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: - 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.
Rating:  - What's all the fuss about???
Maybe it's because I have a new pc, so windows xp came pre-installed -- I don't know -- but I've had absolutely no problems with it. I was scared out of my wits to add my hardware (some of which is pre-windows 98) after reading some of these reviews. Here's my advice on successful hardware installation: 1. Go to the web site for the device you want to add. Download their xp driver (or whatever they recommend using). If you have trouble finding it, most sites have a search engine, just search for xp. If you still have trouble, send an email to their tech support. (The request for XP drivers is the quickest response I've gotten for ANY tech support request.) Also print out any install instructions(more on that later). 2. Extract the files if they are zipped. 3. If the device connects with USB, just plug in the USB cable. If not, it might be a good idea to restart windows. 4. Now here is where fear began to creep in on my first two hardware installs (San Disk compact flash reader, Samsung laser printer). Windows detected the new hardware, but didn't display any options on the screen. The next thing I knew, a small message popped up saying the device was installed and ready. I panicked thinking it had used one of those crappy drivers usually included with windows, however, I found both devices were working fine, and the printer had all functions installed! Hey, I don't know if Windows found the drivers I had downloaded (remember, I had only extracted, not even installed, the drivers), or if XP's drivers are just that good, I don't know. The final test came when I was ready to install my CD burner, since I have read about the problems especially with that. I extracted the files, plugged in the USB cable, and no joke, in less than 2 or 3 minutes, sure enough the small message came up that my cd burner was ready. I immediately burned a cd, and absolutely NO problems. The key again, is go to the web site for your cd burning sofware and FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. Bottom line here folks if you do your homework -- you might be pleasantly suprised! I'm rating the product with 4 stars right now because it hasn't stood the test of time -- but so far, so good! One of the really neat features is the options window that pops up when you insert a cdrw disk. It automatically displayed all of the digital pictures I had saved and asked me if I wanted to print, view as slide show, or edit. I haven't tried printing yet, but viewing as slideshow was a one-click operation, so was editing. This is SO cool!
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