I can't imagine why folks use XP
 

Most OS X users probably don't know just how lucky they are. When an update is available, most of us just install it and it works. I've been doing that all through the 10.1, 10.2, and 10.3 series and I've only had one problem (a 10.3.x update broke an old G3 Rage 128 built-in video card, but I had a Radeon 7000 hanging around and it worked fine).

This morning I saw a perfect example of the other side of the street - Win XP. I downloaded nearly 80 MB of the long-awaited Win XP Service Pack 2, waited eons for my ThinkPad to massage it, unpack it, etc., and nearly an hour after I started received the message: "Unable to Install". No explanation, no information, no alternatives given - just "Unable to Install". Great stuff, eh? The only option offered was Cancel. I cancelled, of course, and then the summary changed to "Cancelled by User", so XP noticed that much - big help. If I didn't have to use XP for a specific purpose, I wouldn't touch it with a pointed stick.

I've heard a lot of people having problems with SP2, I'm glad I 'down'graded to Windows 2000 (even though I think Windows 2000 is an UPgrade from XP :) ) and I haven't had much trouble. That's Windows for you :(

I wanted a gaming computer but to save, I think, $100, I went to XP. I wait a LONG time before downloading upgrades. This is a good example. I do not use this computer for email-- just gaming and portable stuff. Everything else is done on my G4 iMac. Unless you are an IT type, Windows is a very scary OS to maintain or tweak.

Yeah, I agree, the only thing windows is good for is gaming, and thas only if you have the time to update such. But one reason i don't like windows, is how they put there current OS on EOL. For example, when Windows RG(longhorn) comes out, IE will no longer be supported on XP. Forcing people to upgrade.

MY lone Win box runs Win 2K. I've hesitated in going to Win XP cause I keep thinking "It takes Microsoft five years to work out the bugs on thier OSes". Right now, I dont see myself going to XP. I ran 98SE for as long as possible (only gaming and Visio).

Yep. I have a PC that I theoretically use to keep my Windows programming skills sharp. Of course I hate working on it, because I have my iMac available. So the theory is sound, but...

In any case, I'm running Win2K on it. I don't see any advantage of XP over 2K at all. Everyone else I know who uses Windows uses 2K (well, all of my programmer friends, the ones who are nervous about touching a computer don't count, since they'll use Win 3.1 if that's what is installed).

Well SP2 breaks DivX, file renaming, Windows Explorer (And that's just on the other halfs laptop!) I suppose I better go downstairs and re-install XP without SP2. On another note, I'm finally saying goodbye to my Windows desktop system today, couldn't sell it so I'm having to give it away just to free up some space!

Folks, while someone would have to pry the mice of my Macs from my cold dead fingers, I did the XP Service Pack 2 update a couple of weeks ago on my PC and it went pretty smoothly. Took two attempts to complete it, and then had to go disable the Windows firewall so my 3rd party one (Sygate) and LAN file sharing would work correctly again.

It was not too hard to figure out how to do that.

What I'm curious about, from people with wireless PC's running XP, is; does SP2 fix the completely moronic way XP had for managing wireless networking? :rolleyes:

Also, for those looking ahead, go ahead and call it ShortHorn anyway. :D

I think SP2 does fix Wireless networking, we can now get 11Mbps rather than 1Mbps. BUT it does seem to have broken Mac>Windows file sharing. The Win XP machine can see the Mac, but the Mac can no longer browse the XP box (even with admin shares)

I believe that's one of the reasons I disabled the Firewall Service, in the Administrator Tools. You can probably find documentation at Microsoft on what ports you need to open, and then how to restrict access to the local subnet.

This is why I like the Sygate firewall; it was pretty easy to do these things with it.

Finally! I've got a Linksys wireless access point that would never stay linked to my XP laptop for more than 5 minutes so I actually resorted to a very long CAT 5 cable in desperation. Now I'll dig out the access point and try it again [fingers crossed].

The new blocking imposed by the firewall is a real nuisance too. Mine, for example, asks every time I start about "javaw" and I click "Ask me later" because I haven't discovered yet what it's for. Refusing probably breaks something legitimate because this box is behind a LAN firewall anyway.
I did get file sharing, Crystalfire Wormhole, and Timbuktu all working by going to the Windows Firewall > Exceptions and adding them.

The XP firewall is disabled and I'm using Kerio and am on a trusted network, but I will check the settings on it though!

Hehe, aye, I have a Windows desktop PC (I'm a Windows>Mac convert with my luvverly ibook g4 - and am now lusting after a desktop mac!!).

