I clicked the “Updates are available” balloon on my laptop today and was informed that the massive 75MB+ Service Pack 2 was ready for installation. Wow, this is a major upgrade. I chose to install it and reboot, and I was greeted with several changes:
- QuickLaunch shortcut for Internet Explorer added to the menu bar
- Security Center console, which came up automatically and tried to block AIM, my browser, and just about everything else that runs on startup
- Information Bar in IE that tries to block file downloads and popups, until you turn it off (which I did immediately)
It’s nothing I wouldn’t expect from Microsoft. I suspect that this will result in more people being less dumb about their computers’ security, but it’s mostly a hassle for me. I haven’t had an unwanted popup in months, and I have never had adware on my computer (according to Norton Internet Security Professional, which Microsoft rips off in almost every new feature in SP2). I’m convinced that security risks are mostly the result of web developers being evil, and web users going to the evil sites. Somehow I avoid them, though.
A hassle for me. Hopefully it will make the world a better place. Ugh.
What bugs me is how Microsoft ignores user settings with IE. Since when is it OK to add QuickLaunch shortcuts without asking? And why doesn’t the Messenger shortcut to my Hotmail account open in my default browser (which is not IE)? Using Microsoft products is like living with control-freak parents after you’re grown - you don’t want the interference, but there’s not much else out there should you reject them and their intrusions.
