THE VOLE HAS pawed out new copies of Windows Vista SP1 to its crack team of beta testers, according to reports.
The new build is dubbed 6001-17042-071107-1618. We have no idea what that means.
We do know that it's 434MB and that those folks who have already installed a prior beta version of SP1 are stuffed, since Vista does not support build-to-build upgrades. They will have to go back, uninstall the first beta, then re-install this beta, like the Vole-fearing fiends they are.
No news on exactly what this new build does, or what it fixes, but it does at least promise to be better than the previous one. Handily.
Vista SP1 has been in beta since September, and is expected to be released before the year is out. There are no major new features, and much of the service pack is merely a collation of previous security and system updates.
434MB. Uh-oh. I'm still on dial-up.


(But working on an EVDO solution...)
6001-17042-071107-1618

6001 = SP1
17042 = build number (how many times they hit the compile button between changes)
071107 = 07-November-2007
1618 = 16:18 (hr:min)
I'd say the DX10.1 files are taking up at least 60-70Mb.
"6001-17042-071107-1618. We have no idea what that means."


You got the separators wrong...

6,001,170,420,711,071,618 or just over 6 Quintillion bugs left to fix.

And that is just the known ones...
Like XP before SP1, Vista remains astoundingly buggy and vulnerable to universal failure when stressed in any way. Hopefully Redmond will be able to resurrect this otherwise useless OS with the service pack, but until it's out for pubic release I won't be holding my breath. 

I can't help but feel like Vista is merely acting as a distraction to some other larger project.
So what's with the other 300MB+ the SP1 is made of ? There surely are many more never released to the public updated files in the release...
It's called 'release candidate' which so far is optimistic to say the least. An improvement in some areas, but not in others.

I actually think Vista will be a somewhat decent OS, once a few more bugs are fixed, the rough edges are taken off the interface and the drivers/driver model is somewhat improved..
I'd hazard a guess that the first part is 6001 is the windows build version since vista rtm was 6000; the last 2 parts being the package date and time. The second part I'm not sure about. It may be the number of known remaining bugs!

M
Why not have a few bugs in your brain fixed instead or quit trying to sound clever by whining about conditions clearly stated by the publisher of this BETA.
You forgot a few minor things :
- once the DRM is taken out
- once the "security features" are totally redesigned
- once Microsoft finally understands how to make a user account work without requiring the admin password for everything
- once Microsoft finally gets that users of today want the computer to work THEIR way, not Microsoft's way

In other words, Vista is a total loss and always will be.
a service pack nearly as big as their previous operating system.
I was very excited about and one of the first adopters of Windows XP. In fact, through a mid-level management friend who worked in Redmond I even received my two copies of Windows XP Pro two weeks before they hit store shelves. Despite the bugs and flaws at the time, XP actually brought a great deal of improvements and capability over Windows 98SE. (I avoided ME like the plague.) So what does the latest OS bring to us exactly?

1) They sold out to Hollywood and the recording industry with nightmarish DRM infestation. Not only are they charging us hundreds in purchasing their latest OS, they've also collected millions from the MPA and RIAA to force DRM every Vista user. Why should I pay MS to have that garbage foisted upon me? I refuse to allow corporations to dictate what I can and cannot do with my computer and music/movies in the privacy of my own home.

2) Poorer performance than what can be had on Windows XP. Upgrading to XP actually provided a performance increase over Windows 98SE/ME. (Improved resource management and allowance for single app memory usage above 512MB, more efficient multi-tasking and maintained a very good level of backwards compatibility for older software.) Upgrading to Craptista will in fact degrade your PC's performance dramatically, use more resources and you can essentially kiss goodbye the concept of backwards compatibility.

3) Convenience and ease of use was sacrificed for very little real gain in security. Requiring the user to input a password every time they install software or in the case of many MMORPGs, every time they run/update that software is a hassle most can do without.

Tell me oh great and might Vole, WHY should I pay you for this?
C'mon people, UAC is not the big problem everyone makes it out to be. 

It could be streamlined closer to how OS X operates which would make it less of a nuisance, but really, at LEAST Microsoft is trying to give people more granular control over what runs on their system as an admin instead of letting malware run rampant.
Is there anyone other than the author who thinks a pun like Volista is clever or funny? Anyone? I thought not.