Many of you are already aware of the SP3 fiasco that started in May when XP SP3 was released to the public for voluntary download. This week Microsoft switched it to a "pushed" update, listing it as a "critical update" to convince people to accept its installation.
The problem is, it is causing more problems than the issues it was supposed to fix, from perpetual reboots in some systems to, as in my case, blocked Internet updates for third party software.
Now, I can live without the MapleStory or Disney's ToonTown (if I have to), but this problem also means I cannot update my LavaSoft Ad Aware or Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus. In some cases, I have learned, Microsoft even caused problems with people updating Windows itself.
Microsoft has for years had problems with its image and the latest fiasco with XP SP3 as well as the equally irritating problems with the Windows Vista update shows exactly why it is having them. Changes to a software packet, or anything else for that matter, are supposed to make things better, not cause such outrageous hardships. Some users have even been forced to take their computers in for complete hard drive blanking and system reloading.
Microsoft needs to wake up!
This whole situation smells more of a corrupt attempt to force people to upgrade to Windows Vista or to sabotage anything that isn't Microsoft-sourced.
If Microsoft doesn't clean up its act (quickly!) it will probably see a wholesale migration to another operating system within the next two years. This irresponsibility they have been showing for years is identical to what gave innovative college students the ability to start a company that ended up topping Big Blue (IBM). I wonder who that could have been ...
Oh, right, it was Bill Gates and his buddies!
