I have heard this scenario from a variety of sources. From friends to Paul Otellini, the CEO of Intel, they have all expressed their decision to wait until Microsoft will make available the first service pack for Windows Vista before they upgrade their operating system. Currently, Microsoft has planned to release Windows vista Service Pack 1 in the second half of 2007. Is there any relevance to this upgrade strategy? Is it any truth to the claim that Windows is simply no good until SP1?

Is there any basis to the well established tradition of waiting for the first service pack? Is this approach in any way valid for Windows Vista? Well, you will be able to answer this yourselves. Here are the comments Microsoft's Stephen Toulouse, senior program manager for the Trustworthy Computing Group has provided me in regard to Windows vista SP1.

"Thanks to comprehensive pre-release testing and the immediacy of services like Windows Update, service packs are becoming less relevant as a milestone of a product's maturity. It is too early to provide any firm date range for delivery, but we expect Windows Vista SP1 to be a standard service pack that will include security updates and hot fixes, as well as other limited changes focused on improving overall quality."

The bottom line with Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is that it will be focused on security updates, hotfixes and on general performance and quality. And that is it! At this time, Microsoft plans Vista SP1 to be no more than a standard refresh to the operating system. There is no saying that the Redmond Company's plans will not change throughout this year, but the decision to postpone the upgrade is based on the information currently available. And judging by what SP1 will deliver, waiting for it is nothing more than a tradition...

However, Windows vista will evolve with SP1. And customers will benefit from added compatibility, experience, performance and stability. The issues that are inherently associated with any product launch, and that have also plagued Vista will disappear until SP1. Also you have to consider the time aspect. Vista SP1 will deliver superior support to what is currently available. Like I said, you will have to answer the upgrade question yourselves...