> SP2 has those upgrades included (all since SP1).
Like another poster, I will distinguish between updates/corrections/fixes,
and upgrades, which actually modify functionality. I don't think any of the
updates offered individually since SP1 qualifies as an upGRADE.
Some past Microsoft service packs have been nothing more than collections
of updates, and so installing them has just been a convenient shorthand for
installing all the updates. Others, though, have been actual upgrades which
added/modified functionality in ways not available as individual updates.
(SP4 and SP6 or NT 4.0 stand out in my memory as notable examples.)
Microsoft has made it quite clear that XP SP2 is in this latter category,
that SP1 + all patches is NOT the equivalent of SP2.
> SP2 is causing a lot of problems for a lot of people
Such upgrades do tend to break a few things for a few users. In an
earlier post on this topic, I identified a couple of categories of users
most likely to find themselves amongst that number. Outside of those
categories, nothing I've seen suggests that either the number or severity of
problems encountered with SP2 is excessive.
> I use Black Ice to see how many hacking attempts there is on my
> computer. When I turn off Zone Alarm I get about one every few minutes.
Without knowing a lot more detail about how your machhine is set up, I
can't guess what this really means. Firewalls are not deep magic, there are
some things that depend on how they're configured, and other threats that
they just can't deal with at all.
> So in light of Zone Alarm and other protections I use, I fail to see
> how my computer activities and software can fowl up other computers.
> Perhaps you can explain?
Examples I have encountered have included various virus infections and
spyware, unsecured wireless, switch loops, multicast flooding, etc. It's
possible that none of these specific examples applies to your case -- my
point was that these problems were invisible to the responsible users, for
whom everything appeared to "work fine" -- if asked whether their systems
needed fixing, they would have said "no".
David Gillett
On 4 Sep 2004 at 13:14, John Dent wrote:
> David,
>
> I agree with you about installing all of the XP upgrades as they are
> issued. SP2 has those upgrades included (all since SP1). SP2 is causing a
> lot of problems for a lot of people so I still say KISS for now. Then there
> is Longhorn (available sometime in 2006) the next incarnation of the
> Windows operating system. It will be a major change, being able to handle
> vector images and 64 bit information, etc. Longhorn elements will be
> incorporated into XP before Longhorn is released. I will probably wait for
> this release rather than use SP2.
>
> I use Black Ice to see how many hacking attempts there is on my
> computer. When I turn off Zone Alarm I get about one every few minutes.
> With Zone Alarm enabled I get no attempts except an occasional random
> attempt (a fishing expedition that gets no entry - perhaps one attempt per
> day). I don't think any attacker will be able to get into my system.
>
> So in light of Zone Alarm and other protections I use, I fail to see how my
> computer activities and software can fowl up other computers. Perhaps you
> can explain?
>
> J Dent
>
>
> At 10:31 AM 9/4/2004, you wrote:
> > While the KISS principle has value in many contexts, I argue that this
> >isn't one of them.
> >
> > Several major worm/virus outbreaks of the last four years would have been
> >a whole lot less severe if more people had installed updates that were
> >already available -- in some cases, had been for eight months. Too many PC
> >users take this attitude, apparently believing that a pound of cure, and a
> >colossal headache for everyone else on the Internet, is far more fun than an
> >ounce of prevention.
> > The fact that so many computer problems are pretty much invisible until
> >someone finds a way to abuse them should lead us to realize that users are
> >rarely in a position to correctly judge whether "everything works fine". In
> >my work environment, I frequently encounter users whose new program/device
> >"works fine" -- except that it's disrupting service to hundreds or sometimes
> >thousands of their colleagues and neighbors. They don't know others are
> >having problems, and can't tell that they're the cause.
> >
> > As to Mary's specific issue, many Yahoo games require Java applets to be
> >permitted. So my hunch would be that installing SP2 tightened up the
> >default security level in her browser, and that loosening that one area just
> >a little will be better in the long run than uninstalling the whole Service
> >Pack.
> >
> >David Gillett
> >
> >
> >On 3 Sep 2004 at 23:47, John Dent wrote:
> >
> > > Mary,
> > >
> > > It may be tempting to install SP 2 but I recommend that you don't. I use
> > > the Kiss principle (Keep it simple stupid!) when installing software and
> > > updates. If everything works fine then why upgrade? This applies to all
> > > software upgrades.
> > >
> > > J. Dent
> > >
> > > At 06:57 AM 9/3/2004, you wrote:
> > > >We play Yahoo and MSN games frequently. We downloaded the XP Service Pak
> > > >2 the other day. After doing so, we were not able to get into any of the
> > > >Yahoo games. I contacted Yahoo Help, followed the instructions they have
> > > >to no avail.
> > > >
> > > >Finally, my son uninstalled the Service Pak and everything is working fine
> > > >now. I know the Service Pak is important but we do like the option of
> > games.
> > > >
> > > >Has anyone else had this problem. If not, does anyone have any
> > suggestions.
> > > >
> > > >Thanks.
> > > >
> > > >Mary Baker
> > > >[log in to unmask]
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
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> > > PCSOFT's List Owner's:
> > > Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]>
> > > Drew Dunn<[log in to unmask]>
> >
> > PCSOFT's List Owner's:
> > Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]>
> > Drew Dunn<[log in to unmask]>
>
> PCSOFT's List Owner's:
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> Drew Dunn<[log in to unmask]>
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