What about Vista SP1?

Listen to the podcast: What about Vista SP1?.

Transcript

This is Leo Notenboom for askleo.net.

A few weeks ago I wrote an article that addressed the question Should I Install Windows XP SP3?

Well, alongside XP's SP3, Microsoft is also in the process of preparing to release the first service pack for Windows Vista: SP1.

For those that have read the [XP SP3] article, much of what I'm about to say will sound hauntingly familiar.

First, as I record this, Vista SP1 has not yet been released. The average computer user should not install anything that claims to be SP1. Either it's the Beta version, which is not final, or it's bogus, and an attempt to get you to install malware on your machine. At least wait for the official release.

In fact, if you can, wait a little longer and let others try it out first.

SP1 is big. Microsoft documentation claims that what they're calling an "Express" update using Windows Update where only the components you need are downloaded, will average around 65 megabytes in size. There's also be a much larger, 450 Megabyte standalone package which can be downloaded once, and then deployed on multiple machines without requiring a long download for each machine.

In reading through the changes the Microsoft has made in SP1, one thing stands out: there are long lists of "added support for ..." this and that new technology, but nowhere does it say "added support for old things that use to work in Windows XP".

In other words, it seems that if Vista didn't work with your old printer then Service Pack 1 is not likely to resolve the issue.

Out here in the trenches that's one of the most common complaints about Vista, and it's disappointing that they've chosen not to address it.

In the long run, I expect Windows Vista SP1 to be a good thing, and an overall improvement to the operating system. The list of issues fixed is quite long. The risk, of course, is that in fixing one thing something else gets broken. And no matter how long and thorough the testing cycle, it seems like it's inevitable that something always slips through.

I'll be installing it on my Vista machine probably as soon as it's available. I'll let you know how that goes. In the mean time, wait for the official announcement, and if you like, wait a little more so folks like myself can take the plunge first.

But once it's been officially released and deployed and has a bit of a track recorder, I expect I'll be advising that all Vista users install it.

I'd love to hear what you think. Visit askleo.net and enter 12148 in the go to article number box to access the show notes, the transcript and to leave me a comment. While you're there, browse the hundreds of technical questions and answers on the site.

Till next time, I'm Leo Notenboom, for askleo.net.