Microsoft made a new test version of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 available. The Redmond company is in full throttle with the development of the first service pack for Vista as the refresh will be delivered for download to MSDN and TechNet subscribers by mid September. In just two weeks, Microsoft plans to allow some 10,000 to 15,000 testers access to the full beta of Vista SP1. Invitations for the first beta build of Vista SP1 have already begun shipping to the current members of the Windows Server 2008 beta program. The Redmond company confirmed officially back at the end of June 2007 that Vista SP1 Beta will be offered in advance on November, the date when the U.S. oversight over Microsoft's monopolist business practices is scheduled to end.

The confirmation was generated at the time by Google's complaints related to the alteration of the default Windows Desktop Search Mechanism in Vista, designed to permit third party search applications to integrate seamlessly with the operating system. The Mountain View search giant had proposed earlier this summer that the supervision of Microsoft's delivery of Windows Vista SP1 beta be extended after November 12. Microsoft responded by promising the first refresh for Vista in beta not only by the end of 2007, but also earlier than November.

Well Microsoft delivered. Not only will Vista SP1 Beta go live on MSDN and TechNet in the coming couple of weeks but also a new testing build of the service pack has been delivered to U.S. federal regulators. And by the looks of the "limited pool of evaluators", this is one version of Vista SP1 beta that you won't be able to find leaked to peer-to-peer file sharing networks. The U.S. Justice Department confirmed that Microsoft submitted a build of Vista SP1 beta set up in order to permit the analysis of the modifications introduced into the operating system's Desktop Search mechanism allowing the accommodation of third-party products into the platform's architecture.

Essentially, Vista SP1 currently planned for final delivery in the first quarter of 2008, following the February launch of Windows Server 2008, will enable a third-party program to integrate seamlessly with the existing search infrastructure. Users will be able to select a default search application and the program will be featured both in the Start Menu and in the Instant Search boxes across Windows Explorer.