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Microsoft XP Service Pack 2 Still In Flux
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The release of Microsoft’s Windows XP Service Pack 2 has been delayed yet again. According to Mary Jo Foley at Microsoft Watch officials at the software giant have “targeted late July as the release-to-manufacturing date for XP SP2, with a revitalized Protect Your PC marketing campaign” set to launch in September.
For a broader insight into XP SP2, click on this link, from Eldergeek, or watch this ZDNet video (Windows Media Player required).
ZoneAlarm Security Suite: the new one to beat?
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For those of you who have chosen ZoneAlarm as the firewall to protect your PC from hackers, worms, trojans and all of the security detritus on the ’Net, you’ve probably noticed that ZoneAlarm v.5.0.590.015 requires a re-registration of your product. Why? Is there a money grab at work here? Is ZoneAlarm attempting to make updating your firewall as difficult as Sygate has made their update procedure?
Turns out that ZoneAlarm is now owned by an Israeli software conglomerate (even though the company says its head office is in San Francisco), and yes they do want you to re-register, and yes they probably do want more money from you for the new product, if your existing product is more than a year old.
Is the update worth it? And what does the new ZoneAlarm do that the old ZoneAlarm didn’t do?
According to Robert Vamosi, a ZDNet senior associate editor, the recently-released ZoneAlarm Security Suite “puts Norton Internet Security and McAfee Internet Security to shame with its easy-to-use features.”
Not only does the new ZoneAlarm thwart “would-be hackers with its excellent firewall and viruses with its solid antivirus software”, he says, it …
- encrypts instant messages for ICQ, AOL, MSN, and Yahoo
- protects you against IM spam (a.k.a. spim)
- filters Web e-mail scripts
- suppresses TCP/IP responses on unused ports to better hide your system from Internet scanners, and
- monitors all inbound and outbound Web contacts, alerting you to any unauthorized access
But, you’re asking, is it worth it? Even though VanRamblings has employed the new version of ZoneAlarm, to good advantage, on the machine used to publish Internet content — so far, all has been well — most C|Net users seem far from thrilled with the new product, their comments ranging from “the latest upgrade to Version 5 has caused more problems than all the previous versions put together,” and “the worst upgrade I’ve ever come across in over 20 years of P.C. use,” to “pile of horse dung” and “you might as well down load a virus.” There are positive reviews, however.
Read the commentary, both positive and negative, and decide for yourself.
