Microsoft Ships New Windows XP SP3 Code to Testers

[malware]

Following the announcement earlier this week that Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) had been shipped to manufacturing, Microsoft Corp. today confirmed that it seeded another build of Windows XP SP3 to a closed set of testers. "Yesterday, we released Windows XP SP3 RC 2 to private beta testers," a Microsoft spokeswoman said in an e-mail. "This release catches the build up on previously released hot fixes and responds to critical feedback from previous betas." Despite the new SP3 release, the final ship date continues to be unknown. Although some reports indicate February 24th or March 23rd as final SP3 release dates, Microsoft continues to claim: "We are targeting 1H [first-half] 2008 for the release of XP SP3 RTM, though our timing will always be based on customer feedback as a first priority," The next major milestone for Windows XP after SP3 ships is June 30, when the nearly 7-year-old operating system is slated to fall off the reseller and retail availability list.

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[FreedomEclipse]

its not 'slated to fall' we've already got M$ word that they will keep making XP until further notice

 

[CDdude55]

its not 'slated to fall' we've already got M$ word that they will keep making XP until further notice

Ya, Microsoft better not be try and BS us.

 

[riffraffy]

why is ms working on sp3 if june 30th is last day to sell it ?

 

[FreedomEclipse]

why is ms working on sp3 if june 30th is last day to sell it ?

june the 30th 'WAS' the last day but a few thousand XP lovers signed a petition that M$ keep making XP

 

[happita]

Don't know if that petition will affect MS's real intentions. Phasing out XP to make room for vista but was not entirely successful, now their making Windows 7. Makes sense. Vista was never any much better than XP IMO.
But hopefully SP3 will change that, I hope performance is increased tenfold!

 

[ShadowFold]

Don't know if that petition will affect MS's real intentions. Phasing out XP to make room for vista but was not entirely successful, now their making Windows 7. Makes sense. Vista was never any much better than XP IMO.
But hopefully SP3 will change that, I hope performance is increased tenfold!

Its not going to be, I DL'd a early release leak last month and it did nothing.

 

[exodusprime1337]

i wouldn't go so far as to say it did nothing shadowfold, i believe i started a thread a while back when the first sp3 rc was out after i installed it, i had a basic install of windows and ran some game benches with/ and without it and noticed almost a 10fps leap in crysis and even a larger leap in games like cod4/wow/nfs ps. so i believe the performance is there, perhaps you didn't notice but it is a well designed sp and even with vista here ms seems to be putting a lot of time into the release, you should be thankful for that, a lot of us prefer xp for it's streamlined, simple and effective method as an os.

 

[WarEagleAU]

Good news then. I eagerly await this.

 

[Kreij]

why is ms working on sp3 if june 30th is last day to sell it ?

It is not uncommon for software suppliers to distribute a final update to a product before it hits end of life.

At some point MS will abandon XP and move one.

I personally think that Vista is much nicer than XP (please don't start a Vista vs. XP war), but I also am glad to see that MS is willing to extend the life of a product if there is enough public interest.

I also think it would better serve MS to concentrate on future OS's and not spend too much energy supporting the previous ones. That is not to say that XP is not good, just that things must continue to move forward.