Vista Service Pack 1 was released to manufacturing on February 4, 2008, and XP SP3 RTM'd on April 21. At this point in time Vista RTM end users have full access to the 36 language versions of SP1 via Windows Update, Microsoft Update, the Download Center, and through Automatic updates. XP SP3 is currently available just to MSDN and TechNet subscribers, but will start being offered for download on WU and the Download Center come April 29, with AU distribution scheduled for June10.

SP1 and SP3 will undoubtedly bring a new facet to the Windows client already fragile equilibrium, with the market divided between Windows XP and Windows Vista. And instead of the inhouse competition between the two products ending with the SP1 and SP3 milestones, Microsoft has manged noting more than to perpetuate the Vista/XP operating system measuring contest. The first signs of the new fuel being poured into the inherent XP SP3 and Vista SP1 comparison, came as early as the end of 2007 when the service packs were still in Beta, with the general tendency to crucify Vista SP1 and put XP SP3 up on a pedestal.

The Redmond company felt the negative impact of splitting the market between the two products in the financial results of the last quarter, ending on March 31, 2008. Windows client revenue dropped to $4 billion from $5.2 billion in the same quarter of the past year, with operating income also down to $3 billion from $4.2 billion in Q3 2007. Vista managed to hit a total of 140 million sold licenses worldwide at the end of March, eroding the market dominance of XP, but not to the level where its predecessor would see its lion share crumbling entirely.

"Windows Vista delivers richer, safer user experience" is a statement coming straight from Microsoft. "Stylish, versatile Windows Vista powers a new wave of eye-catching PCs, with Service Pack 1 making consumers’ digital experiences more reliable and secure than ever," the Redmond company added. And yet the love for Windows Vista was inconsistent to say the least throughout 2007, and it is bound that will continue to be so even with SP1.

"Personal computing has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past six years," Microsoft added. And yet, the vast majority of end users, 73.59% according to statistics from Net Applications, are still focused on XP, an operating system made available at the end of 2001, and already over 6 years old. In Microsoft's perspective, Vista is tailored to perfection to blogging, social networking, digital photography, personal and work-related productivity, multimedia, wireless and additional activities and digital lifestyle scenarios.