Those guys over at CNet really have it in for Vista, this time it"s Robert Vamosi suggesting that users that are waiting for SP1 to make the switch will be disappointed. In all fairness it lacks the flair of the SP2 release on Windows XP which came with new features such as a new Internet Explorer version and several security enhancements. SP1 for Vista is no more than a roll up package of everything released on Windows Update until now.
What Robert fails to mention is that a few performance enhancements are also included in the update that significantly speed up the OS and are only available through Microsoft Downloads, which requires the Windows Genuine Advantage Check. Service Pack 2 for XP was a one-off, due to the repeated set backs of Vista, Microsoft were forced to include technologies already planned for Windows Vista, before SP2 Microsoft stressed time and time again that Service Packs usually do not offer new features.
SP1 will be a welcome update for those that opted to switch when Vista became available, performance and reliability have always been a talking point from the very beginning and I am confident that SP1 fixes those issues (even for those that have already applied the updates)
Anyway here is a snip from Roberts article, follow the link for the rest and make up your own mind.
If you"ve been waiting for Windows Vista SP1 to come out before you make the leap to the new operating system, don"t, says Microsoft.Microsoft"s Pete McKiernan, a senior product manager for Windows, told CNET News.com that one of the purposes of a service pack is to include all the patches that have been released in one package. Windows Vista SP1 will have that, but little else for the home user.
Unlike the buzz surrounding Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista SP1 won"t include a new version of Internet Explorer, and won"t include any new features that are considered must haves. Most of the enhancements within Windows Vista SP1 are under the hood and for enterprise customers. In short, Windows Vista SP1 lacks "wow."