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Software Vista Service Pack 1 Set for 2H'07 Release
Brandon Hill (Blog) - January 23, 2007 1:00 PM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 51 comment(s) - last by b1lk1.. on Feb 7 at 9:09 AM
Microsoft prepares for Vista Service Pack 1

Many consumers and businesses make the decision to stay away from new Windows releases until the first service pack becomes available. According to internal Microsoft emails, the first service pack for Windows Vista could come as early as this year.

Bink.nu posted an email in its entirety which details Microsoft's plans for the service pack and the role that it expects testers to play in the development of the first major update for Vista. Microsoft is looking to tackle "regressions from Windows Vista and Windows XP, security, deployment blockers and other high impact issues [as its] primary focus for the Service Pack.  The Windows TAP team will work with customers to identify and drive these issues."

Microsoft is betting heavily on its customers and partners to ensure that Service Pack 1 is available before the end of 2007. Microsoft lays out these requirements for customers looking to join the Technology Adoption Program (TAP):

  • Customers must deploy pre-release versions of Service Pack into production environments at each major milestone (Beta, RC, RTM) within 30 days of the milestone release.
  • Customers must meet or exceed predetermined deployment count goals for each milestone.
  • Customers must actively provide feedback on all builds made available to them through emails, surveys, conference calls, and filing bugs and DCRs.
  • Customers must send 1-2 individuals to Redmond for onsite training events.

Windows Vista was released to business customers on November 30 and will hit retail shelves on January 30. Customers looking to grab a copy of Vista ahead of the official retail launch can grab OEM copies now online.

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SP1
By restrada on 1/23/2007 1:29:43 PM , Rating: 5
I think Microsoft is releasing SP1 early to get businesses to quickly adopt Vista.




RE: SP1
By danz32 on 1/23/2007 1:31:50 PM , Rating: 3
I would disagree...Mircosoft is releasing SP1 to update Vista with that of Windows Server 2007. It just so happens that the two are close together


RE: SP1
By encryptkeeper on 1/23/2007 3:37:07 PM , Rating: 3
Mircosoft is releasing SP1 to update Vista with that of Windows Server 2007. It just so happens that the two are close together

Don't be so naive to believe this is the only reason. People didn't know it with 98, and they didn't realize it until after the fact with XP, but now they KNOW they'd better stay away from Microsoft products until a service pack comes out. Saying they'll have a service pack this soon doesn't mean there's something invariably WRONG (that we don't already know about) it's a marketing tool to assuage the "No new OS for me until there's a service pack" fears. Just be glad Microsoft doesn't do what SUSE Linux and others do, which is give you the OS for free then charge you out the ass for updates (and only sell you ONE year of updates at a time).


RE: SP1
By Shintai on 1/23/2007 4:52:03 PM , Rating: 4
MS wants to keep 1 codebase instead of several. Cheaper and faster/more efficient to bugfix.

Its been known for about a year.

Thats why SP1 will come with Windows Server 2007. Not anything else.


RE: SP1
By Micronite on 1/23/2007 6:18:44 PM , Rating: 3
With all the beta testing that has been done on Vista, I think they're justified in issuing a Service Release that soon.
I suspect Vista will be as desirable at SP1 as XP was at SP1.
Not to take away from that fact that it's probably motivated by the desire to get people on Vista, but I just think it's a smart move altogether.


RE: SP1
By raven3x7 on 1/24/2007 1:04:19 AM , Rating: 2
Quote: 'what SUSE Linux and others do, which is give you the OS for free then charge you out the ass for updates (and only sell you ONE year of updates at a time).'

That is a blatant lie! Suse does not charge for updates, everything related to OpenSuse is free. www.opensuse.org check it out if you dont believe me.


RE: SP1
By WxGuy192 on 1/23/2007 1:35:57 PM , Rating: 3
I agree... At first, I was surprised they'd release SP1 so soon after Vista is introduced. Then, however, I realized that many businesses (and individuals, for that matter) don't upgrade until SP1 under the premise that any major bugs will be fixed by that time.

