I just read an article on ZDnet. It describes a demo of an exploit on an un-patched XP SP1 machine on an open wireless network. The MS executive was surprised by the ease of the attack.
Nick McGrath, head of platform strategy for Microsoft U.K., was surprised by the incident."In the demonstration we saw, it was both enlightening and frightening to witness the seeming ease of the attack on the (Windows) computer," said McGrath. "But the computer was new, not updated, and not patched."
The first sentence makes one wonder on which planet has this man been hiding. The second sentence makes me wonder how machines are sold other than new, not updated, and not patched.