Vista SP1, Windows Server 2008 finalized

Microsoft has wrapped up development of two major products, Windows Server 2008 and the Service Pack 1 update to Windows Vista, CEO Steve Ballmer told financial analysts Monday.

"Both products have released to manufacturing today, which is good news," Ballmer said.

Ballmer highlighted a few big corporate deployments of Vista, including at Continental Airlines, which is in the process of upgrading 10,000 systems.

"We think we are turning the corner in terms of enterprise deployment, and Service Pack 1 will be a huge boon," Ballmer said.

Microsoft will begin distributing Vista SP1 via Windows Update in mid-March, according to a Microsoft blog post on Monday.

Microsoft is due to formally launch Windows Server 2008 on February 27 at an event in Los Angeles.

[Compumind]

Now let the fun begin!

I will bet that it is nothing but a bunch of patches, at best. Better backup your system before applying it. What a joke.

[catch23]

Instead of 'betting'

why not go download the RC's and give it a try?<br />Or maybe read about it from those that have?<br /><br />I know it is 'in vogue' to bad mouth MS with little or no knowledge of what your talking about, but it really only proves your ignorance.<br /><br />BTW, the RC's improve performance in some areas, fix several hardware issues, and things of that sort. Not earth shattering stuff, but a welcome update.

[wolivere]

SP1 RC has been great

One thing I noticed, with RC1. Before RC1 with Vista 680i drivers disk, network, and USB performance was really bad with the NVIDIA drivers.<br /><br /> This time around I went with the Rc1 drivers and saw a very significant performance boost. So much so that I have not bothered to load any of the NVIDIA 680i drivers.

[Get_Bent]

You were expecting something else?

90+ percent of the contents of all Windows service packs are patches, bug fixes, and driver updates. That's why it's called a "service pack" instead of an "upgrade pack".

[Hernys]

What a joke?

You call something a joke because you expect it to be a joke? That speaks a lot about you.

[Robynsnest613]

If you have Vista, you'll have to wait still...

According to <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2008/02/04/announcing-the-rtm-of-windows-vista-sp1.aspx" target="_newWindow">http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2008/02/04/announcing-the-rtm-of-windows-vista-sp1.aspx</a> we will have to wait to get sp1 thru windows update sometime in March. <br /><br />I can't believe this why say it's rtm'd and they won't release it to the public!!

[Neo Con]

Punxsutawney Phil, you bastard!

6 more weeks of SP-1-less winter! Arrrgh!!

[Stating]

Great Point, Why The Delay?

A 6 week delay for Vista RTM only makes sense in a world where you ship CDs. It's nonsensical in a world where you download a file(s). Microsoft pushes monthly patches all the time and at most there is a 1-2 day delay.

[Hernys]

Cause

The code is finished, but the "package" is not. By "package" I do not mean a cardboard box, but the binary file that does the updating through WU, the ISO image file that's going to be in the CDs, the set of files, documents, readme files, etc. that all go together in any distribution.<br />All those are already built, but they need to be tested with the final bits that have been declared final. Some sample tests they need to do: check that the large binary file doesn't contain any pattern that would trigger an alert in any commonly used antivirus. That the binary streams do work on any common DVD recorder (yes, there are some recorders that use in band signaling and fail with some particular data streams). That the Windows Update process works on a few hundred thousand sample machines, all that.<br />So if you got the binary file set and installed them on your machine, then you would get a final SP1 updated machine today. But if you plan to use WU or get a DVD, then you'll have to wait for those tests to finish, which can take a few weeks.

[BigCatOne]

Death to Vista! Death to HP!

After Vista was terminated by my attempt to remove HP boatware, I took it to the shop and told the tech, "Drive a silicon stake through Vista's heart and install XP SP2. End of problem. Also, DON'T buy HP-their bloat ware cannot be removed now without requiring a $200 investment in a new OS.

[Fire Balls]

You are 't to bright are you?

I have set up hundreds of HP computers since Vista and have never had a problem removing bloat ware.. sounds like a ID10t err. Yeah they come with alot. But if all comes off.. I know because I have removed it from hundreds of computers.

[NSL]

Who cares, the product is still awful

My business clients still won't purchase Vista, with good reason, it doesn't work very well, and still won't work with many older printers. On laptops it still kills batteries and this SP won't do anything for that. It's just a lousy product.<br /><br />On our web servers we see that fewer than 15% of Windows users use Vista. Gee, I wonder why!!!

[Jords007]

Windows Vista is Terrible

Really, I've used it. It is terrible. I like OS X. It is much quicker and more responsive. I hate Vista. Vista is terribe.

[digital_beyond]

omg

Why don't you just apply for a job at Apple to be a salesman? Sure Vista's not XP, but hey, if you don't like Vista, you don't have to use it. I am still using XP because I don't have any software requiring Vista yet. Once stuff becomes Vista exclusive, I will get a new PC.

[xcopy]

Leap pad problems?

You have some typos. Is there a problem in your big sisters leap pad and does she know your banging on the keys?

[twyrick]

Too little, too late (for me)....

I've finally completed switching all of my home computers over <br />to Macs running OS X. I used Vista enough to know that even <br />*if* Microsoft fixes all the bugs/issues with a service pack, I <br />didn't care for the overall design of the operating system <br />enough to put up with it on a daily basis.<br /><br />Not only that, but the oppressive "we phone home to make sure <br />your CD key is in compliance with our usage policies" <br />installation completely turns me off to the product! I don't know <br />how many times I've had to wipe a drive and do a full re-install <br />of an OS over the years, but it's PLENTY of times. Sometimes it's <br />a virus or spyware you just can't be 100% sure is removed <br />otherwise. Sometimes it's hardware failures or upgrades. <br />Whatever.... I expect the OS to "just install" when I tell it to, <br />without Microsoft telling me I've "installed more than my allowed <br />number of installations" and making me call in to ask big <br />brother for permission.<br /><br />If I really need a Windows-only app, no problem. I installed a <br />copy of XP Pro in a virtual machine on one of my Mac Pros. Runs <br />great for anything but 3D gaming (and I have a Playstation 3 for <br />that!).

