Tuesday, June 03, 2008

7th Week: XP Service Pack 3 and IE7

So, I finally got around to updating my seldom-used XP installation to Service Pack 3 (which took about twice as long as upgrading my laptop from Gutsy to Hardy). Microsoft are now pushing Internet Explorer 7 as a "high-priority update" for SP3, and it will install itself the next time you do an Automatic Update.

Here's the supplementary license blurb:
PLEASE NOTE: Microsoft Corporation (or based on where you live, one of its affiliates) licenses this supplement to you. You may use a copy of this supplement with each validly licensed copy of Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003 SP1 software (the "software"). You may not use the supplement if you do not have a license for the software. The license terms for the software apply to your use of this supplement. Microsoft provides support services for the supplement as described at www.support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx.

Hmm, what's missing from that? Could it be, um, Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3? Are Microsoft pushing out an update that they themselves have disallowed? Or could it be that actually, nobody pays the least bit of attention to these EULA-like pieces of crap - not even the software companies themselves?

(This reminds me of when Apple released Safari for Windows before realising it was against license terms to install it on anything but an Apple...)

Oh yes, and exams are happening.