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Windows XP Service Pack 3 Not Due Until 2007

vitaly.friedman writes "Microsoft has published the due date for Windows XP SP3 (Service Pack 3) on its Windows Lifecycle Web site. The preliminary due date (the latter half of 2007) for the next collection of fixes and patches for Microsoft's desktop operating system is as more than a year later than many company watchers were expecting."

29 of 334 comments (clear)

  1. Interesting commentary on this... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Whitedust posted an interesting commentary on this this other day. I agree with them.

    1. Re:Interesting commentary on this... by badriram · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Microsoft always did say that SP will not have new features. Then SP2 sort of changed that only for that instance. Just about all updates on most SP can be downloaded individually and installed. So MS is not really taking anything away from you.

      A SP release to them just adds more QA and testing, that i think they want to avoid and release vista. I keep seeing people posting how they think MS is doing this so they can sell Vista. I do not think that is the reason, as most people buy windows through OEM with new computers, and a late SP is not going to change that. Corporations are not going to just switch to vista in a few months because of SP3 being late either, because by the time they test and release SP3, SP1 for vista would be out....

      The only people that might upgrade are well Windows fans/devs/sys admins, and well they will upgrade irregardless of SP3 timeline

  2. But.. by JonJ · · Score: 5, Funny

    I thought Windows Vista was due this year?

    --
    -- Linux user #369862
    1. Re:But.. by jacksonj04 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      However, 2000 was a massive leap from NT4. We won't mention ME.

      XP being built on the old NT base and ditching 9X was the best thing to happen to Windows in a long time.

      So, 2000 is to NT4 as Vista is to XP? We can only hope.

      --
      How many people can read hex if only you and dead people can read hex?
  3. huh by c0dedude · · Score: 5, Funny

    "2007" is a funny term for "whenever we get around to it"....

    --
    Since when has this country used intellectual elite as a pejorative term?
  4. XP SP-3 in 2007 by thriemus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I read that and I wasnt one bit suprised in the least.

    Somethings wrong...

    --
    - Sig
  5. last one left turn out the lights... by DeveloperAdvantage · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think by then half of their team will be working at google!

    --
    FREE - Java, J2EE and Ajax Audiobooks for Software Developers - www.DeveloperAdvantage.com
  6. What does this mean for Vista? by rob_squared · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Microsoft doesn't love releasing service packs for any OS that isn't the latest one.

    NT4 service packs ended about the time Win2K came out.

    I'm guessing this means Vista will be pushed even further back then Microsoft have been letting on.

    --
    I don't get it.
    1. Re:What does this mean for Vista? by MojoStan · · Score: 4, Informative
      Microsoft doesn't love releasing service packs for any OS that isn't the latest one.

      They might not "love" it, but they released two service packs for Windows 2000 after Windows XP Professional was released:

      Win2K SP4 was released 20 months after WinXP Pro was released.

      --
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      PRESS ANY KEY

      Where's the 'ANY' key? I see Esk, Kitarl, and Pig-Up...

  7. W.. T.. F.. by StikyPad · · Score: 5, Funny

    This story reminds me of a co-worker I used to have, who used to spout off completely worthless information. One day he decided to inform everyone that the history of the letter W was not in the dictionary, much to his dismay. Nobody was ever quite sure why he cared, let alone why he felt it necessary to verbalize his observations. I suspect he submitted this story as well.

  8. Not that big of a deal. by gasmonso · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This shouldn't surprise anyone. MS wants Vista to be out before any major patch to XP. Its in their best interest as it compels more people to upgrade to Vista. XP will be treated like a red-headed step child so Vista will look more appealing. So long as they issue security patches I'll be happy. It's what I've come to expect.

    http://religiousfreaks.com/
  9. "date"? by deep44 · · Score: 5, Funny

    So their release "date" is 2H 2007? Since when is a 6-month window considered a "date"?

    A precedent like that really makes you wonder about the release "dates" they still can't commit to.

    1. Re:"date"? by maztuhblastah · · Score: 3, Funny

      Since when is a 6-month window considered a "date"?

      I'm guessing you're not female.

  10. Re:horrible analysis by elinden · · Score: 5, Funny
    ...they might as well be throwing darts at conclusions...

    no no -- they used a mat. with conclusions printed on it. and then they jumped onto the mat...
  11. SP3 on multiple DVD's Then? by Ajehals · · Score: 3, Funny

    Given the number of fixes released annually I assume MS have to wait till 2007 for gigabit boradband speeds to make it a viable download.... or send a SAE for the 7 DVD SP3 set.

  12. You could see this coming... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...after the press release from the Duke Nukem: Forever team, where they announced they would be going gold when XP SP3 was released.

  13. 2007? by AeroIllini · · Score: 5, Funny

    This just in: Microsoft Windows XP SP3 is now renamed Microsoft Windows Vista, and will ship sometime in early 2009. Possible new features include an updated icon, a completely new marketing campaign, one driver for an HP scanner written in a drunken coding blitz at 3am, and a new desktop wallpaper prominently featuring the Microsoft Logo.

