>Maybe one day MS will release an OS without such gapping wide>security flaws in that won't require CONSTANT updating.If checking windows update every couple of days is too taxing for you, perhaps you should try enjoying Flight Simulator on Linux.

>In any case, I have had bad experiences installing updates>blindly from Microsoft. I do recollect one patch slowed the>computer down so much that FS became a slideshow. And thats>just one update. It is my practice to not wait forever to>install an update - rather I wait and make sure that people>are not experiencing adverse affects from the updates. If>that attitude is wrong well sorry, but I don't really find>fault with it.The problem isn't with computer savvy people like you, but rather with the vast majority of computer users would don't know much about computers. It is these people who cause you to have dozens of infected emails everyday.This service pack hopes to help that problem a bit because Security Center is always telling you "You don't have a firewall", "You don't have anti virus installed", "You don't have Automatic Updates on" etc. And it will keep telling you until you do something about it (which it will tell you how to do something about it).Service Pack 2 is a good upgrade. Considering FS runs as well with it as with a fresh installation of Windows (for me anyway), again, it would behoove you to install it when Microsoft releases it officially.

>If checking windows update every couple of days is too taxing>for you, perhaps you should try enjoying Flight Simulator on>Linux.Oh boy, what I wouldn't give for that :)

>Service Pack 2 is a good upgrade. Considering FS runs as well>with it as with a fresh installation of Windows (for me>anyway), again, it would behoove you to install it when>Microsoft releases it officially.I have no doubt I will install it; I will just wait a couple of days :)

Taxing?, no of course not, but surely it is possible to produce and OS that is not so flawed in the security department?Oh hang on, it is, like you said Linux, but unfortunatly while MS has a strangle hold on the PC market we will all have to stuck with windows for the foreseeable future :)CheersDan.

I don't really think the Wondows OS is so bad. I mean, while its true that theres some security holes, its also true that 99% of the viruses and trojans that cuase so many problems for people and businesses are able to do so becuase uninformed individuals insist on opening files attached to emails that contain messages like "is this you?", or "recognise it?", or "wasn't this your account?" Is SP2 going to make those folks wake up? I doubt it. I haven't had any AV software installed in nearly six years, nor do I run a firewall. Never had a virus or worm. Every once in a while I get curious and go and run Trend Micro's online scanner. So far its never found a thing. Now, I'm not recomending that for everyone and certainly not for any business systems but my home PC is used almost exclusively for gaming and game related stuff (painting models and so forth) and web surfing. Theres nothing on this PC that would be a major loss and I'm the only one who really uses it so I'm able to keep a pretty close eye on what gets downloaded and so forth. Its entirely possible to operate a PC without AV stuff and firewalls gumming up the works as long as you are armed with some knowledge and have tight control of the system. I do certainly check in with Windows update regularly and keep up to date with the sec patchs but I'll hold off on SP2 till I am reasonably sure its not going to cuase more trouble than its worth.

All MS bashing aside, XP SP1 was a very smooth release for most people, and I would hope that SP2 will be the same. Still, I will probably wait a week just to be safe.