Microsoft will release the first service pack for Windows XP,
comprising a bundle of security fixes, updates and changes to
comply with the US antitrust settlement, this summer.
"The fixes largely centre [on] enhanced security, reliability and
compatibility problems based on the code review that the entire
Windows division did and will continue to do," said Greg Sullivan,
Microsoft's lead product manager for Windows XP.
But central to the service pack is the way Microsoft has relaxed
the terms of its contracts with PC manufacturers as part of its
settlement of the US Department of Justice's antitrust case.
"When we signed the consent decree there was a list of eight things
we promised to do, from properly documenting application protocol
interfaces between the middleware and the internal Windows systems,
to licensing protocols between clients and servers so third parties
can license those from us and create compatible implementations.
This is just one component of our larger compliance effort,"
Sullivan said.
When XCP was launched last year, Microsoft insisted on installation
of its Internet Explorer Web browser, VM Java virtual machine,
Outlook Express e-mail client and Media Player software.
Service Pack 1 will allow PC manufacturers to install third-party
software to replace these components of Windows XP.
In spite of the change, Internet Explorer, the software at the root
of the US Department of Justice's antitrust case against Microsoft,
will still be part of the OS.
Neil Laver, Microsoft Windows XP product manager, said the new
Service Pack would not affect the behaviour of XP Explorer or the
Active Desktop, both of which use Internet Explorer to show Web
content.
However, he said PC manufacturers would be able to preload
Netscape. This would mean, for example, said Laver, "If you click
on a link it will open Netscape [instead of Internet
Explorer]."
Laver added that Internet Explorer would also be the underlying Web
engine within the Windows HTML help system. The browser window
within MS Word will also be based on Internet Explorer.
Some analysts believe that the changes may not be enough to open up
significant new area of opportunity for competitors.
"I think some of these changes accomplish what was asked of them.
But am I convinced that it puts Microsoft's products on an equal
footing with those of others? I think they still have an
advantage," said Al Gillen, research director for IDC's System
Software group.
Graham Fisher, of analysts' group Bloor Research, said that the
high level of integration between Windows and Internet Explorer
meant users might find an alternative browser more trouble than it
is worth.
"If people take a choice and start using Netscape they have to
accept there will be extra maintenance involved."
Since Internet Explorer is still running behind the scenes in
Windows XP, he said users might find they still need to update
Internet Explorer patches along with any updates they would need to
apply to the alternative Web browser they choose to install.