Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Windows XP "The Next Gerneration"
Put simply, it's hard for me to not get excited about Windows XP.
Why Windows XP Is Important?
Each Windows release has a theme, a reason for it to exist. Windows 95, of course, moved the DOS/Windows world to the 32-bit space, and brought with it a major change to the Windows user interface. Not coincidentally, Windows NT 4.0 was about moving the Windows 95 user interface to the NT world. Windows 98 was a small release designed to add bug fixes and Internet integration, along with new device support. Windows 98 SE, of course, was an even smaller upgrade with the same mission as its predecessor: Add new Internet features, improve stability, and support new hardware. Windows 2000, an NT product, brought a new level of sophistication and compatibility to the business world. And Windows Me--the final 9x product--added stability and digital media features to Microsoft's new consumer line.
Windows XP is also about choice. Contrary to reports that Windows XP was exclusionary, this OS makes it easier for users to decide which applications will work with which tasks. For example, you could use AOL and Netscape for Web and email, and then use Kodak's digital camera software to acquire digital photos, if you wanted. So you don't have to use what Microsoft provides. But for the vast majority of users, what Microsoft does provide in the box is not only sufficient, but actually quite good. That's because the company really thought through each experience end-to-end: What happens when the user plugs in a digital camera? Or a camcorder? It's all in there, and it's about what real users want to do with their computers.
And finally, Windows XP is important because it signals the end of the old DOS/Windows product line. Windows XP is based on a new version of the NT/2000 kernel, dubbed the Windows Engine, which brings the reliability of Microsoft's industrial strength business platform to home users for the first time. That it does so without sacrificing application and hardware compatibility is really the most impressive thing about this release. Microsoft has finally come through on its promise to integrate its consumer and business OS products, and the result is far better than I would have anticipated just a year ago.
Of course, the most obvious change in Windows XP is its new user interface, code-named Luna. Early in the development of Windows XP, Microsoft decided that it would move from the monolithic Explorer shell--first introduced in Windows 95--to a new UI that would be more extensible and easier to upgrade later. This new shell allows the user to provide various Visual Styles to the OS, each giving a unique look and feel, while utilizing users' same basic skill set from the old UI.
Other new shell features include an integrated CD burning capability, which will record (or "burn") audio and data CDs as fast as is possible with your hardware; and the ClearType display enhancement technology for LCD displays (laptops and flat panel monitors only). Both are most welcome additions.
In Conclusions Windows XP is a must-have upgrade for any individual using any version of Windows. I wouldn't recommend that any corporation halt an ongoing Windows 2000 rollout for XP, but for virtually everyone else, it's a no-brainer. It is far more reliable and stable than Windows 9x, while offering a similar level of software and device compatibility. Compared to Windows NT/2000, XP offers a stunning new interface with various integrated experiences, but it's also more reliable, and far more compatible. And features like Remote Desktop, Remote Assistance, and Windows Messenger will make Windows XP indispensable to many current 2000 users as well. Regardless of how you get it, Windows XP is a cause for celebration. For the hundreds of millions of people mired in the unstable hell of Windows 9x, Windows XP is a clean slate, your entry into a new world of reliability and stability. For Windows 2000 users, the upgrade is less dramatic, but still worthwhile, especially for the mobility and digital media features. And for the Mac OS X and Linux platforms, where innovation equates to copying the feature set of Windows, the bar has been raised yet again, this time to great heights. Surely, those platforms will catch up someday. But in the meantime, we've got the best solution right here, right now.
