Thursday, February 24, 2005 :: 6:18:00 PM

Service Pack 2 is the devil. It hasn't touched my computer. In fact, I've literally banned windows update from updating my computer with it. It causes more problems than good.. which is why when I came across this on the Micro$oft website, I had to laugh..

I thought this was funny..

lets see.... I'll run down the list of the Top Ten Reasons to Download Service Pack 2.. First off, you know if they have a "top ten" list depicting reasons for the download, then it's not going over well... so here's the list:

1. Help protect your PC from harmful attachments.
2. Improve your privacy when you’re on the Web.
3. Avoid potentially unsafe downloads.
4. Reduce annoying pop-ups.
5. Get firewall protection from startup to shutdown.
6. Take control of your security settings.
7. Get the latest updates easily.
8. Help protect your e-mail address.
9. Take action against crashes caused by browser add-ons.
10. Go wireless without the hassle.

now, lets take a closer look at this list... first off - "Get the latest updates easily". Well, automatic Windows update is available and has been available for every version of windows since 98... so there's no real "benefit" there...

what else.. "Improve your privacy when you're on the web"... sounds an awful lot like "Get firewall protection from startup to shutdown"... and oh, it also sounds like "Help protect your e-mail address." on top of that, SP2 urges you to download the microsoft firewall program to actually accomplish this.. so it's not really service pack 2 that does the work, but the extra firewall program.. (or even the one built into windows).

"Go wwireless without the hassle"..... am I missing something here? there's a hassle with wireless networks that exist within, not the devices themselves, but within windows? hmm... EHHHHHH *sound of buzzer*.... not really windows' fault now, is it? nor can they *really* do anything about it..

now, number 4 is *almost* good... "Reduce annoying popups"..... this would be good, but it also cuts out the popups you need!!! what if you're surfing and you need a website that has popups? like a news article, a dictionary definition, a music/video clip....... nice try - BLOCKED.. you've gotta go into your security settings, disable your firewall, and go to the site again.... once done, go back into your security settings and turn it back on again..... good idea and concept - but come on Micro$oft, let US decide which sites we want to allow please?

"Avoid potentially unsafe downloads" and "Help protect your PC from harmful attachments"... This is only accomplished when you have downloaded a virus scanner - which doesn't come with SP2.... so nice try, but no cigar here either..

so new list:

1. Help protect your PC from harmful attachments.
2. Improve your privacy when you’re on the Web.
3. Avoid potentially unsafe downloads.
4. Reduce annoying pop-ups.
5. Get firewall protection from startup to shutdown.
6. Take control of your security settings.
7. Get the latest updates easily.
8. Help protect your e-mail address.
9. Take action against crashes caused by browser add-ons.
10. Go wireless without the hassle.

so that leaves us with:

6. Take control of your security settings.
9. Take action against crashes caused by browser add-ons.

yay.. browser addons... whoopity do!
the only real benefit in the list is taking control of your security settings...

but, if you're like the BAJILLION other people out there that already have a router (which has a built in hardware firewall), or a software firewall like Zone Alarm... you already had all that.....

so, there goes the list..
on top of all of that, SP2 is annoying in the way it works, too intrusive, and stops a lot of new games from working on it...

to this, I say.. turn your collar to Service Pack 2..

Until next time.......
*fade to black*

:: Eldorado ::