Re: xp is fine - why should I install service pack 2?

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

From: Kevin (webman6_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 12/15/04 

Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2004 19:32:44 -0800

"Chuck Davis" <ChuckDavis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C9637A4F-7CEB-4520-88AC-2CD4BBFB3734@microsoft.com...
>
>
> "Kevin" wrote:
>
> > Lots of good replies to your post, from people who know what they are
> > talking about. On the other hand, I personally am waiting for a few
months
> > until the first patches for the Service Pack are issued. This is a
major
> > upgrade of the operating system and it makes serious changes to the code
> > that is Windows XP. As for security concerns if you don't install this
> > Service Pack, the answer is pure BS.
> >
> > Run a good firewall, anti-virus and malware applications and use some
common
> > sense when checking your email and surfing. Just like in the big city,
when
> > that alley (or website) looks questionable, don't go down (or surf to)
it.
> > Keep your wits about you and have good situational awareness.
> >
> > There are many third-party security applications that are worlds better
than
> > the ones Microsoft has included in SP2. Most, if not all, are totally
free
> > of charge. Remember that the installation of Service Pack 2 is not
> > required. You are not forced or coerced into downloading and installing
it.
> > Not yet, anyway.
> >
> > "John" <nospam@plusnet.com> wrote in message
> > news:bk4sr0dj7ser0lob6i3i719b2jcn3aclf7@4ax.com...
> > > XP doesn't seem broke so is there any reason why I should 'fix it'
> > > with enormous Service Pack 2?
> >
> >
> >
> Kevin, you say that you are waiting and later on state that other items
are
> better. I don't understand how you can profess to know if you haven't
tried
> it.
>
> Further, there a millions of successful installs that have made those
> systems more secure and therefore mine. Our computer club has installed
not
> only SP2 on all 15 Windows based computers. Now for a contrary position,
the
> same club has installed Firefox 1.0 as the default browser on the same
> computers.
>
> Computer viruses are much like a herd of cattle, immunize 85% and the
entire
> herd is relatively safe.

Chuck,
The fact that most, if not all, of the security applications provided in SP
2 are inferior to third party software is widely known in the computing
industry. Many of the popular magazines like PC World, PC Magazine and
Computer Shopper Magazine have published numerous articles to that effect.
I won't take the chance of hosing my system until I have a better feeling
about SP 2. Microsoft should have aggressively marketed this major upgrade
to their premiere operating system with considerably more emphasis on
preparing your system for the installation.

When Microsoft releases the SP 2 patches, which will be sooner rather than
later, I will consider installing it, disabling the included security
features. That will all be rendered moot when they make the installation of
Service Pack 2 a prerequisite for further updates, something they are also
going to do sooner rather than later.

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