Windows is such a complicated product that I'm surprised that it doesn't have *more holes. The whole premise of having an OS that supports office products that allow users to collaborate, share, and use each others tools can be a recipe for disaster when you put a hacker in the midst.
Some may scoff, but I like the OS's very much. Their productivity products are fabulous. I'm not a fan of Outlook or Outlook Express because those programs alone are buggier and "holeier" than anything in existence. :-3
Microsoft Service Pack 2
Microsoft Service Pack 2
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capt_buzzard
- Posts: 5557
- Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2004 12:00 pm
Microsoft Service Pack 2
I have W.XP too. But I prefer W'98. No probs so far. I'm not high tech as you guy's seem to be. 
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anastrophe
- Posts: 3135
- Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:00 pm
Microsoft Service Pack 2
warning - rant ahead
I am really, really peeved at microsoft. if i were a violent person, i'd be driving towards redmond washington right now with a baseball bat on the back seat.
once again, microsoft has taken 'helpfulness' to the absurd and outstandingly annoying levels only it is capable of, to wit:
i recently installed XP service pack two on two different machines. one, my main desktop that i use for work and pleasure, running XP Professional. the other, my laptop, also for work and pleasure, but mostly my wife uses it now to browse the web(!). that one's running XP Home.
on both machines, and in fact on all windows machines under my control, i run Sygate personal firewall. it's free, it works exceedingly well, and i'm very happy with it - i have no desire to change.
XP SP2 of course includes mickeysoft's new built in firewall. they have an elaborate 'security center', where it advises whether the firewall and other security components are on or off. it can detect some firewall programs, but not all. it doesn't detect the Sygate firewall.
If you turn off XP SP2's firewall, and XP doesn't detect other firewall software, it will pop up an alert each time the machine boots warning that you are vulnerable.
pleasantly enough, there are two options in the security center that ostensibly can mitigate those warnings - the first is a checkbox where you can tell the security center not to monitor whether the firewall is active or not. dandy! as well, with another check box, you can instruct XP not to pop up a warning if a firewall is not active. dandy!
not so dandy: they don't bloody work.
you can click those two buttons on and off until your finger are raw, but every time you boot up: "warning! windows firewall is off! click here to fix this problem!"
i am so tired of microsoft helping us to death.
I am really, really peeved at microsoft. if i were a violent person, i'd be driving towards redmond washington right now with a baseball bat on the back seat.
once again, microsoft has taken 'helpfulness' to the absurd and outstandingly annoying levels only it is capable of, to wit:
i recently installed XP service pack two on two different machines. one, my main desktop that i use for work and pleasure, running XP Professional. the other, my laptop, also for work and pleasure, but mostly my wife uses it now to browse the web(!). that one's running XP Home.
on both machines, and in fact on all windows machines under my control, i run Sygate personal firewall. it's free, it works exceedingly well, and i'm very happy with it - i have no desire to change.
XP SP2 of course includes mickeysoft's new built in firewall. they have an elaborate 'security center', where it advises whether the firewall and other security components are on or off. it can detect some firewall programs, but not all. it doesn't detect the Sygate firewall.
If you turn off XP SP2's firewall, and XP doesn't detect other firewall software, it will pop up an alert each time the machine boots warning that you are vulnerable.
pleasantly enough, there are two options in the security center that ostensibly can mitigate those warnings - the first is a checkbox where you can tell the security center not to monitor whether the firewall is active or not. dandy! as well, with another check box, you can instruct XP not to pop up a warning if a firewall is not active. dandy!
not so dandy: they don't bloody work.
you can click those two buttons on and off until your finger are raw, but every time you boot up: "warning! windows firewall is off! click here to fix this problem!"
i am so tired of microsoft helping us to death.
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anastrophe
- Posts: 3135
- Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:00 pm
Microsoft Service Pack 2
the problem isn't in not knowing how to use the security center or sp2, it's that the behavior it alleges it will offer is not what it offers. if a program offers not to warn you about something, and you accept that offer, it's reasonable to expect the program will comply. but not when microsoft decides it knows what's best for you.
yeah, i've seen the blackviper site, though it's been a while since i was there. thanks for the reminder.
yeah, i've seen the blackviper site, though it's been a while since i was there. thanks for the reminder.
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