Windows XP SP2 could break existing applications

It looks like XP SP2 could have a rather large impact on software compatibility. This article, and the highlights below cover some of the issues we should expect. It is interesting that Microsoft claims that if we had been practicing secure software development practices then we would be fine, but yet a number of their products must be updated to work.

"It may surprise some of the developers that we are changing some defaults, and that may affect the way some of the older applications run," said Tony Goodhew, a product manager in Microsoft's developer group. "Developers should absolutely be checking their applications against Windows XP SP2."

Microsoft's online training course that details the implications of installing SP2 on Windows XP machines

Changes to Windows XP made by SP2 fall into four main areas: network protection, memory protection, e-mail security and browsing security. The most affected parts of Windows are RPCs (Remote Procedure Calls), DCOM (Distributed Component Object Model), Windows Firewall, and memory execution protection, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft's Visual Studio .Net is one of the applications affected by Windows XP SP2. The developer tool's remote debugging feature won't work because of the improved Windows Firewall, previously called Internet Connection Firewall, which will be turned on by default and will close all ports, Goodhew said. . . . Another product that Microsoft needs to update is the .Net Framework. . . .Microsoft plans to come out with updates to its Visual Studio products and the .Net Framework at around the same time it releases Windows XP SP2.