"all five critical patches are for remote code execution"

What is to say that the MicroSoft Policy is not to push critical patches for future remote code execution..... Executive Control ...... LeaderShip/MaatSchappeRijk

I generally use three OSes in my day-to-day life. I have XP on my work systems, and XP, Vista RC1, and Ubuntu Linux (which overall I can't say enough good things about) on removable hard drives on my main home system. I work in IT, and I'm always trying to keep up with a ridiculously fast-moving industry. When MS allowed the world to be their Beta testers, naturally I was eager to jump on that bandwagon. I won't comment on all of the annoyances of Vista. (other than a really amusing time when it was reporting that I had to have permission from "Everyone" to access files on a Fat32! drive) Overall, I've enjoyed playing with Vista, and will probably purchase it after the first SP is released.

To come to the point though, has MS abandoned those still using pre-release versions of Vista? The only patches available for my Vista RC1 OS seem to be Windows Defender updates. While I understand the logic in not allocating resources to keeping something that's going to go away in a couple months up to date, is it really so much bother to release the most critical patches for a legit, registered copy of their OS, regardless of it soon fading into the sunset? Win 2K still gets patches... Oh wait, what was I thinking--businesses would complain, and after all, that's all MS has ever really cared about. Who cares if there's a few thousand more bots out there contributing to everyone's misery.

After several years and several gigabytes of patches, updates and hotfixes. The global beta testing community of m$ now has a reasonably secure and stable operating system in XP. Providing of course that the OS is sat behind a firewall and 3rd party news readers, mail programs, Internet browsers and media players are used.

If the history of m$ OS releases is anything to go by, Vista will not be secure and/or problem free for several years. From what I have seen of Vista so far it is just XP pro in a dress with a few baubles and trinkets added for effect. (and marketing purposes)

I am curious as to what an animated cursor has to do with an Audio control applet. Oh hum I mutter as m$ release a patch for the patch.

adnim