Well the SP has been steadily going away at the Windows level for years.

Just look at the Window's Update Client. Install any OS from the RTM disk/image and then run the Window's updates. There where be hundreds of MB downloaded to get the OS to the current levels.

Years ago MS would just eventually build an SP and then have a few more updates.

So now this is going to the server level services. I wonder what setting an Exchange server looks like?