Windows XP Service Pack 2

[yashiro]

Probably not, but you are in a minority.
XP is better because it is considered a mainstream OS. Hence drivers, fixes, support are all geared for XP.

Why do you think 2k is better?

Charles you will either have to install only specific fixes or update your apps to work with SP2.

[csuzw]

I much prefer XP now. I'm also really impressed with SP2. Although it now asks me lots of questions it didn't before and which kind of get in the way because I know what I'm doing, I think this will be great for non techy types as it will mean they are helped/forced to keep there PC more secure. The only thing that slightly annoys me is the firewall bit in security centre which complains about being turned off (even though I'm pretty sure it isnt) - I've got a firewall built into my router so I don't bother with the win xp one - it would be nice to have the options of letting windows now that you had a hardware firewall rather than software.

[wod]

when you installed it , it has the option to turn it off i'm sure

[csuzw]

I turned the firewall off for my normal broadband connection but left it on for the wireless/firewire connections (which I never use) just in case. When I opened edonkey I got a message pop up from the firewall asking if I wanted to unblock it. When I check the settings its still saying the firewall is off. It doesn't bother me though at the moment as it hasn't caused any probelms.

[charlesr]

Charles you will either have to install only specific fixes or update your apps to work with SP2.

Not quite sure what's going to happen yet. We get "special" versions of the OS with all sorts of stuff disabled (for example, automatic windows update), so presumably, they are going to roll out "special" updates too. We have our own windows update tool that auto-installs only hotfixes that have passed company scrutiny, but they sent the email out because lots of us use windows update manually.
It's not going to matter soon, cos I reckon there's going to be a big push to move the entire company to linux.

[yashiro]

We are sticking with specific updates for the time being. If you have company wide apps that don't work on SP2 though that could cause some issues. They 'will' have to work on it at some point, unless you dump MS completely.

[Tom Salter]

I'm guessing if you switch off the NX stuff it'll work fine. Just find it in the System Properties -> Advanced -> Performance Settings -> Data Execution Prevention section.

[FelixofMars]

It looks like XP to me, apart from asking me a few questions at the beggining, can't tell the diffrence

[yashiro]

Programs that may behave differently in Windows XP Service Pack 2

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=884130&product=windowsxpsp2

[Ginger Tosser]

Just a few we use then, thanks M$

[Chadruharazzeb]

Holy Jesus, is that list a joke? Why don't they just release a statement saying, quite openly, that "SP2 could b0rk all your games, your applications, your firewalls, your AV software, and system monitoring tools. WE CARE."

[Tom Salter]

It says that OfficeXP, and loads of other apps don't work. But here I am, playing with Office on WinXP SP2, with Nero etc...all working fine.

[Commander Marklar]

Ah, but is that "Nero Bruning ROM" (sic)??

edit: I can see us here avoiding it for a bit, it breaks out Virus scanner (along with other apps), although I'd imagine it'd probably work fine anyway...

[nickgodfrey]

It doesn't say all those programs won't work just maybe behave differently.

[Commander Marklar]

Aye, that's mostly because it may change settings that could override or interfere with currently installed programs