Microsoft to Roll Out Windows XP SP3

Microsoft has said that work on Service Pack 3 of its aging Windows XP OS is finally done. The new SP will be available for general download from April 29. It will however be available to Microsoft business consumers through MSDN and Technet subscriptions even earlier.

“Windows XP SP3 bits are now working their way through our manufacturing channels to be available to OEM and enterprise customers,” a Microsoft blogger was quoted as saying. Windows XP SP3 includes all previously released XP updates, including security updates and hotfixes, and select releases. Windows XP SP2 had been released in August 2004.

The release of this service is considered by many to be a welcome move. First off, it improves the performance o f XP, which is already quite stable. Secondly, with the head of Microsoft openly referring to Windows Vista as “work in progress”, the move comes as a shot in the arm to consumers who don’t wish to shift to Vista just yet.