Yes, you did read it right. It's a veritable Service Pack fiesta over at Microsoft. In this context, the next stages of Windows Vista and Windows XP have been joined by the first refresh for the Office 2007 System. On the heels of the private pre-beta releases of Windows Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3, Microsoft has also dropped Office 2007 Service Pack 1 in the laps of a select group of testers. However, the next milestone in the evolution of the Office 2007 system does not compare with the beta stages of the product's development in 2006. In fact, it doesn't even come close.

Office 2007 Beta 2 for example was downloaded and installed by in excess of 3.5 million users worldwide. On November 6, 2006, Microsoft released Office 2007 to manufacturing poised for the business launch on November 30 at the NASDAQ headquarters in New York under the lead of Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Stave Ballmer. August 15 marked yet another phase in the life of Office 2007 with the first Service Pack drop to beta testers. Currently, only the members of the Office 2007 Technology Adoption Program have been permitted access to the early stage of Office 2007 SP1.

One detail that threatens to turn into a tradition over at Microsoft, the Windows Omerta, has also affected Office 2007 SP1. The Redmond company is not commenting on either the release, the contents or the final launch date of the first service pack for Office 2007. "We have a long history of securing feedback around future technologies from customer and partners. We have invited a very small number of customers and partners to participate in early testing of future products. We have nothing new to share around timing of future releases," a Microsoft representative revealed to Mary Jo Foley.

Microsoft's past experiences with selective pools of testers have failed to keep in tune with the company's new mute policies over plans for upcoming releases. Information on both Widows Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3 was leaked, followed by the actual service packs. Office 2007 SP1 is probably not that far behind in this aspect.