The SP2 CD is free direct from Microsoft. You can order it at the XP update site - same place you download SP2. At present (or a few days ago) it's only available for machines using ENGLISH versions of XP, but I suppose that may apply to Aussies(?). Other versions will be available "soon" according to the website. At least one other language version was reportedly released this week.

When I ordered it late on 09/20 they estimated 4 to 6 weeks delivery, but it came in today's snail mail - 8 days. Whether it would get to down under users that quickly would depend on whether they may have burners running down there in order to do local mailings. I suspect they do, but can't confirm that.

SP2 is a SERVICE RELEASE. According to Microsoft, all Service Releases are cumulative, i.e. they include all prior critical updates. If you install any version of WinXP and then install SP2 from the CD you are up to date to the SP2 fix point.

If you go to the download site, you have to install all of the prior releases one at a time, to get current to immediately pre-SP2. The SP2 download itself is then "only" about 60 MB. With the CD, you get about 600 MB (reported - I haven't looked yet) and can install everything from the CD starting from any earlier version of XP. (Microsoft has stated that it will only install on "legal copies" of XP, so I assume you probably need the Product ID number from your XP CD.)

If you get the CD, you are encouraged by Microsoft to share it with anyone you want to. If the magazine was distributing it as an "advertising giveaway," I'm not surprised if Mickey charged them at least "burn costs," since giving it to them to distribute potentially interferes with Microsoft's own distribution - and they're trying to get it out to a whole bunch of users.

Just in case you're curious, you can check out List of fixes included in Windows XP Service Pack 2.

John