Mary Jo Foley debunks some recent stories that claim Windows XP Service Pack 2 has been delayed until September:
If you read the transcript of Security VP Rich Kaplan’s remarks, you won’t see anything about XP Service Pack 2 being delayed until September. It’s still a Q3 deliverable (at least for now). But last week, Microsoft execs said it’s still looking like late July for RTM.
Precisely. The trouble with the Web is that it sometimes acts like a giant echo chamber. One influential source hears something and gets it wrong, and the incorrect story gets picked up by a dozen other sites within a few hours. Because the story has appeared in so many places, it’s easy to assume that at least some of those stories are independent, rather than reaching the correct conclusion that they’re all based on a single error.
I’ve seen many Microsoft releases. After code is released to manufacturing (RTM), it typically takes weeks, to manufacture and distribute CDs and to get the final bits into the hands of computer makers.
Don’t forget, too, that August is historically a slow time for computer buyers. September is when business really begins in earnest. A late July RTM of the code should mean that existing customers will be able to download it almost immediately, while those who want to receive it on a CD or with a new computer will have to wait until September.
Oh, and it will absolutely be worth waiting for.
Ed Bott 
Ed, would you say that the pre-release version of SP2 is worth downloading if, say, I am a relatively advanced and experienced Windows user who has read most of your books, but not an IT professional? TIA.
Absolutely! It is very stable and can be uninstalled and replaced when the final version comes out. I’ve been using it on my production systems here for quite a while.
Ed…first, thanks for WinXP inside/out, it’s a great reference. I do have one question,in light of the “check out your information with a trusted source” comment above: will the sp2 fire wall cover both incoming and outgoing transmissions, or just the incoming? I thought it was supposed to be bidirectional, but I saw a source somewhere that said, a la the original firewall, it would only cover inbound connections.
Thanks again
Chris
Chris, the Windows Firewall covers inbound connections only. It’s a full Stateful Packet Inspection firewall, but it isn’t intended to block outgoing connections. For that, you need third-party software.
Thanks, Ed
Chris