Microsoft on Tuesday said it will make publicly available a beta version of Windows XP Service Pack 3. But, like a car salesman pitching the new Corvette over the old jalopy, Microsoft argued that a switch to Vista is the better move.

“While Windows Vista provides the most advanced security and management capabilities of any Windows operating system, Windows XP SP3 will ensure PCs running Windows XP will have the latest updates, as well as compatibility with the Network Access Protection functionality of Windows Server 2008,” Microsoft said in a statement.

Lest anyone misread that as an endorsement, Microsoft goes on to say that “Windows XP SP3 does not bring significant portions of Windows Vista functionality to Windows XP.”

Beta of XP update made public | Beyond Binary – A blog by Ina Fried – CNET News.com