Microsoft releases Office 2007 SP1 early

Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, on Tuesday released the first service pack for Office 2007, which the company executives say focuses mainly on performance and stability improvements instead of new features.

Microsoft had originally planned to release Office 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1) in early 2008, but has released the first service pack update to Office 2007 one month ahead of its projected target.

Much like Vista SP1, the new Office update will crash less, and is easier to use, the Redmond, Washington-based software giant said. Besides adding performance and stability improvements, the Office SP1 makes the server components of Office fully compatible with the forthcoming Windows Server 2008 update. Moreover, it is more secure than the original program that was released to consumers in January.

According to Microsoft, Microsoft Office SP1 contains significant security improvements, stability improvements, and performance improvements. Some fixes that are included with this update were previously released in separate updates. The recently released SP1 combines the previously released fixes into one update.

"These enhancements span the software applications and servers that home and office workers use each day and will make the 2007 Office system an even more robust and effective productivity tool," Reed Shaffner, the product manager for Microsoft Office, said in a feature posted to company's Web site. "In essence, SP1 targets the issues that customers told us mattered to them most."

The 2007 Microsoft Office suite Service Pack 1 can now be downloaded for free from office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/default.aspx or customers can order a CD with the update at office.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx. The update will also be available for businesses through Windows Server Update Services and Systems Management Server.

An automatic update for SP1 will be sent by the company at a later date, Microsoft said. "We'll give users a 30-day notice before throttling up [SP1 via] Automatic Update," said Shaffner.

The 2007 Office SP1 emphasize largely on stability, performance and security. It improves the stability of server components in the 2007 Office system and delivers compatibility with Windows Server 2008.

In addition, it improves performance in servers and applications, including Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007, and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007.

Moreover, the 2007 Office system SP1 also offers home and office users better protection against malicious software and potential threats to privacy by incorporating incremental advances in security and results from application testing.

Vista SP 1 is Microsoft’s first major update for the latest operating system, Windows Vista, which is the highly touted operating system from Microsoft. It will eventually replace Windows XP. Vista SP1 features security upgrades, improved performance, and support for emerging hardware and standards.

Microsoft will release the Windows Vista SP1 as a limited beta, meaning it initially will be released to a "moderate sized audience" and won't be available for general download. General public will get access to the update by the first quarter of year 2008.