The Hidden Guide

Microsoft was supposed to release Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) on April 29, 2008, the service pack only became unofficially available on the download.windowsupdate.com domain. Today, XP SP3 has officially hit the Release to Web (RTW) milestone. In other words, SP3 is available both on Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center.

The final build of SP3 (5512) reportedly includes 1,073 fixes, including every security update, out-of-band release, and hotfix released since Windows XP SP2 hit Microsoft’s servers back in August 2004.

Download

Network Installation Package

XP SP3 - ISO CD Image

Concerned that customers are confusing the impending end of Windows XP retail availability with the end of support, Microsoft Corp. has reminded users that the aged operating system will be supported until early April 2014. Jared Proudfoot, a manager in Microsoft’s support life cycle group, reiterated the final support dates for Windows XP in a post to a company blog.

“Recently, there have been a number of posts in the blogosphere about Windows XP and the upcoming end of direct OEM and retail license availability,” said Proudfoot. “Some people are interpreting this as the end of support for Windows XP.”

Not so, Proudfoot said. Windows XP will remain in what Microsoft calls “mainstream support” to April 14, 2009, and continue in “extended support” though April 8, 2014, he added. The former delivers free fixes — for both security patches and other bug fixes — to everyone. During the latter, all users receive security updates, but nonsecurity hot fixes are given only to companies that have signed support contracts with Microsoft.

Those are not new dates, Proudfoot reminded customers last week. In early 2007, for instance, Microsoft extended support for Windows XP Home and XP Media Center to the 2009 and 2014 dates to match those already set for Windows XP Professional.

source: ComputerWorld

Microsoft develops updates, fixes, and other improvements that address issues reported by the company’s customers and partners. To make it easier for customers to get these updates and enhancements, Microsoft periodically combines them into a single package, and makes that package available for all Windows customers. It is available on public WIndows Update servers

Windows XP Service Pack 3

Wordpress has released  WordPress 2.5 for free download, after  several delays in schedule. wordpress 2.5 has major improvment and new feature such as multi-file uploading, one-click plugin upgrades, built-in galleries, customizable dashboard, salted passwords and cookie encryption, media library, a WYSIWYG that doesn’t mess with your code, concurrent post editing protection, full-screen writing, and search that covers posts and pages.

Microsoft is allowing Windows XP Service Pack 2 machines to be offered Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate 2 Refresh via Windows Update. You may also download standalone update packages for Windows XP SP3 RC2, in English, German, and/or Japanese. Windows XP Service Pack 3 will be offered on Windows Update when Service Pack 3 releases in the first half of 2008.

To obtain RC2 via Windows Update, download the script and run it on a machine currently running Windows XP Service Pack 2. The script sets a registry key on your system. The registry key is required for Windows Update to recognize your machine as a valid target for Windows XP Service Pack 3 RC2 Refresh.

Versions of Windows XP Service Pack 3 prior to Release Candidate 2 should be removed before attempting to use the registry key. Windows Update will not offer Release Candidate 2 to machines with previous versions of the Windows XP Service Pack 3 beta.

It is recommended that you apply the resulting update package to an activated, genuine copy of Windows XP, in a test environment. As with any pre-release software, it is also recommended that you back up files and settings on your machine before applying this update package.

Alternatively, you may choose to download the standalone update packages for Windows XP SP3 RC2, in English (ENU), German (DEU), and/or Japanese (JPN).

Important: Windows Service Pack 2 is required in order to install this preview. Please uninstall any previous beta release of Service Pack 3 before installing SP3 RC2.

Download: Windows XP SP3 RC 2 Refresh

Microsoft has issued a warning that cyber criminals could advantage of an unpatched flaw in Windows to install malicious software on a victim’s PC. The reported attack, now under investigation by Microsoft, involves a malicious Word document, but there may be other ways of exploiting the flaw, the company said.

