Service Pack 3 (SP3) for Windows XP draws slowly nearer. Microsoft have now made XP SP3, Release Candidate 2, available for download (for the daring) from their website. Full release could be as far away as June this year though.
Windows XP SP3 was originally expected as early as 2006, but has been pushed back several times as the bulk of Microsoft’s energy has been focused on Windows Vista. The update focuses mainly on bug fixes and other minor changes to the operating system, as opposed to new features.
On the subject of Windows Vista, any incentive to “upgrade” remains, well, non-existent. A “prerequisite piece of software for Windows Vista Service Pack 1″ has been causing problems for some users, who have reported losing all their data and software.
One irate Windows Vista Ultimate user replied to [Microsoft product manager Nick] White’s blog post, saying the prerequisite had corrupted a PC and resulted in the need to reformat the hard drive, with the resulting loss of all of the files and programs. When advised by an anonymous contributor of the System Restore option on the Vista installation disc, the Vista Ultimate user replied that the copy of Vista had been purchased and downloaded from the Internet, so there was no disc.
In more disappointing news, the Windows Vista Service Pack 1 update is also causing some programs to fail completely, or only operate with “reduced functionality”.
“Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) contains many security, reliability, and feature updates for Windows Vista. A program may experience a loss of functionality after you install Windows Vista SP1. However, most programs will continue to work as expected after you install Windows Vista SP1,” the company said.
Er, operating system?
Anyone still not scared off using a Windows’ operating system should, if buying a new PC, insist on having it shipped with Windows XP as the OS especially as, interestingly enough, Microsoft have extended support for XP through until 2014.
On the other hand however, perhaps it is time to consider buying a Mac instead…
