Does not installing SP3, cripple or preclude the installation of future patches?

Cheers,
Jim

ey? where did you hear that from?

I think you might be getting confused here. If Microsoft were to release a future service pack for XP (which they won't be), SP3 would not cripple any future updates.

Put another way.....could future patches depend upon the installation of the current SP3?

Cheers,
Jim

You mean Updates? No, atleast not yet, though I'd be surprised if it ever did.
SP3 is just a cumulative collection of updates, installing it saves you from having to install the hundreds that have been put out since XP was released...but it's not a requirement and if you're already up to date there's not much of a reason to bother with it.

For example, SP1 must be installed before SP3 will install. My question is whether future KB security patches will install if SP3 is not installed?

Cheers,
Jim

Yes, it's possible that some patches will only work with Service Pack 3, however most of these will focus on the new features, and any new vunerabilities that only affect Service Pack 3. It won't stop you from installing patches that are meant for both Service Pack 2 and 3.

So, errr, you seem a bit hesitant to install SP3?