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XP users: Have you downloaded the first service pack for Windows
XP? Everyone's gotta do it, despite what my young nemesis says.
Humongous bug fixes such as this have become a tradition in the
Land of Gates and, although they don't cure everything, they do
eliminate many of the problems folks experience.
But this time there's an ulterior motive to Uncle Bill's massive
XP fix: It brings him into compliance with his agreement with the
Justice Department, allowing users to turn over control of such
things as Internet surfing, checking email and multimedia to programs
other than those developed by Microsoft.
Although this new feature isn't obvious to the casual observer,
it can be found if you go into All Programs and click on "Set
Program Access Defaults".
Maybe you'd prefer to use Netscape instead of Internet Explorer
as your default Web browser, or Netscape Mail instead of Outlook.
All it takes is a simple click and the change is made.
Also included are tons of enhancements upgrading hardware compatibility
and programs included with XP, including the dreaded Movie-Maker.
Of course dowloading and installing this quick fix (maybe not so
quick if you don't have a decent broadband connection) doesn't mean
that everything is just rosy in Gates' Garden.
Not every bug has been fixed and not all security holes have been
filled -- that rarely ever happens. But it is a big improvement
over what came in the box or with your computer.
You may discover that a few patches you've downloaded previously
have been uninstalled. Unfortunately, you'll just have to reinstall
them, because they aren't part of the upgrade. I'm not sure why
this occurs, but it's something those of us living in Gates Country
have become used to dealing with.
Also, this doesn't replace the necessity of making frequent visits
to the Windows Update site to keep current with the latest bug and
security fixes. As anyone that has been using Windows for awhile
knows, nothing's perfect in Microsoft Country.
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Everyone's gotta do it? EVERYONE'S GOTTA DO IT!?!?!
Ha! What if I said "everyone has to get their hair cut"?
That wouldn't be accurate, would it? This is what us professionals
call a rhetorical question. *zing* Score 1
point for Webmaster Dave!
You can't make generalized statements like that you big fathead!
*zing* 2 points for Webmaster Dave!
Why would I need to apply fixes to my computer when it's running
just fine? I don't use programs like Netscape. I'm a happy little
monkey when it comes to Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. I
don't use XP for much more than chatting, browsing the Internet,
checking email and playing games. Why would I need a service pack?
The answer is I wouldn't.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Well mine ain't broke so I ain't
fixing it!
Have I made my point yet?
Do I need to continue to nail this home?
Do cows with three legs have a tougher time walking than cows with
four legs?
Do asking these types of questions really change the price of corn?
Yes. No. Yes (unless the four-legged ones have different height
legs. The three-legged cow may have the advantage then). No.
If there's one thing I've learned in my years and years of working
with computers, it's don't patch anything unless it fixes a problem
you're currently facing. Mileage will vary on this depending on
what environment you're in. But for Joe Thompson using his computer
at home, patches aren't necessary. He can continue to operate his
illegal sweatshop just fine using the standard XP installation without
any service packs or bug fixes. However if you're an almighty computer
user like myself, you may find it necessary or even beneficial to
install a service pack.
Computer users beware -- sometimes installing such service packs
or bug fixes can create more bugs. So don't be the first to install
anything. Wait a whlie and see how others do with it. Your ship
doesn't need to be the first to sink.
I'll refer to the old adage once more. If it ain't broke, don't
fix it. If Mike's reproducing... fix it. *zing*
5 bonus points for Webmaster Dave!!! |
