With both Windows Vista and Windows XP available on the market, Microsoft has virtually thrown the two operating systems against one another in the public arena. The strategy does not ultimately hurt the company as both platforms are Windows iterations and will contribute to maintaining the lion's share of the operating system market. Still, it is clear that Microsoft is pushing Vista to the foreground while slipping XP in its shadow. The same is valid for the upcoming service packs for the two products. In the first quarter of 2008, Vista is scheduled to receive its first service pack. According to Microsoft, Windows XP SP3 will be served by mid 2008, this is the official position, with the company giving indications that SP3 will also drop in the first quarter of this year.

"While Windows Vista and 2007 Office Servers are getting their first service pack updates, Windows XP is getting its last. For TechNet subscribers, Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate 1 is now available for download. Windows XP SP3 will be a rollup that includes all previously released updates for Windows XP, including security updates, out-of-band releases and hotfixes. It contains a small number of new updates, but should not significantly change the Windows XP experience", the company explained via the TechNet Flash Newsletter, as cited by Clare Dillon, Microsoft UK, Developer Community Contact.

Judging strictly by the description of Windows XP SP3, users have nothing to look forward to. This is Microsoft's way of turning heads toward Windows Vista. In early 2007, the Redmond company also downplayed Vista SP1, revealing that the refresh will be nothing more than a standard service pack. A year later, Microsoft is almost exclusively focused on pushing Vista SP1, even if this will happen in the detriment of Windows XP.

"If you are one of the people who have been waiting for Windows Vista Service Pack 1, you can now incorporate SP1 code into your testing, piloting and deployment planning activity. The Release Candidate of Windows Vista SP1 is now available for download. Note that if you do take advantage of the pre-release code program, do remember that the code will likely change before its final release. In this case, we strongly recommend that you also plan to install the final version of Windows Vista SP1 when it is released in the first quarter of 2008", Dillon added.