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Windows Vista SP1 Gets Fast-Tracked

Windows Vista Service Pack (SP)1 is back on track.

According to Mary Jo Foley, a columnist for Redmond magazine who blogs about Microsoft for ZDNet, Microsoft will be releasing a beta of SP1 sometime the week of July 16. Quoting unnamed sources, Foley also reported that the final version of SP1 should be released in November 2007.

That's a speeded-up timetable from Microsoft's recent statements that it expected to release Vista SP1 next year, closer to the release of Windows Server 2008. That timeframe was prompted by changes made to Vista's search functionality, making it more accessible to third-party developers, primarily Google. The changes, agreed to by Microsoft, the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. state attorneys general, are expected to be the major alterations introduced by SP1.

Currently, Windows Server 2008 is slated for release to manufacturing (RTM) in the late fall, with an expected ship date early next year. Initially, Microsoft had said it intended to meet the RTM date with Vista SP1.

Other changes expected in SP1 include a host of bug fixes. Those fixes are why most large enterprises and many consumers wait until the first service pack is released to upgrade to a new product. That means an ancillary benefit to the quicker release dates could be a significant boost in Vista sales, since the service pack will be out before the holiday season.

About the Author

Keith Ward is the editor in chief of Virtualization & Cloud Review. Follow him on Twitter @VirtReviewKeith.