This post by the guys at 3 Leaf highlights something which I think is just classic IBM. In the past, some IBM products have had serious problems with relitively minor platform upgrades (no - I am not calling SP2 minor). Given that IBM is a software house I would have thought that they would have heeded Microsoft's widespread advice to test early, I personally saw atleast three seperate presentations in various user groups and forums on some of the issues that we can expect to see with SP2 and how to work around them.

I can understand how IBM might struggle to update their immense product catalog with patches. Given the size of IBM's investment in Windows XP I wonder if MCS tried to talk to them about getting testing done early for their internal IT systems. I suspect that the conversation would have gone something like this.

MCS: Hey IBM, would you like us to help you with your SP2 rollout?

IBM: Pffft, we are IBM - we don't need your help?

MCS: Okay . . .

- - - 3 Months Passes - - -

IBM: Ummm, Microsoft - our systems broke - its your fault.

MCS: Yeah - we thought they would, didn't you get the memo?

OK - I might not get an Academy Award - but this is pretty much how these things play out in large organisations - especially large IT organisations.