Hotfix Site In Hot Water With Microsoft - SP3 For XP - SP1 For Vista?

Today I read some news articles about Microsoft stopping a certain Web site from posting what appears to have been links to both fixes that may be included in Service Pack 3 for Windows XP and also SP1 for Vista. What is confusing about the entire issue is that the Web site links to fixes that are posted on Microsoft’s site. So how can this pose a problem?

It seems that what the Web site is indicating (or alleges) that the fixes posted WILL be included in follow up service packs. So this is where Microsoft has drawn the line. It seems that Microsoft has not officially determined what fixes will be included and what fixes won’t be included in future service packs and it does not want anyone making these decisions for it.

So I tried to put on an unbiased face and took a look at the Web site in question. Sure enough, the headings appear to indicate that service packs may include the fixes it lists. So how does one analyze what the Web site owner is trying to accomplish, which may be impossible to do, without knowing the motivation behind the site? Listing the fixes as a public service would seem to be OK, but if the goal is to attract traffic to the site for monetary gains… maybe not.

I feel the site could do more harm than good. Why? Microsoft does make one valid point in its argument. No one knows the exact potential failing or success of any fix until it has been used for a while. If a fix or patch fails on certain systems, then Microsoft may either pull the fix or patch and reissue a new one. So how would the average person know which were which by viewing a site with links only to fixes?

Take a look at the hotfix site here.

What do you think? Is this a great service providing useful and valuable information OR do you think Microsoft has the right to have it shut down?

Comments as always are welcome.

[tags]microsoft, vista, xp, hotfix, site[/tags]