Microsoft's absolute refusal to deliver any reference related to the first service pack for Windows Vista is a strategy with only two exceptions so far. The company's Windows Omerta extends far beyond small details and crumbs, to an all out embargo associated with Windows Vista Service Pack 1. And the fact of the matter is that the same case is also valid for Windows XP SP3. But at least Microsoft has confirmed a general and vague potential availability date for XP SP3. Windows Vista SP1 obviously does not deserve the same treatment.

"Microsoft continually works to improve its software," reads the first sentence of a company message posted on the Windows Service Pack Road Map web page, but you wouldn't think so when it comes down to Windows Vista. "As part of this effort, we develop updates and fixes to recognized issues and release them for customers. On a regular basis, we combine many of these fixes into a single package (Service Packs) and make the package available for installation. Service Packs are cumulative, which means that each new service pack contains all of the fixes that are included with previous service packs and any new fixes, and you do not have to install a previous version of a service pack before you install the latest version. A Security Rollup Package (SRP) provides a cumulative rollup of security updates that have been offered since the last SP."

But the Windows Life Cycle fails to mention Windows Vista. The Windows Service Pack Road Map offers general guidance for upcoming service packs, "12 month roadmap" as Microsoft has put it, "based on feedback from customers and partners" (emphasis added), but just for Windows NT Workstation & Windows NT Server 4.xx, Windows 2000 Professional & Windows 2000 Server, Advanced Server and Datacenter Server, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003. No Windows Vista in sight.

Windows Vista SP1 is completely absent from the official Microsoft list of Service Packs, from the Lifecycle Supported Service Packs and from the Windows Service Pack Road Map. Although it does exist. The first screenshot of Vista SP1 proves that Microsoft is currently dog feeding the release and the Redmond Company has even confirmed its existence with the WAIK download. And yet... there is no trace of Windows Vista SP1...