According to reports, Microsoft plans to release Service Pack 1 (SP1), the first major upgrade to its Windows Vista operating system in the first quarter of 2008. Microsoft says SP1 is not designed as a vehicle for releasing new features, but for enhancements made to existing components.
In addition to updates to be released regularly, SP1 will include changes that address specific reliability and performance issues, support for new types of hardware, and emerging standards. The update is expected to fix some common problems that cause PCs to crash or freeze, while support for new hardware includes newer graphics cards, external monitors, and printer drivers. Moreover, SP1 will include: the ability to encrypt hard drive partitions, support for new file formats and system start-up methods; capacity for improved battery performance, increased speed with respect to copying files, and faster Internet Explorer (IE). In a blog posted yesterday, Nick White, a Microsoft product manager, wrote, "A small group of testers has been putting a preview of the SP1 Beta through its paces to help prepare for broader release. We made the choice to start with a very small group of testers because we think it's better for both our customers and for Microsoft to keep the beta program small at the start." The beta test version of SP1 will be released in the next few weeks to a small group of testers; while final release is slated for the first quarter of 2008.
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