Although Microsoft’s newsletter, Windows Platform News (Aug 3) fails to mention it… XP Service Pack 2 has been… er… held up. Again. Unfortunately, Seattle’s sluggers are finally learning what the rest of us always knew. Easy and Secure don’t readily co-exist.

Software friendly enough for happy consumers is rarely secure. Easy programming for developers includes virus developers. And as Microsoft tightens the screws, alternatives look ever better.

Fact is, to maintain its market, Windows must remain friendly to both users and casual programmers. Lock-tight security?

That requires solid network administration and border equipment.

Always has. Always will.