Even though Windows XP is solid and stable, it’s still possible to write bad programs – and sometimes it seems that buggy software is on the rise. The Register has an article today complaining about programs that too often rely on patches delivered later to fix obvious problems.

The article leads off with an interesting example.

“Symantec has just released an anti-spam tool called Norton AntiSpam 2004. It filters unwanted email out of your inbox by detecting and flagging unsolicited messages while promptly delivering valid mail. At least, that is what the programmers had in mind.

“Regrettably, the application isn’t fully compatible with Outlook Express 6, the most used email program in the world. Outlook Express crashes when you click the ‘This is Spam’ button, according to users.

“‘Symantec is investigating this problem,’ a note reads on its website. ‘The cause is unknown, and there is no solution at this time.'”

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