Windows XP Service Pack 3 has surfaced in many release candidate and pre-release versions since the fall of 2007. Here we are in the month of May and another target date, April 30, 2008, has come and gone for the release of Windows XP SP3. Why the delays. In a word, the problem is compatibility.

What went wrong with the latest Windows XP SP3?
The answer is simple. Compatibility, or the lack thereof. I have read many accounts of the reasons for this latest delay, but few of them show the sense of humor of the www.internetnew.com article about the subject, in which they said “In a move a little like Lucy pulling the ball out of the path of Charlie Brown's lunging foot at the last moment, Microsoft withdrew plans to make Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) publicly available today.” Why the delay this time? Microsoft found out there is an issue with Windows XP customers who also run Microsoft's Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS), a software package for running retail stores. The same problem exists with Windows Vista SP1. Microsoft decided to delay releasing Windows XP SP3 to Windows Update and Microsoft Download Center until the problem is resolved. Windows Vista SP1, which began automatic downloads the week of April 21, 2008 has the same problem, and Microsoft has disabled the auto updates capability for Vista SP1 as well, although users can still manually download SP1.
 

When will there be a resolution?
Microsoft says soon. The plan is to put filtering in place shortly to prevent Windows Update from offering both service packs to systems running Microsoft Dynamics RMS. Once that filter is in place to detect what you have running on your system, Microsoft is expected to release Windows XP SP3 to Windows Update and Download Center, and to allow the resumption of automatic downloads of Windows Vista SP1. Will this come quickly or be a delayed process. That is hard to say, given the recent record of delays in patch availability for both products. Still, Microsoft is trying to address the problem promptly.
 

Other Windows news
Everyone, it seems, has been watching with bated breath for these service packs for Windows Vista and Windows XP. In fact, Windows XP SP3 has been highly anticipated, particularly with the dismal adoption rate for Windows Vista. Now, even the plans to discontinue sales of Windows XP in June 2008 may be delayed. While speaking at news conference April 24, 2008 in Belgium, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer indicated that Microsoft might reconsider plans to no longer offer Windows XP on systems sold by major PC manufacturers in June 2008. He went on to say “XP will hit end-of-life. We have announced one. If customer feedback varied we can always wake up smarter but right now we have a plan for end-of-life for new XP shipments.” Many companies are simply choosing to wait and continue to use Windows XP until the release of what is currently being called Windows 7, which has been rumored as having a projected release date of as soon as the end of 2009.
 

Microsoft bashing?
No, I do not think so. Based on the selection of business applications, productivity software, games, specialty and multimedia software, there is not a single operating system platform out there with as much choice or with the market penetration. Is the Microsoft solution perfect? Of course not, but I doubt anyone can find a platform with as many applications and interoperability options as are available for personal and business use nor for collaborative efforts as Windows.

What should you do now?
As with any new software or patch, keep your eyes and ears open for updates. Once the software updates are available, make sure you have your data backed up before you apply the patch. That way, you will not fall victim to a compatibility issue yourself. Based on the number of applications out there, their different versions and the many possible combinations, no one’s configuration will be 100 percent like someone else’s. As I have said before, just wait until the update appears on the Windows Update or Microsoft Update web sites and give it a few days after its general release before you install it, unless you are an adrenaline junkie who likes to live on the wild side! And as always, if you are going to install any software, new or updated, make sure you have a complete backup of your system to fall back on and keep the uninstall instructions close at hand!


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