Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, though only until August. Microsoft has declined to comment on the reason for the delay. Windows Update v5, however, is online and operational (and works with Service Pack 1!), although not officially so. I know many smaller education institutions are chomping at the bit with the looming release, as they are worried about compatibility with some of the new features in Service Pack 2."
Doesn't seem to work too well with Firefox, but I could just be an idiot. Can anyone cornfirm that it's still IE-Only?
Hmmm, I guess MS has decided to take a little (read: tiny) more aggressive stance towards piracy, no more automagic updates for you. Although we do have an Action Pack subscription (XP Pro), so we do have more then enough licenses, we use XP Corp CD/Keys to ignore that stupid activation, but it looks like it came back to bite us in the ass.
Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.
It's probably better that they delay it, rather than come out with something that's not 100%. We are talking Microsoft though...by the time they got it to 100% we'd all be playing duke nukem forever =)
It's fairly ridiculous that this SP is delayed.. again... however, IMHO its a good move on their part, because (hopefully) it means that they are including more useful security fixes etc. in it. And its silly that those even need to be release this much after the fact, but they might as well get them all (well, most of them) in there now, so there's not SP2a, SP2b, SP2security patch 229q etc.
I recall an operating system that was fairly rushed to get out, called Windows 95, that really sucked. Hopefully, though this is only an SP, the delay will prevent rush-to-get-it-out-crappiness.
sigSEGV - doy!
sigSEGV - doy!
to BobXP forced the delay...
"chomping at the bit with the looming release, as they are worried about compatibility with some of the new features in Service Pack 2."
I'm sure they're all worried about compatibility issues. Everyone is. But with school starting in August...and the release date in August...there's going to be zero time to work out the kinks before students start hitting the labs full force.
Wise men say, "Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza."
Virutal PC 7 is not coming until SP2 is out according to Microsoft so us Mac users can be assured the latest in security.
Or Microsoft is stalling because they're not finished with VPC7. One of the two.
Though it should be simple enough for Microsoft to implement a blacklist of non-sold keys, all that would effect is WindowsUpdate. There are ways to disable product activation / authentication on the client side without ever touching a network connection.
What to do without WindowsUpdate? Why AutoPatcher of course.
To paraphrase Lewis Black (referring to airport security) -- slower doesn't necessarily mean safer. Promises that don't get delivered don't mean much. Maybe they're perfecting it, or maybe they're sneaking features in...we don't really know.
How hard Microsoft is trying when it comes to security is strictly implied. Unfortunately, most should have EXPECTED it of them to begin with. "Trustworthy Computing" is primarily a marketing response...with technical consequences.
Microsoft has found out that SP2 contains a huge security hole which may allow your OS to run completely trouble free and secure. They are working hard to patch this bug, which has been termed GOOB.ASAP (Going out of business), with faulty code as to require monthly updates, service contracts, partnerships with virus software detection companies and eventual update of hardware.
SP2 will also include a new feature which will bring back an old friend of ours. Ever since the demise of the blue screen of death, customer calls and upgrades have been down. They are working around the clock on a newly branded moire of death which they feel will be just as impactful as the origional blue screen but with a friendlier look and feel.
They are appologising for the delay in delaying your delayed computer experience.
flinging poop since 1969
In my eyes, IANAL, it's perfectly legal, we paid for the (insert num of licenses here, 5-10 iirc), so we should be able to install XP Pro that many times. To me we pay for a license to use XP, not for a specific CD Key, so to me, it shouldn't matter that we're using the Corp version of XP Pro, it's still XP Pro just w/o the pointless activation. Again, IANAL.
Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.
This couldn't have worked out better if the Linux community had planned it. 1) Numerous recent IE exploits convinced thousands of people to try different browsers. These people (and likely a lot of their friends) have now realized that IE != The Internet. 2) Now, MS cuts off security updates to some of those users and other users who either got XP from a friend or bought a "bargain" PC from a fly-by-night outfit that used corporate keys. 3) The type of people mentioned in #2 don't like paying a lot for stuff. What are they going to do now as an upgrade path?: Try Linux for free, and/or pay several hundred dollars for an XP license? Now, ever Linux user out there, here's your mission: Burn a dozen copies of Knoppix and hand them out to everyone that has issues with SP2. I see converts in them thar hills.
I'm leaving my tech support job at the end of July. Thank you, Microsoft, for delaying the SP2 release until August!
Woo-hoo!