Microsoft to seed Vista SP2 to Developers Next Week

Microsoft to Seed Vista SP2 to Developers Next Week

A small group of Microsoft Technology Adoption program customers will get their hands on Vista SP2 next week, but a release date for the general public has not yet been set.Tech Adoption customers will get the second service pack for Windows Vista on October 29, Mike Nash, corporate vice president for Windows product management, wrote in a Friday blog post."The final release date for Windows Vista SP2 will be based on quality," Nash wrote. "So we'll track customer and partner feedback from the beta program before setting a final date for the release."Vista SP2 will contain "previously released fixes focused on addressing specific reliability, performance, and compatibility issues," according to Nash.Microsoft has adopted a "single serviceability model" so SP2 will come packaged as a single release covering Windows Vista client and Windows Server 2008."This should also minimize deployment and testing complexity for our customers," Nash wrote.In addition, SP2 also adds: Windows Search 4.0; the Bluetooth 2.1 Feature Pack; the ability to record data on to Blu-Ray media natively in Windows; Windows Connect Now for Wi-Fi configurations; and the ability of the exFAT file system to support UTC timestamps, which allows correct file synchronization across time zones.Despite these improvements, Nash urges most Vista users to hang tight for the formal SP2 release. "While we will recommend SP2 when it ships, your best bet today is Windows Vista SP1," he said.Microsoft released SP1 in March. It included compatibility, security, and performance enhancements, but little in the way of features or interface changes that the end user will notice.