Microsoft Blues

MICROSOFT BLUES

With the advent of 'Service Pack 2' for Windows XP
operating system, Microsoft have really made the forums hum.

Every forum on computer problems is replete with complaints
that since downloading and installing 'SP2', many 'third
party' applications don't work.

This service pack was needed to keep viruses and trojans
out of people's computers when they are on the internet, but
it has caused a world wide backlash against the software giant
because people's favored applications won't work, or the
computer crashes when they try to open them. Many people
have said they will buy a Mac or try Linux instead.

What causes all this fury against Microsoft who are only
trying to make surfing the internet safer?

Maybe there was an almighty rush to release this service
pack before it had been thoroughly beta tested on all
applications to see what the issues would be.

The complexity of this service pack is such that you really
need to have a degree in I.T. just to set it's parameters,
instead of relying on it's default settings, before you can
successfully use it. It really needed a dvd movie to
accompany it to visually show what you had to set before
starting up any 'third party' applications, but this was not
thought necessary because Microsoft were offering free
technical support via a free phone number.

Some applications require that you open ports manually,
but who would know that without clear instructions?

Some of the applications that need ports to be opened for
them include the following:- "Visual Studio.Net", "SQL",
"Backup Exec 9", "Ghost Server Corporate Edition 7.5",
"Symantec Anti-Virus Corporate Edition 8.0", "SMS 2003
Server", "CuteFTP 5.0 xp", "Exceed 7.0 and 8.0", "Kea!
340 5.1", "View Now 1.05", "Microsoft Operations Manager
2000", "AutoCad 2004", "Backup Exec 9.1 4691", "Windows
Scanner and Camera Wizard", "Cold Fusion MX Server
Edition 6", "eTrust 6.0.100", "Netshield 4.5", "IBM Tivoli
Storage Manager" ...and the list goes on.

Many games won't work. Games that need "DX9.0c" to run,
are not supported by the 'SP2', so games don't run.

Virus scanning software by McAfee, Sourcenet, Sonic Wall,
Command Anti-Virus, either give error messages, or crash the
computer.

Most scanners including Umax scanners may not work and
give error messages, or continually re-boot the computer.

Some of the features of Ebay Toolbar will cease to
function. Users of Ebay's Enhanced Picture Service are locked
out.

Applications which may not work are programs that have to
contact a server to work at all, some ftp, multimedia streaming
software, 'new mail' notifications in some email applications.
Some programs reported not working are webservers such as
"Internet Information Services" (IIS), "Remote Desktop", "File
Sharing".

Many large companies are so concerned about the
applications incompatability issues that IBM have notified all
staff not to install 'SP2'.

Complaints to 'third party' software suppliers are soaring
as if it is their fault applications don't work.

Even e-books downloaded from the internet are refusing to
fully open.

The only way to get these applications to work is to
uninstall 'SP2' by going to 'Start' then 'Control Panel' then 'Add
Remove Programs'.

Microsoft, as if to shove the blame on users, have warned
that installing 'SP2' on a 'spyware' infested machine is a 'bad
idea'.

Summing up the pro's and con's of installing 'SP2', one
forum poster stated it simply:-

"Windows XP is incompatable with SP2".