[Vegaman_Dan]

Limited installation times is common

You'll find most major software makers have implemented some sort of control of the number of times you can install a product before being forced to contact the OEM to 'renew' it as a means to combat piracy.<br /><br />Even Adobe does it now for their CS line of software.

[digital_beyond]

If I was made of money like you...

If I was made of money like you, I'd have several Macs and even more PCs. On the other hand, I can get a PC with the same specs as a high end Mac at a much lower price and it'd have better graphics too. I like Apple computers a lot, but not enough to spend half of my yearly income on one that's worth a crap. I don't use Vista either, but only because none of my software requires it yet.

[drstockton]

Vista? I tried, honest

Against the advice of my IT team I bought a new Sony laptop with Vista Business; boy am I sorry. I am still using my old computer two weeks later and have ordered the XP downgrade DVD. The hardware platform is great, but Vista didn't (or doesn't) work right with our domain. Also, even after I got it working the GUI is incomprehensible to me. Folder displays are confusing rather than informative; Explorer windows are similarly foreign looking and hard to manipulate. The system feels slower on a 2.2 GHz machine with 2 GB DRAM than XP does on this 1.2 GHz/0.5GB system. I hope the downgrade to XP lets me enjoy my new hardware!

[philsherrod]

Please bring back XP

I recently purchased a Sony notebook computer. I'm pleased with the computer, but I hate Vista. There was no purchase choice to get XP, but Sony is kind enough to allow you to order an XP "downgrade" DVD for $9.99. I have placed my order. Sony's web site said "Due to popular demand... XP is being offered".<br /><br />How did Microsoft screw up so badly with Vista? It is bloated, slow and has bunch of annoying changes that provide no functional advantage. I don't even like Aero.

[digital_beyond]

...but where's SP3 for XP?

I think it's great that Microsoft has rolled out a service pack to help Vista's performance, but no matter what they do, you'll still need a top end Pc to pull it. Maybe by 2009 computers will be powerful enough to make Vista fly like XP does now. On the other hand, where the hell is SP3 for XP? It's been in development just as long as Vista SP1 has been and still no sign of it RTMing.

[kamaboko!]

The truth is that...

people who complain about Vista don't know how to set it up. I'm writing this on a Linux box, so I'm not a Vista or MS fan boy. That said, when I hear people **** and moan about Vista and I take a look at their computer, their problems are "always" user error. Vista is a fine OS. I set my dad up with Vista Home Premium on his HP laptop. He has not had one problem in the past six months. Zero! Why? Because it was set up properly. I love to read posts from so called "IT people" that complain about Vista and enterprise integration. The bottom line is that they don't know how to do it. It's not a Vista problem. It's a user problem. Hit the books boys and girls.

[fredtheviking]

MS fanboy? is there such a thing?

I like Vista (mainly because I like to complain), but if that makes me an MS fanboy I think I'll be sick to the stomach. Who in the world ever declare themselves MS fanboys? I mean would Gates even do so. How do you expect the community to take you seriously when you drop such a term? As if there is such a thing.

[Fire Balls]

IT PRO

I am the IT Director for a small college in my home town. This means that I get to deal with all if not most of the computer problems that arise in that facility. I also used to work at best buy for Geek Squad. I don?t bring up Geek Squad as a testament to computer knowledge (most of the people that work there don?t know jack about computers) but working there let me see a wide variety of computer problems and let me work with several different brands of computers and lots of different hardware. I have been using Vista for over 2 years (beta tested it) yes there are some things that could probably be better or sped up and yes it does (if you don't configure it properly) use up a lot of resources . Also I have found that it's not the OS but all the crap that comes bundled with peoples computers when they buy them that slows them down. HP is really bad about this! (they do make a good HW though) but others aren?t far behind. My Acer (A not so well known company that recently bought out Gateway) Came with lots of stuff bundled as well that isn?t needed. (I have seen wireless cards not work right because of a companies wireless assistant they bundled with a computer) The OS itself is very stable. Even more so then XP is now after service pack2! Just make sure it?s installed right and you have the latest drivers and updates that are out there and for the most part it just works. Oh as for security it kicks the butt out of XP. I haven?t found an xp computer that I can?t hack in a matter of seconds if I?m on the same network as it. (and it doesn?t have a third party firewall) no so with vista try and pull something funny and you get all kinds of warnings but I you have a gullible user they might as well be pieces of cake to a fat kid. When it comes down to it security and usability is in the hands of the user. If you open all ports it your fault. If you don?t know how to download a driver for you printer? you guessed it you. And to be honest Vista is much more user friendly then any other OS out there. I know I have used them Linux, MAC, Novel? If you want something that really ?just works? it?s vista (yeah old hardware isn?t supported sometimes) When you look at the software libraries, hardware selection, functionality, and features it offers and supports. It?s a hands down winner. It may not be the best in every area but when you combine it all it shines.

[Migraine]

Vista is Good

I like Vista I like Change, if you dont like change then u will not like vista! <br /> <br />only problem I have found is its sloww file coping and SP1 should fix that....I feel Vista is Better than xp unless your a gamer then I can see why XP would be better for you.

[TheSmellyMoa]

Vista = Barph VistaSP1 = Bag

No one cared about Vista, if anything, everyone was hostile to it. VistaSP1 is about as exciting as a new hubcap on a 7 year old car.