14 DAY TRIAL // Undoubtedly, Windows Update is positioned as a Windows Service Pack killer. With the advent of Windows Vista, Microsoft has started sending out strong indications that it is getting increasingly ready to discontinue the practice of updating its software products via major refreshes (service packs), and gearing instead towards a more incremental evolution served as individual bits and pieces through its update infrastructure. The strategy continues to gain momentum, and it has done so throughout 2007, as the Redmond company downplayed the relevance of SP1 to Vista focusing instead on the RTM version of the operating system and the immediate benefits of implementing updates through WU.
The fact of the matter is that Microsoft has slowly been building an alternative approach to delivering service packs, one that will permit it to grow its software products at a much faster pace than it is permitted today. Case in point: Windows Vista. In 2007, Microsoft has, on several occasions, served crumbs of Vista SP1 to users of the platform. Without a doubt, Service Pack 1, now due in 2008, is still the feast expected by Vista users. But at the same time, via Windows Updates, Microsoft delivered a taste of the refresh in advance. The issue at this point is just how big a share of Vista SP1 did Microsoft deliver in advance as individual updates to the operating system through WU?
"Microsoft continuously improves the Windows Vista Operating System by providing ongoing updates while working with software and hardware vendors to help them to deliver improved compatibility, reliability and performance. (...) Windows Vista Service Pack 1 includes all previously released updates for Windows Vista. Many of these updates are available to the public on the Microsoft Download Center and Windows Update, while others are only available to specific customers or partners. It is standard practice to include all of these updates in a Service Pack and as such they are included in Windows Vista SP1", Microsoft explained in the documentation for Vista SP1.
Illustrative examples of SP1 fragments dropped on Vista ahead of time are a variety of updates focused on compatibility, performance, reliability and support. Omer Qureshi, Microsoft Technology Manager within the Enterprise Partner Group, revealed, at the end of August 2007, that the company had offered "over 20 Reliability and Compatibility updates delivered to all users using Windows Update". That number has increased since then, and you will be able to find additional items here, here and here. In terms of performance and power consumption improvements, Microsoft revealed that "about 20-25% of [the] improvements will be released separately via Windows update, prior to Windows Vista SP1."
20-25%... This number does indicate that Windows Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3 are not the last service packs for the Windows platform. But, the true question is what will happen to the service pack strategy once Microsoft will be capable to offer 90%+ of enhancements, hotfixes, patches, etc. as updates?