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Reuters
Monday, September 9, 2002; 6:15 PM

By Reed Stevenson

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. released a software update for its flagship computer operating system on Monday to make Windows XP more secure, reliable and open to modification.

Service Pack 1, Microsoft's first major update to Windows XP since the launch of its "trustworthy computing" initiative and consent decree with the U.S. Justice Department, is now available on the software giant's Web site or on a CD that can be ordered for $9.95.

Users who signed up for automatic updates to their Windows XP operating system, which went on sale nearly a year ago, will be able to download the 32-megabyte chunk of software starting on Monday afternoon.

One the most striking changes will be the ability to remove Microsoft's default programs, such as Internet Explorer or Windows Media Player, from the desktop altogether.

Those changes, enabled by the software update, are part of Microsoft's steps to comply with the antitrust settlement signed with the U.S. Justice Department last year, said Jim Cullinan, lead product manager for Windows XP.

The settlement must still be approved by a federal judge and is still opposed by nine states seeking stiffer sanctions.

The other major feature of Service Pack 1 is a range of features meant to enhance security, which has become a crucial effort for Microsoft.

One security feature is better management of cookies, or little snippets of information that Web site servers store on PCs, that gives users greater control of their information and privacy.

Shaken by break-ins to its own system and vulnerabilities in its software, Chairman Bill Gates sent a widely-publicized memo earlier this year stressing the need for Microsoft to boost security and make its software more trustworthy.

Many corporations have been slow to adopt Windows XP, partly because it is still new and requires a substantial investment during cash-strapped times and also because of security concerns.

"We hope the Service Pack will be a catalyst for IT managers to look at Windows XP again," Cullinan said.

MORE FEATURES, MORE CONCERNS?

While previous versions of Windows XP -- some 46 million were sold by the end of June -- will require Service Pack 1, the update will be bundled into future products from about mid-October, Microsoft said.

This is also the first Service Pack for consumers -- previous updates were mainly for corporate Windows operating systems.

In addition to the major security and program updates, the software update will pack in some new features as well.

Java Virtual Machine, for which downloads on demand were previously not available, will be included in the update. But, because of a settlement reached with Sun Microsystems Inc. , which developed and markets Java, the programming language will no longer be included in Windows after 2004.

On the hardware side, the Service Pack adds support for USB 2.0, a new standard for universal serial bus peripherals that offers data transfer speeds up to 40 times faster.

Also, the Service Pack will add functionality to the Windows XP operating system for Windows XP Media Center, which PC hardware makers will use to introduce PC-based TV, music and video entertainment systems this fall.

Some users have raised complaints about the language in the Service Pack's end-user license agreement, or EULA, which they claim gives Microsoft some rights to check product versions and block some programs. Microsoft said that the Service Packs' EULA clarifies Microsoft's ability to check product information in order to provide accurate updates and that no personal information is taken or kept.