Microsoft fast tracks "Fiji" service pack for Vista

Vista hasn't even completely made it out the door yet, but Microsoft looks to already be hard at work on the inevitable first service pack, code named "Fiji," sending out a call for testers in hopes of rolling out the upgrade by the end of the year. As rumored the first time we got wind of the Fiji moniker, the upgrade will apparently add a number of features to Vista that had to be axed in order to meet this month's launch date, as well as address various "high impact" issues, although Microsoft doesn't seem to be willing to elaborate on exactly what those issues might be or how high their impactedness may rank. Of course, all this pales in comparison to rumored changes coming in that other exotically-named Vista upgrade supposedly in the works, with Vienna promising to turn the OS on its head, doing away with that pesky compatibility for "all applications" and throwing everyone for a loop with a completely new interface. No word yet on a possible service pack for it.

[Via The Inquirer]

[michael @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:06PM]

Microsoft shouldn't be releasing one so soon, not right after Vista has finally been released. It would make many customers feel a bit disgruntled that if they just waited a few months, they could have gotten a better deal. I know it's great the Microsoft is finally releasing their OS more sooner, rather than 5 years, but releasing one kind of soon makes us feel like we had yesterday's technology in our burden. Vista is kind of cool though.

[Robert McLaws @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:16PM]

As I talked about here: http://www.windows-now.com/blogs/robert/archive/2007/01/22/what-s-the-deal-with-vista-sp1.aspx, Vista SP1 (it's not Fiji, BTW) will contain all the enhancements to the codebase in the 10 months of testing Windows Server 2007, AKA Longhorn Server. That's because they share teh same source trunk. That's why they're planning it already... because it will be out around the same time that Longhorn Server RTMs.

[Wonderboy @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:12PM]

Um, they're not releasing the new OS for quite a while... but they have to be working on it since it takes so freaking long.

And the sooner we can get a Service Pack out, the better... cause then I can upgrade to Vista... not happening until then though.

[Michael La Framboise @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:12PM]

I'm definitely looking forward to this one since according to Microsoft SP1 will include most of the features that were cut during development, like the new file system and such... Hopefully it doesn't take em another 5 years to release it ;)

[disciple83 @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:33PM]

correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a new file system be something that people will have to make a serious adjustment to as far as usability? Especially new users who came into Vista as a first major operating system or switched from Mac. I would hate to think that as soon as a user becomes familiar with the inner workings of an interface, search functions, and file system that it gets a complete, (somewhat), overhaul and the learning process starts over to accommodate for advanced search and storage features.

[Jonathan Keim @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:45PM]

A new file system won't even effect new users. The only ones who will truly appreciate are the ones that feel limited by NTFS.

[adam @ Jan 23rd 2007 7:54PM]

You can run NTFS and FAT32 on the same system. Why wouldnt it be a similar situation?

[Alex Padilla @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:43PM]

See, I refuse to buy a Microsoft operating system until a service pack is released for it. Fiji was supposed to be a new OS after Vista, but I'm glad they've changed it to a SP for VI.

And as for Vienna, well, he he he, that's gonna be one hell of an OS, I'll tell ya that.

[Wonderboy @ Jan 23rd 2007 6:26PM]

You can tell it'll be a great OS... can you tell my why? And not the hype that MS has kicked out already, but actual usage and experience? I think not.

Alex my boy, you reek of fanboyism, go take a shower.

[applesucksLeo @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:45PM]

Hopefully it will include WinFS. If so , that would be huge.
WinFS is a data storage and management system based on relational databases, developed by Microsoft and first demonstrated in 2003 as an advanced storage subsystem for the Microsoft Windows operating system.

[Andir3.0 @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:52PM]

Maybe it's just a version update: "Change string version to Vista SP1" (follow my logic here)

Customer says, "I won't buy said software until SP1 comes out because there's bound to be issues!"

Microsoft says, "Hey, I got this great idea on how to sell this version faster than any other. We release a minor update and call it SP1. People will flock to the stores thinking we fixed all kinds of bugs even though we haven't had enough time to find them all!"

Sorry, I'm going back to my conspirator's chair.

[Otsego @ Jan 23rd 2007 6:16PM]

maybe Jobs will save us all and just come out with Leopard for the non-apple boxes.

[Alex Padilla @ Jan 23rd 2007 7:09PM]

Yeah, I'm definitely not reeking of fanboyism. I do think, though, that Vienna, if done right, will be a good OS, but I'm not a fanboy, trust me.

[Someone @ Jan 23rd 2007 6:41PM]

I guess this means we'll have to wait even longer for the next Windows XP Service Pack. Microsoft should stop patronizing us and officially stop supporting Windows XP. From the way things are looking for Vista, it looks like it'll need all the support it can get.

[KiwiNick @ Jan 23rd 2007 7:39PM]

Fiji? That's a real coup!

Buddom,,psssshhh

[Bob Schwankenburger @ Jan 23rd 2007 9:37PM]

why is that everyone always hacks on Microsoft when the release a service pack.. They say Apple is always better. Would you prefer Microsoft to release SP1 as an expansion OS that you have to pay for

[Zach @ Jan 24th 2007 12:08AM]

Let's also keep in mind that Apple has to support about 4 different hardware configurations with their OS. If they released it in the wild, they'd have many of the same headaches MS does. I'm not saying that Apple's OS isn't brilliant; it's a classy, professional, clean, easy-to-use OS. But it doesn't have an install base of half a billion, either, and it only runs on a very narrow slice of the hardware available out there. I'm no Windows fanboy, but Windows gets it done. It's not as pretty as Ubuntu and Beryl, but it runs. Kudos for the quick updates, I say.

[Uranium @ Jan 24th 2007 4:06AM]

Vista had me at the login screen...

[DMeglio @ Jan 24th 2007 2:43PM]

Anyone heard if they'll be any MCE Updates? I'm still hopeful that we'll one day see FireWire tuner support... no idea why MS has ignored the community on this for so long...

[Jeremy @ Jan 24th 2007 2:56PM]

I believe there is some confusion here about the real nature of this service pack.

This service pack, which is slated for around the end of 2007 will be released at about the same time as Windows Server 2007. The reason for the conincidence is that WS2007 will be built upon the same platform as Windows Vista but with 10 months or so of extra development and QA time. So, MS will be releasing the service pack for XP to include everything they learned while building out WS2007. To excerpt from Robert McLaws at windows-now.com :
"The end result is that Windows Vista SP1 will have the same stability, security, and reliability as a server OS. This cannot be understated: Microsoft has never had server reliability on the desktop before. Windows Server 2003 has been a rock-solid OS from day one, and the number of vulnerabilities have been far fewer than previous releases. Since Windows Vista started from that codebase, you already have a really stable OS. But to have the same bits running on both desktops and servers can only mean good things for consumers moving forward.

So while it's the first time in Microsoft's history that the first Service Pack has come out the same calendar year as the first release, don't take it to mean that Vista is more buggy or less stable than it should be. It just means that the Vista will get to reap the benefits of the additional Server testing that is going on as we speak..."

[techwarrior @ Jan 31st 2007 2:33PM]

ok im not that smart so tell me why i cant upgrade from vista to vista sp1 if i can tell me price and other specs