Microsoft: we let you down with XP

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James Bannan08 August 2007, 1:47 PM

TECH.ED |Microsoft finally admits it. Windows XP was not apice de rsistancewhen it came to security.


Firewall: thank goodness we have Hollywood to make cheesy tech-cliche movies for us.Firewall: thank goodness we have Hollywood to make cheesy tech-cliche movies for us.

TECH.ED | “We let you down with Windows XP”. So stated Steve Riley, in an afternoon session today at Tech.Ed Australia, entitled “Making the Tradeoff: Be Secure or Get Work Done”.

He was referring to the fact that Windows XP was released with no effective firewall software, leaving users exposed in an online world.  The situation was eventually remedied with the inclusion of Windows Firewall in XP Service Pack 2.  This application in an of itself wasn't considered  the best client firewall out there, but it did (and does) effectively stop incoming traffic.  

Traditionally, users have often disabled Windows Firewall in favour of freeware alternatives, but the version included in Windows Vista offers much more comprehensive client protection, and is a suitable security option for any user. 

It’s not often that a Microsoft spokesperson will openly state what the rest of us have always known, but then Steve isn’t known for dodging awkward topics .

“We let you down”? We know!

James Bannan is attending Tech.Ed Australia as a guest of Microsoft.

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David Flynn:

It's actually standard practice for Microsoft to do the 'mea culpa' routine on an OS once its successor is rolled out as a way of showing that the new OS version is better, or that 'we listened to you!', or both. They found plenty of things to criticise about the 9x and 2000 lines when XP was launched, and no doubt the launch of 'Windows 7' will include all manner of admissions about 'how we let you down with Vista'.

29 February 2008, 8:31 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Haushoffer:

I agree 100% with David Flynn.



29 February 2008, 8:47 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

raindog:

XP was a huge let down from it's release least of all because of it's appallingly haphazard security.

But the letdowns and annoyances of XP fail int to insignificance when compared to Vista.

And quite frankly I'd rather battle with bad than worse. Interventionist Operating Systems with a permanently wired on numskull mode, no thank you, XP is the lesser of two evils.

29 February 2008, 8:31 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

tin:

And here I was thinking this was going to be about the availability of XP now...

They may as well apologise for letting us down with DOS if that's all they are going to say.

29 February 2008, 8:31 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Ron Burk:

I watched the video all the way through, and though I can't swear to being fully awake the whole time, I was unable to locate the "we let you down" comment.

Now I wonder if I missed it, or if he said it elsewhere (as opposed to the talk indicated by the article), or they edited it out, or what...

29 February 2008, 8:31 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Kris Ez:

wow great reporting.
This couldnt be more of a misquoted headline. I attended that talk and it was most informative. The fact he conceded they made a mistake in not defaulting the firewall on does not mean Microsoft is apologising for a bad OS.
I didn't realise that anyone would pay to attend Tech.Ed with the intention of misquoting the worlds largest software house.

29 February 2008, 8:31 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Slippery Jim diGriz:

"James Bannan is attending Tech.Ed Australia as a guest of Microsoft."

Note the disclaimer - We paid, James didn't.

I was sat across the aisle from James at todays Mobile 6 presentation by Steve Riley. I'll be interested to see what he writes about that.

I'll admit I'm a bit of a Steve Riley (and Jesper Johanssen, they made a great presenting team) fanboy, I find his plain and simple common sense statements about apparently complex security issues amazing and refreshing.

29 February 2008, 8:47 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

dateman:

So XP is crap...can we get a refund?

29 February 2008, 8:31 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Wes:

I think this only referred to the firewall and not the whole OS.

29 February 2008, 8:31 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

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