Windows XP SP2: A No-Brainer Upgrade? Additional Features and Conclusions Joseph Moran
Additional Features
Not all of the SP2 improvements concern security — for example, SP2 applies some new tweaks to the Windows Automatic Update feature. It still has the same four basic settings — download and install updates automatically, download updates automatically and install manually, notify only about updates, and off. However, the automatic download and installation of updates can now be scheduled by the user (default is daily at 3 AM). This is an improvement over having updates downloaded and installed as soon as they are posted, which could potentially bring your broadband connection and even the system itself to a slow crawl at an inopportune time. Scheduling updates during the wee hours (or any time your computer is unattended) also has obvious benefits for dial-up users.
SP2 additionally adds some updates to the WLAN features of the operating system. There's a new WLAN connection wizard and a new interface that gives a clearer indication of what WLAN is currently connected. The tray icon representing a wireless connection has also been changed to be easily distinguishable from that of a wired one. And, of course, WPA support is included with SP2, eliminating the need to separately download the WPA supplement on updated machines.
Conclusions
Almost every major Microsoft update brings with it reports of application incompatibilities and system problems in its wake, and XP Service Pack 2 has been no different. XP SP2 will undoubtedly cause problems for some people, especially due to the new firewall settings.
Moreover, SP2 ought not be considered a panacea for all the security risks a user faces (in this day and age, no security software is) — you can rest assured that those will ill intentions are already studying the update and working on new methods to compromise your computer's security.
It's also important to remember the saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." Despite its best efforts, SP2 can't protect users from themselves — it can't stop you from overriding its recommended settings, or force you to keep your computer updated, or ensure that you exercise care in dealing with attachments.
Acknowledging all of that, when you factor in all of the various operating system and application additions and enhancements XP SP2 provides, downloading and installing the XP Service Pack 2 ASAP is still a virtual no-brainer.
Pros: Improved security for Windows XP, built-in Firewall, better control over pop-ups and browser add-ons, Windows peer-to-peer networking feature, enhanced IE browser, wireless networking enhancements, free upgrade
Cons: New security measures and built-in Firewall can take some time to get used to (especially for web browsing and file downloading), some security enhancements are counterintuitive, less-than-perfect integration with – and doesn't eliminate the need for – third-party apps
