Assessing the new service pack for Windows XP
By MIKE BERMAN
Scripps Howard News Service
October 9, 2002

The big fix has arrived!

Every time Microsoft releases a new operating system, we all sit back and wait for the release of the first service pack, which traditionally corrects the hundreds of bugs that went undetected in the retail version of the product and plugs numerous security holes discovered as hackers and other evil-doers did their thing. So it was only a matter of time until the Boys from Redmond would release SP1 for Windows XP.

But this time, the service pack serves a dual purpose, bringing XP into compliance with an agreement between Microsoft and the Justice Department, giving users of the operating system and PC manufacturers several options they never had before. This allows you to change the default settings to competing Web browsers, e-mail programs and media players.

This new feature can be found if you go into All Programs and click on "Set Program Access Defaults."

Among other changes included in the service pack are:

- A fix for a bug that allowed files on an XP system to be deleted by clicking on a link that was distributed via e-mail or through a Web page.

- The Windows Product Activation anti-piracy technology, which we have all learned to despise, now gives you a three-day grace period to call a Microsoft representative if you make any major changes in your computer's hardware - especially a new motherboard.

- Support for upcoming services, such as those offered by the .NET network and new devices including the highly touted Tablet PC, Windows Powered Smart Displays and XP Media Center Edition.

- Restored support for Java Virtual Machine, which had been removed from XP due to a lawsuit filed by Sun Microsystems.

Of course downloading 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 also 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 a while knows, nothing's perfect.

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