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Without a doubt, we recommend you install this service pack. Although this is called a service pack, it's a major software release that focuses on security. It addresses many security problems that plagued Microsoft this past year. These changes impact the operating system, email and browser. Because of the scope, it also means there is a good likelihood that some of your programs and favorite websites won't work yet with the update. (Update: After running SP2 on several test machines for 4 weeks, we've updated our other machines. The majority of 3rd party vendors have posted SP2 information and upgrades.)

You're probably asking yourself how long to wait. The answer depends on your system and what programs are installed. Even though thousands of people were testing this software, there's no reasonable way all software and hardware combinations could be tested with the new code. You or your company may use a custom application. In our case, we installed the service pack so we could write about the changes. However, we don't plan on upgrading our main machines for another month. (Update: All our machines are now patched.)

Although you can expect your Microsoft programs to work with the service pack, it's too soon to know about your other applications. Major software and hardware vendors have been testing their applications with the new code. As example, Symantec already posted a WinXP information center for their customers. But, not all companies have the resources to properly test or document their programs. Moreover, changes may appear in the production versions that were never in a beta version. Microsoft has released a KB article on known compatibility issues mostly with their firewall and a list of programs that can experience a "loss of functionality".

Before you install the service pack, you need to understand two items. The first is what programs are installed on your computer. Second, you need to know the areas the service pack covers. The changes impact 5 main areas:

1. Improved computer maintenance

Clearly, Microsoft is becoming assertive with users and making the default selections more obvious and secure. Previously, many Microsoft security options were turned off by default such as the Internet firewall or automatic updates. Although some of these changes may seem Draconian, we believe they are the right move for most users.

The biggest change is the new Security Center. The intent is to provide a centralized dashboard that provides information on security settings. This security center focuses on three items: firewall, virus protection and automatic updates. Although Microsoft isn't including virus protection, it will show whether your anti-virus software is current. The Security Center is built for novices and includes color-coding and recommendation buttons.

Another maintenance improvement is the new Windows Update site. The advantage to this site is it offers more download options. Of particular interest is the Express Install that will be a combined package of all the critical updates for your machine. This package will make it easier to download the required files.

Things to think about: If you use a 3^rd party firewall or anti-virus programs, we suggest you check the vendor's site or support forums for updates about this service pack.