Windows Vista SP1 Now An Automatic Download

Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) on Thursday released the first major update for its Windows Vista operating system to its automated download service, meaning that Vista users could receive the update by default as early as today if they have the service turned on.

Windows Vista Service Pack 1, as the update is called, has been released in English, French, German, Spanish, and Japanese versions, according to Microsoft.

There is a caveat, however.

Microsoft is dribbling out Vista SP1 to home users in small batches -- so it may not be available as an automatic update for some for several weeks. "We'll be distributing the service pack slowly so that we can help Windows users have a good experience," said Chris Flores, Microsoft's official Vista blogger, in a Thursday post.

SP1 is a rollout of software updates that fix bugs and glitches in Vista and is seen as a milestone that will inspire many customers -- especially those in the business market -- to adopt the OS. In fact, in a recent report, "Building the Business Case for Windows Vista," Forrester Research said more business customers plan to upgrade to Vista now that SP1 is available. This comes as no surprise, considering companies often wait for the first service pack after a major Windows release to update corporate desktops.

However, even SP1 will not guarantee that enterprises and business customers currently running XP or an earlier version of Windows will upgrade, as some have said they would skip the OS altogether. The same Forrester report said as much, although the research firm is recommending that companies don't skip Vista because they would not be well-positioned for future versions of Windows if they do.

Microsoft has acknowledged problems with application compatibility and lack of driver support, among others, that customers have had with Vista. It says SP1 and other updates that the company continues to make should remedy these problems. What the company hasn't said is why there were so many problems with the OS when the company had more than five years between the releases of Windows XP and Vista to ensure a smooth transition.