Want to be safe? Upgrade to Windows XP SP2
General Thoughts September 24th, 2004
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I talked about it sometime back. Now Microsoft has admitted it. The updates that got to the users with SP2 will be limited to the users of Windows XP Operating System. Any user on an old version of the operating system either has to upgrade or stay with what they have. This includes the new security updates in the Operating System core and the new features like popup blockers and security console in the Internet Explorer. The upgrade can cost anywhere between USD99 to USD 199. This is when the broad usage of Windows XP is only reported to be around 40-50% of all Windows platform users. CNet claims there are almost around 200 million users out there who are stuck with an older operating system. That forms an excellent opportunity for Microsoft to market XP as a only safe and secure option for them to move on to.
As for browsers, people already have started moving on to better alternatives like Mozilla Firefox and Opera. But to secure the operating system, there are little alternatives left behind… A free firewall in ZoneAlarm and a free antivirus in AVG would be little consolations for non Windows XP owners. Maybe, it also is a time to look forward to Linux as an alternative to general computer usage. Microsoft has also reportedly blocked the windowsupdate site to the unauthorized users of Windows Operating System. Looks like, for Microsoft an insecure system is better than a unauthorized one. Cannot complain about this policy but it is not good for the public. An insecure PC on a network can cause lot of damage to network resources that are also accessed by secure PCs. If security is priority number one, then remove the Ifs and Buts…
Related Story: Microsoft: To secure IE, upgrade to XP
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About
What we’re forgetting in all this is:
Microsoft is bound by the decree of the US Department of Justice.
“IE is an integral part of Windows, and all updates to it will ship only with the Operating System itself.” MS will be allowed to patch older versions versions of their “browsing software called Internet Explorer” to limited extents, so as to make its code secure - no new code, but only fixing existing.
NO NEW FEATURES ALLOWED, and IE CAN’T SHIP AS A SEPARATE PACKAGE. Which means that the older versions (for which upgrades can’t be provided) are stuck with IE 6 SP1 - the last version to be released before the US DoJ order.
This is all the fact is, and people are welcome to argue/flame all they want over it. Amen.
There is another side to this Windows/Internet Explorer security upgrade problem. There must be thousands of users (like my sister, for example) or have an older PC but which does everything they wish of it. To get the latest upgrades for IE they need to upgrade to Windows XP - which of course is incompatible with their hardware. And Microsoft has made no attempt to support legacy systems, claiming this is somehow insecure. How does Linux manage it then? Of course the problem lies in the very design of Microsoft’s software.
I think its time to introduce my sister to the world of desktop Linux, it’ll save her having to buy a whole new computer, in order to be safe browsing or shopping online.
Of course this will mean buying her a new broadband modem, as the one she received with her broadband provider is of course incompatible with Linux at the moment. Still, its a small price to pay to feel secure.
cjp
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“Reality is merely a perception, sometimes you just have to look at things in a different way.”
Want to make your computer blue screen and suffer hardware failures???
Upgrade to XP SP2!!!
HOL.Linux.tell her to get simply mepis.as for me i have two hard drive my xp comp.and simply mepis on the other.the windows xp is to let hacker take over my computer cept,zonealarm stops them.dounno why.anyway.HOL.or suse,mandrake.