Windows XP SP2 delay confirmed

Microsoft has confirmed that its much-anticipated Windows XP Service Pack 2 has been delayed for release until almost spring.

The Windows client update incorporates a host of new security features but won't be released until sometime in the third quarter, a Microsoft spokesman said.

Company executives had promised repeatedly that Windows XP SP2 would be available in the first half of 2004. The service pack moved into beta testing late last year and the first release candidate was made available mid-March.

Microsoft security executives said 20 April that the second-release candidate would be released mid-May and Microsoft was still aiming to ship in the first half of 2004.

The Microsoft spokesman said that the timing for the second release candidate may also be changed but would not give a reason for the delays.

However ,one reseller, who requested anonymity, alleged that Microsoft had bumped into some security issues it couldn't resolve before June. 'They found some bugs.'

Michael Cherry, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft, a US newsletter, said the delay illustrated the difficulty of integrating new features with a set of constantly-evolving patches.

Service packs traditionally only included bug fixes and patches but Microsoft had opted to use Windows XP SP2 to deliver an enhanced set of security features, such as Windows Firewall and Windows Security Center.

'This really seems to show the need to just keep service packs as a collection of tested patches and come up with other ship vehicles to release changes to the features--via say a feature pack. By de-coupling the patches from features, no matter how important or justified the feature changes may be, they could create a schedule whereby customers could know when a service pack would be available,' Cherry said.

Ted Dinsmore, president of Conchango, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner company in the US, said he didn't think customers were 'too bothered' by the delays.

'They would rather Microsoft put something out secure and correct then rush it,' Dinsmore claimed.