Danger! Danger! (FX: Flappy armed robot voice)

Microsoft says:

"Time is running out!"

"Please note that the mechanism to temporarily disable delivery of Windows XP SP2 is only available for a period of 240 days (eight months) from August 16, 2004. At the end of this period (after April 12, 2005), Windows XP SP2 will be delivered to all Windows XP and Windows XP Service Pack 1 systems."

I do wonder, however, how long it is before we can't turn off such autoupdate features permanently.

I use third party tools to do most of my stuff on my main PC at home and have no need for continuing Microsoft code injections. Just let them try and get their code past my third party firewall - they wouldn't know where to begin.

The reasons why this is such an issue for me are wide and varied but primarily they are from experience and from experience. Firstly, if something is working to my satisfaction I need compelling arguments to make me change my ways. Secondly, the last time I received an update from microsoft the online game that I was involved in stopped working. A fine balance of graphics card, graphics drivers, usb filter drivers and Direct X code was destroyed, as one might destroy a particularly impressive house of cards.

Lord alone knows what extra compelling features Mircosoft delivered to me with that payload but I can tell you this; no virus has ever caused me so much trouble.