XP Service Pack 3--Convince Me

Hello all and good day.

I have just downloaded SP3 for XP from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...ce-b5fb-4488-8c50-fe22559d164e&displaylang=en

Now what I would like is can you convince me to install it on my laptop. It's a Lenovo 3000 C200 8922-2FU, with this for details:
Celeron M 420(1.6GHz), 2048MB RAM, 40GB 5400rpm HD, 15in 1024x768 LCD, Intel 950, CDRW/DVD, 802.11bg wireless, Modem, 10/100 Ethernet, IEEE 1394, 6c Li-Ion batt, WinXP Home

I have plans to upgrade to XP Pro, but still am not convinced that I should install the SP3. I feel that the patches and what-not can be dealt with with a good firewall and anti-virus type software, in which I use ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite. I don't use Internet Explorer unless I have no choice, which generally entails a site requireing ActiveX. FireFox and Opera are my browsers of choice, and Thunderbird for e-mail.

What would I benefit from SP3?

Thanks in advance,
Tux

 

G'day Tux_Rules

i think really its up to the user in the end .i myself and probably so many others on here have up dated to sp3 for me i have auto up date feature switch on so any updates from MS just go through with out me knowing until i shut down the pc.
the only problem was when i had to repair my sound software and it asked me to put in my xp sp3 disc to which i only had a sp2 disc but after slip stream sp3 on to the disc no problems.i have only ever had that issue and everything else has run smoothly.
hope this helps you but maybe someone else can give you more input.

 

My bad. It came with XP Home w/SP2.

I will agree that some of the numerous flaws cannot be negated with FW/AV, but I do believe that most of them can.

I have IE7 installed, and yes, the biggest reason for not using it is still the thoughts of it being vulnerable and being tied to windows explorer itself. That may have been corrected, but I have grown to like both Firefox and Opera. I have a preference to Open Source before proprietary software, as the "bugs" have a patch to fix them quicker than microsoft.

Again, most of the "flaws" that need *critical* patching are generally network related. If my FW/AV is up to date, most of the problems can be stopped before they hit the actual O.S.
As long as the current drivers work, I shouldn't need to update, unless there is an added function that I could use.

I do appreciate the comments. I made this post more or less to see if there would be a major problems outside of what microsoft states, as they say "this or that might not work" and they do give a small list of "known" issues. Did the "feel" and "looks" change? Did things disappear? :confused

I'm pretty much asking if anybody out there feels it was more of a pain than it was worth. I believe that most of the *critical* items are old in the respect that it usually takes microsoft weeks if not months from the date of discovery to put a patch in place whereas the Open Source community usually has a patch out within hours, a few days at most, so by the time microsoft announces the fix, people have forgotten what it was for

Anyway, please keep the answers coming! I've got some time before I actually do anything (first thing is upgrade to XP Pro), so I do really appreciate any and all input and opinions!