What's the big deal with ISO 9001:2008?

ISO 9001:2000 is finally changing after 8 years. ISO 9001:2008 is available as a draft document with an expected approval by Q408.  You can buy a copy by clicking here http://www.techstreet.com/cgi-bin/joint.cgi/210223/cgi-bin/detail?product_id=1516270, and you can compare the proposed changes for yourself. 

So what is the big deal?  In my opinion: not much.  I hate to critique it since many people spent many hours on it, but it's hard to believe that after 8 years the changes are mostly grammatical.  It is almost the equivalent of bringing your car into the shop and getting it back 8 years later with new air in the tires. 

Behind the scenes there are some things happening which will allow the integration of ISO 9001 & ISO 14001 for easier dual certification. And there are some genuine clarifications to ensure that people understand that the focus of ISO 9000 is to exceed customer expectations. But on the surface it really won't change anybody's QMS - except in the technicalities. You can read more about it here: http://www.the9000store.com/iso-9001-2008.aspx.  But I wouldn't worry about having to make too many changes in your QMS just yet...