Microsoft is putting out the first service pack of its Windows Vista operating system in the first quarter of 2008.

Service packs are a collection of bug fixes and improvements that Microsoft puts out for major programs such as its operating systems.

Besides the bunch of updates the company has previously released, SP1 is supposed to address specific reliability and performance issues, support new types of hardware, and add support for emerging standards such as an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) and an Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT).

SP1 is also set to include enhancements aimed at IT administrators such as BitLocker Drive Encryption.

A beta of the Vista SP1 should be out in a few weeks.

Many large corporations put off implementing a new operating system until Microsoft puts out the first service pack.