Rating: - The most stable Windows for home users
Recently I upgraded computers (Athlon XP1700+, 512mb ddr ram, nVidia 4x agp w/64mb ddr ram). I had three options, Windows 2000, XP Home or XP Pro. This was disconcerting because I use my computer primarily for audio editing and software synthesis.This is demanding work and requires components typical users do not have. Driver issues were a concern as it took quite some time for Windows to catch up with the music creation industry. A big negative was the idea of XP spying on me. The idea of WinXP needing to be "authenticated" bothered me quite a bit. I use other software that has copy protection that is similar and have had some unpleasant situations including downtimes. As Win2k was not going to be supported fairly soon XP was the decision and in all ways it has proven my preconceptions wrong. WinXP Home is stable. Coming from a Win98se system I'd grown used to crashes, the blue screen of death and a ergonomically dumb interface. XP changes all that. The expanded Start menu is more funtional that previous Windows versions. Programs may crash but when they do it is easy to terminate them. The worst that has happened is the need to reboot the computer to regain access to certain high performance peripherals. The crashes I grew to expect in Win98se just aren't here on XP. Besides having a smarter user interface it is considerably more secure and FLAWLESS when setting up new or legacy hardware. Every program I use runs better in XP, it doesn't hurt having a decent computer but Win98se didn't fare much better on this computer than it's old sibling. Windows help has been rewritten and is vastly supereor to previous versions. There is a wealth of configuration tips and wizards which make troubleshooting or simply finding information a snap. This friendly layer is beneath a high performance operating system that has more in common with NT or Win2000 than Win ME or older. When I booted up for the first time I did have to spend half an hour even with XP preinstalled. But the time I spent was positive in nature as WinXP kept detecting new hardware and configuring it to run correctly. In Win ME or older versions installing hardware and software could be a painful mess. XP was informative and worked perfectly. Beyond that it stays out of my way when working. This will require some tweaks as Win XP can be intrusive. This is probably to help new users and since these actions are defeatable it is perfectly acceptable. Win XP is as close as a PC user will get to a Mac computing experience. It insulates you from as much as it can. You have to actively seek to do the kind of tedium installing hardware like earlier Windows OS'. You do have to register to unlock Win XP. If you have a modem or as in my case cable it will configure instantly. There are some legacy equipment that won't work with XP but the database of compatible hardware is amazing. When problems occur XP premptively informs you so you can save data. Sometimes it doesn't but lets your computer recover quickly. You will be prompted to send the error report to Microsoft but the choice is yours. These reports are used to create bug fixes and update Microsoft's online FAQs so it's worth doing. You need at least 256mb ram to run XP comfortably. It will work with 128mb but for the extra cost it's worth getting some more memory. I chose to have Win XP Home installed with considerable misgivings and came to like it quite a bit. This is the first Windows home OS I would recommend. In fact several friends consulted me. All chose XP Professional or Home. All of them were concerned as I was. All of them love working in it. I have been a beta tester for some versions of Windows. The progress was impressive but this is the version where Microsoft gets it right.
Rating: - A revelation
I'm so surprised by this product that I can't find the words... first of all read my story and then you'll know why I'm so surprised. I bought a new computer last week and tried to install Windows Me on it. You can read my experiences on that page, I was nervous and couldn't understand why my computer didn't work the way I wanted it to work and why an OS that's planned to serve the needs of a player doesn't support hardware that's for playing. I was so confused with Me that I decided to try and buy XP Home Edition.It comes as a total revelation to me. Undoubtedly, it is THE OS that every home user needs. The installation process was easy, I had absolutely no problems with it, it finished in 30 minutes and now it is running. The look is great, everything is easy to install. The most surprising fact is that though the looks are great, this time the core is stable as it comes from Windows 2000 (the NT line). I had Win 2000 before Me on my old computer and I have to tell you that it worked without crashing for 15 months. After taking a look at XP's features I can surely tell it will run without complications for the next 100 years. Though it's demanding on harware you should know that the minimum systems sold nowadays meet the requierments of XP. From the price I bought a computer 3 years ago (P2 350 with 64 MB RAM) I could buy last week a P3 866 with 768 MB RAM. This suits perfectly the needs of XP. This means you don't have to worry if you buy a new computer. On older systems however it won't run so smoothly as on this one, for those systems I wouldn't advise this OS. For new systems anyway this is the choice. Hardware support is simply unbelievable, it recognised everything and didn't have to install any drivers for anything and this includes a video card, a sound card, a CD-ROM, a CD-RW, a webcam, a scanner and a printer. It had all the drivers I needed to run these things and the XP software for the webcam is 1000 times as useful as the one provided by the manufacturer. Unbeliavebale, isn't it? So all Me and 98 users, if your computer meets XP's needs, it's time to change your OS. You'll have the same good expereiences I've had with XP and wonder why Microsoft couldn't make this OS before. It works the way you want it to work, it does the things you want it to do. After Windows Me (which was the most unpleasant surprise from Microsoft) this is a complete revelation.
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