Ever ponder whether or not to install Windows XP SP2? Here they compiled a few reasons why you shouldn't upgrade; bare in mind that these reasons were collected from actual user experiences around the net.

On November 9th , Microsoft will release its monthly security bulletins. Join us for a brief overview of the technical details of the November security bulletins followed by an extensive Q&A session.

This update addresses an issue when you view a Web page that can render vector graphics on screen in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 running on Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Internet Explorer may stop responding or crash and you receive an access violation in Vgx.dll.

Longhorn Screenshots Roundup for old/past screenshots of Longhorn to see how longhorn has evolved along the way of development.

Windows Media Audio and Video 9 Series is a breakthrough set of codecs that enables multichannel audio and high definition (HD) video at resolutions up to 1080p. See high definition in action for yourself with these downloads. To deliver ultra-high quality, these clips were encoded at 24 frames per second (fps), and at the resolutions noted of either 1280 x 720 (720p) or 1920 x 1080 (1080p). (Resolutions vary per clip.)

Windows XP Reloaded is a planned interim marketing push for Windows XP that will more widely broadcast features that have been shipped since the initial XP release in 2001, including XP SP2, a new Windows Media Player version, and other exciting consumer-oriented features.

Paul Thurrott Windows SuperSite

Microsoft released MSN Messenger 7.0.0332 to the beta testers of BetaPlace. There are several fixes, changes and more. Changes: - Contact list spacing issues (used to occur when a contact had a long display name or an emoticon in it); - Right-clicking Get this emoticon on a Premium (i.e. Blue Mountain®) emoticon would crash; -Spelling correction: "sent" vs. "send" when sending a nudge to an older client; -Pinned emoticons now shows 60/60; -Crying face emoticon :'( and disappointed emoticon now appear differently in the emoticon dropdown menu; -Close and Minimize buttons are hidden only at the smallest width of the main window when in frameless mode.

Thank you for your interest in Microsoft Windows Update version 6 Beta site. This site previews the next version of Windows Update. Before proceeding, please read the following terms and conditions carefully...

The Partner Pack is the ultimate application package for your Windows XP PC. Install this package and you will be able to play new games and have more fun, explore the internet in new ways, keep in touch and share information with friends and family, better protect your PC and do more with tools and desktop utilities. You can either download this software package for free or get a CD (and pay just for Shipping and Handling).

Microsoft has just released a combo add-on pack intended for users of Windows XP. Dubbed the "SuperPack", Microsoft has included both the Windows XP Plus! and Plus! Digital Media Edition add-on packs into one large offering.

See how to tell whether a Web site or e-mail is fraudulent, and learn what you can do to avoid these schemes-and how to report them.

Spyware is software that collects personal information without your knowledge or permission. You might be the target of spyware if you download music from file-sharing programs, free games, or other software from an unknown source. Learn how you can help to protect your computer.

Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 Service Pack 1 (SP1) contains the latest software updates for Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 that improve the reliability, performance and manageability of Virtual PC. Updates have been made to improve the performance of Windows XP Service Pack 2 as a guest in Virtual PC, to improve the manageability of virtual machines when used with SMS 2003 Service Pack 1, and to provide support for running Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition as the host operating system.

Download the complete DirectX 9.0 SDK - (October 2004), which contains the FINAL release of the DirectX 9.0c Runtime and all DirectX software required to create DirectX 9.0 compliant applications in C/C++, and C#.

This update resolves a compatibility issue with a non-Microsoft software application installed on your computer. This application prevents successful installation of Windows XP Service Packs, critical security updates and other system file updates. This update should be applied to your system to enable safe installation of these updates now and in the future.

NeoWin reports the Messenger team will be implementing a CVR update that will force all existing MSN Messenger V7.0 users to downgrade to V6.2. This CVR is scheduled to start on 6 Oct 2004. Anyone running MSN Messenger V7.0 build 0205 will need to downgrade. If you do not downgrade, you will be unable to sign into the Messenger service. We're unsure whether this will effect other builds.

We are excited to offer a preview of the next version of Windows XP Embedded. For device developers who are familiar with Windows XP Embedded, you will notice some significant changes to the product, and we think you will be impressed with what it has to offer. For developers who are new to Windows XP Embedded, we are thrilled to share this first experience with you.

Speaking at a gathering of U.K. press, Ballmer said Microsoft's "trustworthy computing" is far more than just a one-off initiative.
"We will be working on 'trustworthy computing 'for the rest of my days at Microsoft, which I hope are many. There are bad people out there in cyberspace and they are not going to go away. We are going to have to be vigilant. That's going to last for the duration," he said.

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TCMagazine: Ready for the new Messenger? Microsoft just released the first beta version of MSN Messenger 7 to its beta testers and ofcourse, we have it ready for download for you! The Build number of MSN Messenger 7 is 7.0.0205 and it weighs at about 7MB. There are also a number of new features included in this release, which you may find by installing or checking out our screenshots.

Windows® XP SP2 introduces new security technologies to better enable Windows XP computers to withstand viruses, worms and other kinds of attacks. This guide will assist IT Professionals to test and mitigate application compatibility issues arising from these more stringent security technologies