I installed Sp2 a few days ago, and my PC refused to boot a couple of times. Just a black screen. And then out of the blue it worked!

But not only that but when I finally got there - it's been downgraded from "For 10 year olds" to "For 5 year olds" it seems. It took me far too long to find the, obviously hard-to-find-on-purpose, option to inform XP that I don't want to use the firewall - as every computer in this house runs through a Linksys router with it's own firewall!

Arg. So I agree with you, I just wish my desk was bigger so I could use my iBook as a desktop PC when I want to jump up and down on my windows system - only I can't open it all the way or it hits my monitor :D

That's what I always tell people who want to buy a computer. If you buy a PC, you better have your own IT department. When they ask what that means, they turn around and buy a Macintosh. This has happened 5 times so far.

Im holding back on the SP2 as well - I have a decent firewall (Zonealarm), I dont use IE (Firefox rocks!). The PC is connected to the internet via my mac, and is only allowed to surf the web and 'safe' things. No windows filesharing exposed to the internet etc... I have also run the programs found on http://www.grc.com/freepopular.htm which dramatically increase the security of XP.

With all the above, I already have most of the 'features' included in SP2... so im going to skip it.

no, you really don't. you have a problem waiting to happen. In that case I suppose it's prudent for you to avoid installing any other kind of software firewall be it an alternate brand or an OS bundle. With ZouchAlarm you may experience 'unpleasantness' should you attempt to uninstall- and install a better software firewall like Outpost Pro http://agnitum.com


Good call on both counts ;)

SP2 is, however, more than a firewall upgrade. You should reinvestigate before abandoning it so quickly.

Firewall
 

interesting - I hope not to experience any 'unpleasantness' which you refer to. ive been very happy with zonalarm, which has been doing a good job for about 9 months now. im so happy with it, that i dont think i will be changing my firewall (especially to one that i would have to pay for - cos im a cheapskate). that is one reason why im holding back on SP2 however, that it might turn into a complicated upgrade to get the windows firewall off and get zonealarm back on....

my pc is behind the firewall of my router, so is shielded from the net to a reasonable extent anyway. i keep zonealarm running on it to give me peace of mind that only the applications that i choose can have access to the internet - being a simple (free!) way to protect against trojans and spyware apps.

as a side note,
anyone reading this thread might want to check out "shields up" https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 to check the effectiveness of your firewall setup. the website also has freeware programs to turn off unnecessary 'services' running on XP to reduce the number of security vulnerabilities. (a few of which are claimed to be fixed by SP2)

I just recently installed SP2, and have had not a single drama with it at all. I installed it rebooted it and its runs fine, I have since got microsofts rdc, for mac and now dont have to go to my pc at all, i can rdc, do everything i want, and also use the programs i want without having to use VPC, networks are all fine, file sharing all fine, everything works fine..

Gee, I was annoyed at the completely moronic way SP2 has for managing wireless networking, until I realized I could switch back to the old way...

All this stuff cracks me up. Out of hundreds of computers I support, exactly two have had issues with SP2. They were ancient machines with garbage hardware and low memory. Surprise. I haven't been succesfull at loading Panther on my Quadra 650 either... :rolleyes:

My other half is having problems with wireless networking since installing SP2. What do you mean 'Switch back to the old way'? How do you do this or do you have to uninstall SP2??

From the dumbed-down SP2 interface, click on the "Advanced settings" link on the lower left part of the window, and it will show the old-style config panel.

Real IT types should be sick when seeing an OS like that, especially considering the flurry of stable predecessors it has....

When I first played with solaris (had never seen anything else than dos/windows and early macos) I could not believe the time people wasted with the instability of the desktop OSes of the time.

Now I run OSX and Linux.....

Once again, as something of a 'real IT type' (at least that's what the customers pay for) I haven't run up against giant problems with any of the OS's I support.

Each takes a certain amount of time to understand the underlying thought process that went into the design, and they're definitely different thought processes, but once you do that it's just not that painful.

The toughest problems I encounter happen when somebody tries to skimp on a piece of hardware or software and gets something completely inadequate for their needs. Things like wireless access points and backup systems are prime candidates for this, as are attempts to take off the shelf software like Access or FileMaker and try to produce a working business system without planning for the development effort involved.

That, plus a general unwillingness to recognize that software must always drive the hardware requirements, and never vice versa.

Well put. Junk hardware is the source of most problems I run into.

Of course, every once in while you read things like this, and wonder about what the underlying thought process was at the time. :eek:

49.7 days...

Ah, government. They could screw up any OS. Then you add in lowest-bidder government contractors...