But before you get too excited, please take a moment with me to slice through some of the hype and hoopla coming out of Redmond, Washington.

At first glance, the release suggests that Microsoft has finally gotten serious about upgrading Windows' security. By the end of the month, automatic desktop downloads will be available via Windows Update, then on free CDs. Right now, manufacturers and large-systems operators are getting their first look at the final version of SP2. But Microsoft's much heralded Windows XP Service Pack 2 has finally arrived. For example, don't expect the new Windows Firewall to prevent keystroke-logging Trojans from stealing your credit card info. NET Framework and Windows Product Activation.While XP SP2 is a huge step forward for Microsoft, there are important caveats. Originally code-named Whistler, XP gained. See HyperThreading and Remote Desktop Services.Ī 64-bit version became available for Intel IA-64 machines as well as AMD's 64-bit CPUs. For example, XP Pro could log in to a domain-based network, and it supported Intel's Hyper-Threading. XP Home Edition was designed for the consumer, and XP Professional was aimed at the office worker with added security and administrative options. XP added a personal firewall (see Windows Firewall) and functioned as both client and server (see peer-to-peer network). XP improved support for gaming, digital photography, instant messaging, wireless networking and Internet sharing. As of 2020, it is estimated that less than 1% of all Windows users are running XP. Introduced in 2001, XP was a major upgrade with many changes to the user interface. This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing ( ) Windows XPThe client version of Windows superseding Windows 2000 and prior to Windows Vista.

Xp sp2