FWIW, Microsoft is in a pickle when it comes to new OSs and updates to previous OSs. Some Macfans praise Apple's Mac OS because of the frequent new features, but they fail to realize that frequently upgrading to a new OS is not practical for many business or enterprise environments (particularly if you include training time and expense). Some business IT pros complain that Windows updates too often anyway, while many individuals would like new and better features more often.


RE: SP1
By dice1111 on 1/23/2007 2:56:43 PM , Rating: 2
SP2 is the new SP1!

I guess that everyone should actaully be waiting for SP2 to adopt to avoid all the headaches.

A little too "see through" there, Microsoft...


RE: SP1
By crimson117 on 1/23/2007 3:24:42 PM , Rating: 2
Sadly, if everyone waits, then few bugs will be uncovered and fixed by the time the service pack is released. So the pre-SP1 customers are essentially relied upon as beta testers.


RE: SP1
By cyberguyz on 1/23/2007 3:39:07 PM , Rating: 2
So, does mean we all get to pay up to $500 to be Microsoft's beta testers.

I'll wait until the new release bugs are gone first thanks. I ain't Micrsoft's testbed!


RE: SP1
By encryptkeeper on 1/23/2007 3:41:05 PM , Rating: 2
Congratulations! You just won yourself a job as a Microsoft New Operating Systems designer and marketing planner!


RE: SP1
By Supa on 1/23/2007 2:14:44 PM , Rating: 2
Guess MS won't release XP SP3 until 2008. And it will probably be just collections of patches without new feature, just so people will upgrade to Vista rather than staying with XP.


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RE: SP1
By Russell on 1/23/2007 2:28:55 PM , Rating: 3
Why would you add features to a 6 year old product that has already been replaced?


RE: SP1
By ZeeStorm on 1/23/2007 4:26:48 PM , Rating: 2
Replaced? I assure you that XP is hardly being replaced. I see the lifespan of XP for at least 5 more years. I think once computers finally reach over 6-7ghz on average and under $500, people might start dropping XP. Frankly, I don't want a computer that's going to use MORE resources just for a pretty look. That's not my cup of tea. If I wanted that, I'd be using DesktopX or some crap.


RE: SP1
By glennpratt on 1/24/2007 12:55:01 AM , Rating: 3
Umm, just because you haven't replace your 2001 Nissan Altima doesn't mean Nissan hasn't replaced it.


RE: SP1
By DigitalFreak on 1/23/2007 3:25:39 PM , Rating: 2
It's HIGHLY doubtful there will be another service pack for XP. You may see a security roll-up like they did with Windows 2000, but that's it.


RE: SP1
By Shintai on 1/23/2007 4:53:41 PM , Rating: 2
XP Sp3 is on MS roadmap. So would be odd if they didn´t.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/service...


RE: SP1
By killerroach on 1/23/2007 4:32:17 PM , Rating: 2
Keep this in mind... XP SP1 came out ten months after the release of XP to retail. Ten months after Vista's launch is the end of November, well within that window. Doesn't sound that odd to me, other than that they're letting people know way ahead of time this go-round. Almost like they're going out of their way to convince people to hold off buying Vista.


RE: SP1
By Shintai on 1/23/2007 4:54:48 PM , Rating: 2
You cant compare the 2. Vista SP1 is only due there due to Windows Server 2007 gets released there. Its to keep 1 codebase for both.


RE: SP1
By frobizzle on 1/23/2007 5:11:48 PM , Rating: 2
Well, if Microsoft is as good at keeping to their schedule with SP1 as they were with Vista, SP1 should be available sometime in early 2009.


Interesting!!
By rippleyaliens on 1/23/2007 1:28:08 PM , Rating: 2
I am first to say, that i really like Microsoft Products, not neccessarly for the cost, (definetly), but more so, it allows easier integration, with their own products. WITH that said.
I AM PISSED, you have got to be kidding me, People cannot even buy vista, and there is talk of a Service pack already. I grow tired of teh endless updates, 20 machines is 1 thing, but a 2,000 pc network, (frown BADLY)...




RE: Interesting!!
By GreenEnvt on 1/23/2007 1:47:10 PM , Rating: 2
Download WSUS, it certainly saves you a ton of bandwidth. I've been running the current Version 3 beta 2 for a couple of months.