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    1. Re:2007? by H0p313ss · · Score: 4, Funny

      Possible new features include an updated icon, a completely new marketing campaign, one driver for an HP scanner written in a drunken coding blitz at 3am, and a new desktop wallpaper prominently featuring the Microsoft Logo.

      That would be Windows ME

      --
      XML is a known as a key material required to create SMD: Software of Mass Destruction
  14. Wrong, it's already out. by Eric_Cartman_South_P · · Score: 4, Funny

    Service Pack to fix windows is already out. It's actually up to version 4. It's called OS X 10.4.4

    1. Re:Wrong, it's already out. by GoatPigSheep · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Too bad that update requires an expensive proprietary hardware dongle.

      --
      GoatPigSheep, the 3 most important food groups
  15. Interesting... by EvilMonkeySlayer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Has anyone else noticed Microsofts gradual decrease in providing updates?
    For example, NT 4 had 6 service packs and number 7 was not released. But supposedly was pretty much complete, number 7 added a bunch of features that were supposedly in Windows 2000.. and with the release of Windows 2000 just around the corner.. why would they want to make 2000 less appealing?

    Also, notice that 2000 has just 4 service packs..

    And it's looking more like XP will be getting just 3 by the end of life period, now... either Microsoft have absolutely amazing QA which means they're fixing all the bugs in their OS's by the last service pack or they want to force people onto their newest OS with the promises of bug fixes etc.

    This is disheartening, they're trying to force people into a perpetual upgrade cycle and are being very successful at it too. I guess we can only hope that stuff like Linux and OpenOffice start making some inroads to at least reduce the price of Windows to help reduce the pressure on people who are locked into MS solutions.

    1. Re:Interesting... by kawika · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Corporate America told Microsoft that they didn't like service packs because they required a lot of IT effort to roll out across the organization. As it stands, any true security patch needs to be installed ASAP, so anything in a service pack is probably something most IT departments would prefer to avoid unless it scratches their itch.

      Microsoft has been listening to big companies; they created "patch Tuesday" as a way to reduce the pain for corporate IT departments. Think about it, why wouldn't MS release the patch ASAP for consumers? In fact, that would be better for MS debugging because it would be easier for MS to tell if a particular patch caused problems. As it is, they're all clumped together each month.

      If nobody in particular is clamoring for an update, Microsoft will oblige them by not issuing one.

    2. Re:Interesting... by misleb · · Score: 4, Insightful

      To be fair to Windows (ha!), I have found that the useful life of a Linux installation is a lot shorter than Windows. I would never consider installing a Linux distribution from 2000, but Win2k isn't all that bad (as Windows goes) even 6 years later.

      Of course, distributions such as Debian make up for this in being very easy (and cheap!) to upgrade to the latest version, but still. I've run into situations where I really want to upgrade a Debian system but fear breaking something. Eventually I just bite the bullet and do it. Things usually work out pretty well, but if it were Windows, I would be able to upgrade individual programs without worrying about support from the underlying OS because most programs work on all Windows platforms going back to NT 4.0.

      Just something to keep in mind next time you lament the Windows upgrade cycle...

      -matthew

      --
      "THERE IS NO JUSTICE, THERE IS ONLY ME." -Death
  16. Start downloading now 56Kbers by Skiron · · Score: 3, Funny

    It will take 18 months to download...

  17. why is that silly? by nurb432 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They put out service packs for 2000 after XP came out..

    Or NT after 2000 came out.

    While the product is still under 'support', you can expect fixes to come out. Support doesnt end on day 1 of the release of a new version, in the real world.

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    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
  18. uhhhhh... by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Informative
    Not SunOS, Solaris, the BSDs, Linux, OS X, OS/2- you get nice little security patches and bugfixes on a continual basis

    How often do you get security patches and bug fixes for OS/2?

  19. Re:Linux by oddfox · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh how badly we need a Linux port of WoW. I honestly don't have Windows for any other reason anymore.

    --
    "We invented personal computing." - Bill Gates
  20. "Maybe this time" by Futurepower(R) · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Do you notice that Microsoft gives its old OS a new name, and people say, "Maybe this time Microsoft will treat me right and release a good product." Microsoft has found a weakness in the average person, the way virus writers find weaknesses in Microsoft software, in my opinion.

    Software companies with virtual monopolies don't want to release a good product because then no one will upgrade to a new version, even if it has a new name.

  21. Re:Microsoft's behavior is extremely abusive. by praxis · · Score: 4, Informative

    "We find we need to re-load Windows XP often because of its vulnerabilities and instability."

    I am not sure to whom your "we" refers. I know I am not in that set as the last time I had to reinstall Windows XP because of its vulnerabilities and instability was...well, never. Reboot, why yes I have had to do that countless times when a patch was pushed out. Hopefully that kind of architecture will be out the door with Vista. Until then I can live with reboots due to certain patches. This box has been running the XP SP2 install since, well, I installed SP2. I use it heavily every day to develop code, test, install and reinstall applications, and do my daily software development work. It could be that my company has a competent IT department, but I am sure a lot of it has to do with me not running as Administrator and not installing suspicious software or browsing suspicious websites when I am. My point being that with proper care and feeding an XP system does not need to be reinstalled often.