“Do not open or save Word files that you receive from untrusted sources or that you receive unexpectedly from trusted sources,” according to a Microsoft security advisory. The flaw lies in the Jet Database Engine that is used by a number of products including Microsoft Access. Microsoft is investigating whether other programs may also be exploited in this type of attack. Although this kind of unpatched, “zero day” attack is always cause for concern, Microsoft downplayed the risk.

Source: TechWorld

I expected to see some lower Vista prices in this weekend’s ads, but was surprised to see just how low the prices had fallen.

Officially the price cuts announced by Microsoft on Thursday don’t take effect until later this year when Service Pack 1 hits retail shelves. However, the company had said that many retailers were offering promotions that bring the software to its lower price.

But the ad at OfficeMax took things a step further. In this week’s circular, the office products chain is selling Windows Vista Home Premium for $99. That’s $30 less than Microsoft’s just-lowered price and the same as the suggested price for Windows Vista Home Basic–though perhaps just a hair more than the clearance prices a couple weeks back at closing CompUSA stores.

Source: c|net

Microsoft this week officially gave developers the right to freely use code and specifications for translating between its older proprietary Office file formats and Office 2007’s newer XML formats without fear of being sued.

At the same time, company officials must be sitting on pins and needles as a key meeting over whether or not its newer formats will become an international standard looms.

Microsoft officials announced today that they have placed the older Office binary file format specifications for Word, Excel and PowerPoint (.doc, .xls, .ppt) under the company’s Open Specification Promise (OSP). The OSP is a legal program whereby Microsoft promises not to sue developers who use specifications that it puts under the program’s aegis.

Documentation for the formats has been available by request on a royalty free basis for a while, but putting it under the OSP gives developers cover from lawsuits.

“By making these specifications easier to access, others will be able to build products or tools that will be able to convert documents from the binary file formats to Open XML,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement e-mailed to InternetNews.com.

Additionally, the company announced that an open source project to produce free translator code to convert from the older formats to the newer ones is now live on the SourceForge code repository site. That project, which is being sponsored by Microsoft, had also been scheduled to start this week. The code produced under the project will be available under the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) open source license, according to company statements.

Both moves are part of an effort by Microsoft to preserve its dominance in the Office productivity market even as it evolves its products to reflect its emerging software-plus-services strategy.

Source: internetnews

Firefox 3, Beta 3 has just been released. Over 350 memory leaks have been fixed and reductions have been made in the memory footprint. The shortlist of new features and changes in this milestone include:

• Improved security
• Improved ease of use
• Richer personalization
• Improved platform features
• Performance improvements

Download: Firefox 3, Beta 3

Can you feel the love? As it turns out, those special edition Red Zune 80s Microsoft was making for Valentines Day were quite popular; so popular, Microsoft couldn’t keep up with demand. So what do they do? Refund the money, and give people a pink Zune with it (unfortunately, post-Valentines). I guess there’s no losing here: you could either get the Zune before Valentines and give it to your sweet, loving boyfriend/girlfriend/Neowin staffer, or give it to them after and have some extra money to go towards one for yourself.

So, how will you know if you got a free Zune? You’ll probably get an e-mail that goes along these lines (from Microsoft via Ars):

We wanted to provide you with an update on your order status. Due to some issues in our fulfillment center there remains a chance we will miss getting your Zune to you by February 14th. We are working hard to get your order to you as quickly as possible and we currently plan to ship your Zune within the next 3-4 days. Once your order is in transit, we will send you a shipping confirmation with a link for tracking.

Our goal is to provide a smooth customer experience for ordering, customization, and delivery. We sincerely apologize for not meeting that goal in this specific case. We will be refunding the entire amount of your order, which you should be able to see on your credit/debit card within 7-10 days. We hope you love your Zune and that you will accept our sincere apology.

If you have additional questions, please call 1.877.GET.ZUNE. For fastest service, press 5 then press 1 and have your order information ready.

The Zune Originals Team

Source: Neowin