The first release candidate (RC) of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 is now available from Microsoft. Starting Wednesday, the RC is available to TechNet and Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) subscribers for testing, according to a post on the Microsoft Windows blog. The blog said SP2 includes updates that have been delivered since the release of SP1, in addition to support for new types of hardware and emerging standards, while continuing the security benefits of the operating system. — CAM