Whats took so long? SP1 shipped in September 2002.
XP SP2 was originally due in late 2003. But a spate of Internet-based hacker attacks in summer 2003 changed everything. Recasting XP SP2 as a major security update, Microsoft quietly issued a new road map on its Web site that mentioned a second quarter 2004 date, about 9 months later than originally expected and more than a year and a half since the first XP service pack. Compatibility problems caused by the new security features later caused Microsoft to delay the release until late summer 2004. But although XP SP2 would indeed add new features, to the chagrin of users who took Microsoft’s legendary but oft-abused “no new features in service packs” promise at face value, few can complain about the steps the software giant is taking to secure Windows through this release. Indeed, thanks to a variety of safety technologies, the release of SP2 should significantly improve XP’s security situation.
