Microsoft News Tracker

Last week Ina Fried broke a story at CNET about a Microsoft effort to buff up Windows Vista’s image by filming Windows XP users with a bad opinion of Vista raving about a new version of Windows called "Mojave" after they were shown a demo.  The trick was that Mojave was actually Vista and the test subjects were suitably gobsmacked when they found out. Microsoft apparently liked the reactions so much that they are now on the Web at http://www.mojaveexperiment.com/.

While the idea is modestly entertaining, I’m puzzled about the utility of it beyond demonstrating that the average consumer is easily deceived by both the "madness of crowds" and a slick demo that I’m sure lacked Vista’s more tedious annoyances. More to the point, consumers don’t really have any choice but Vista and it hasn’t seemed to slow Windows PC buying except for a relative few who have newly given Apple a try.

Where Windows Vista has a real acceptance problem is with enterprises who for the most part do have a choice to stay with Windows XP and many are doing so based on their technical and financial evaluations. Mojave would hardly fare so well in a similar demonstration with enterprise CIOs and their technical staffs.

Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc reports that Microsoft has released Windows Search 4.0 which replaces Windows Desktop Search in Windows XP and Instant Search in Windows Vista as well as the relevant applications in Windows Server 2003, 2008, and Windows Home Server. Downloads of Windows Search 4.0 are now available and if you can wait a bit, it will show up on Windows Update.

Some notable enhancements in the new version include cross system searches (as long as they all run Windows Search 4.0) and improved Group Policy management for large organizations, but I expect that the greatest initial interest will be in ordinary desktop search. XP’s Windows Desktop Search was a resource hog that produced such mediocre results that disabling it figured prominently on most lists of XP performance improvement tips and had me pining for my old copy of Lotus Magellan. Vista’s Instant Search is certainly improved in both form and function so it will be interesting to kick the tires. Early reviews of Windows Search 4.0 indicate that there are still some rough edges and while it beats Google Desktop search in function, it still lags in speed.

In April, Microsoft gave Windows XP Home a reprieve on low-cost mobile computers until at least June 30, 2010 and today they extended it to low cost desktops:

Today at Computex, Microsoft Corp. announced that following the success of Windows on netbooks, the Windows offering is being extended to include nettop devices. Netbooks are commonly referred to as ultralow-cost PCs (ULCPCs) and were originally intended for students and other first-time PC customers in emerging markets. Nettop refers to desktops that are ultralow-cost.

I guess some head shaping for the PR staff went on after the April announcement which prominently mentioned Windows XP Home. Today’s announcement confusingly mentions only generic Windows except for one partner quote. So what’s the reason for the enlarged reprieve?

Customers are asking for Windows on these devices because the experience is familiar to existing PC users and easy to learn for customers who are new to computing. Customers want to be able to take advantage of the wide range of applications, devices and online experiences supported by Windows today. Microsoft partners also appreciate Windows-based solutions for these computers because they already know how to build and support high-quality systems that are powered by Windows.

And they can’t do any of those things with Vista apparently, presumably because of its considerable heft, and don’t want Linux sneaking in. One would also guess that the definition of ultralow-cost PC is subject to some negotiation.

So, here’s what the end of life plan for Windows XP currently looks like based on today’s announcement and the Microsoft Volume Licensing Brief, the Royalty OEM Reference Sheet, and the License Availability Roadmap:

- No XP retail availability after June 30, 2008

- No XP OEM (large PC manufacturer) availability after June 30, 2008 except:

• OEMs can downgrade Vista Business or Vista Ultimate licenses to Windows XP Professional or Tablet PC versions for customers indefinitely.
• OEMs building "ultralow-cost" PCs can deliver XP Home licenses until June 30, 2010.

- No XP volume purchase licenses after June 30, 2008, but volume purchasers and System Assurance subscribers can always downgrade to XP as long they have the appropriate media.

- No System Builder (smaller PC assemblers) XP availability after January 31, 2009.

Microsoft’s Chris Keroack announces on a TechNet forum that Windows XP Service Pack 3 has been released to manufacturing:

Today we are happy to announce that Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) has released to manufacturing (RTM). Windows XP SP3 bits are now working their way through our manufacturing channels to be available to OEM and Enterprise customers.

We are also in the final stages of preparing for release to the web (i.e. you!) on April 29th, via Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center. Online documentation for Windows XP SP3, such as Microsoft Knowledge Base articles and the Microsoft TechNet Windows XP TechCenter, will be updated then. For customers who use Windows XP at home, Windows XP SP3 Automatic Update distribution for users at home will begin in early summer.

SP3 rolls up all current XP fixes, adds a few new fixes, and adds some minor functionality. The Microsoft documentation isn’t online yet, but Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has a nice summary.

The delivery of the Hyper-V beta wasn’t the only work Microsoft developers wrapped up last week just in time for the holidays:

Microsoft Office 2007 System Service Pack 1

Actually multiple service packs, this is a fit and finish release for both client and server Office 2007 software that provides “stability, performance and security enhancements.” Downloads are available now and coming soon to automatic update. There’s also a whitepaper that describes the changes. Also available was SP1 for kissing cousin Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0.

Windows Vista SP1 RC 

We’re making available today the RC release of Windows Vista SP1, found here on MSDN and here on TechNet, with an FAQ here.  I invite you to download, install and use the SP1 RC and let us know about your experience by providing your feedback here.

Public downloads are now also available. It may throw a crimp into the “now business can take Vista seriously” stories, but Microsoft is highlighting the obvious in warning that SP1 most likely won’t solve Vista software compatibility problems.

Windows XP SP3 RC1

Microsoft snuck this one out and I still haven’t found a direct Microsoft download link, but the folks at BetaNews have made it available. What Microsoft is providing is a new overview of what’s in SP3 and not unexpectedly, it’s mostly a roll-up of individual fixes, but there are some minor new features and feature enhancements.