Paul Thurrott is doing his best to clear up all the rumors about what Vista SP1 is and isn’t.  In his Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) FAQ he sets out the “facts” in his “No rumors.  Just the FAQs” post.

Hang on now, make sure you read through all the fine print in this “no rumors” FAQ.  Some classics include Paul or his source “guessing” several times, using information based on “his understanding”, along with some “based on his own” discussions or things "expected" by Paul or those sources.  Huh?

I’m no “professional” journalist, but shouldn’t a “no rumors” FAQ actually include information that’s not based on the same?  Paul’s seemingly mythical conversations with Microsoft employees are going to be the same type that all other reports have been based off of.

The great thing about covering anything within Microsoft is that it always changes or you always get stale information.  Paul has been wrong several times in the past, Mary Jo has too along with everyone else who has covered Microsoft either professionally or as an amateur (such as me).

In fact, readers here will remember this jewel from Paul in 2004.  Paul Thurrott: ” Softsled, the software version of a Media Center Extender is currently under development. It won't ship any time soon, but it is happening.”  It is 2007 and Microsoft claims to have no plans for Softsled, so it looks as if Paul got that one wrong.

My point is while I respect Paul, Mary Jo, et al the information all of them get is subject to change and plain wrong part of the time.  Do your best to seek out correct information, but if you are the slightest bit unsure (or if you are going to load it up with guesses and expectations) don’t sell it as a “No rumors.  Just the FAQs” when clearly it is far from it.

I did this when I found out some information about what I’ve heard to be Fiji, the upcoming Media Center update.  While I would love to be 100% right, I did note that it is “water-cooler talk” where I heard it and that dates are subject to change.  I try my best to get correct information, but I’m not going to sit here and lie to everyone that I have THE source for information.  I could be right, I could be wrong.  When information comes out that I might be wrong, I’ll post it and let everyone know what’s up.  On that subject, I’ve heard that at least part of it might be wrong.  I trust the person I heard that from, but have no idea what part.  Might be a ship date, might be a feature.  Really don’t know, when I do, I’ll post.

My point is, you can’t trust anything you read until Microsoft decides to publish a press release.  They withhold information for a reason.  Features and release dates are subject to change all around.  I’ll do my best to get my readers good information, but I also do my best (and sure, I’ve made mistakes there) not to sell the information as die-hard correct until a press release shows up in my Inbox to prove it.