| Windows XP comes in two versions: Home and | | | | If you switch off all the annoying special effects - XP |
| Professional. Both versions use the same system | | | | chugs along at a reasonable speed. For everyday |
| code, and Professional adds features such as better | | | | tasks it isn't faster than either 2000 or Millennium, but |
| power management for mobile users and file | | | | demanding tasks such as audio or video rendering are |
| encryption, for protecting confidential data. | | | | quicker. |
| After installation, you have to use the controversial | | | | To address any problems, Microsoft has included |
| Product Activation system. This requires you to | | | | three new features, two of which will be familiar to |
| register online or by phone to unlock Windows. | | | | Windows Millennium users: System Restore, System |
| Activation is a breeze but rather annoying. | | | | File Protection and Device Driver Rollback. System |
| XP boots more quickly than previous versions of | | | | Restore enables you to take a snapshot of your |
| Windows, but takes longer to shut down. It's much | | | | hard disk - if things go wrong, you can simply restore |
| easier on the eye than previous versions of | | | | your system from the snapshot. |
| Windows. XP can be skinned. ClearType technology | | | | File Protection prevents the accidental deletion of |
| uses anti-aliasing to smooth the appearance of fonts | | | | important system files, and Device Driver Rollback is |
| if you're using a LCD monitor, and you can customize | | | | designed to help you deal with device driver problems |
| almost anything. It's a big improvement over previous | | | | by giving you the option to return to an older driver |
| versions. The overall look is much friendlier than | | | | if an updated one causes problems. However, XP also |
| before. | | | | includes a feature called Driver Blocking that may |
| Many of the enhancements are designed to make | | | | prevent you from using older software such as |
| Windows easier to use. When you click on a file in | | | | firewalls or anti-virus software that isn't designed for |
| My Computer, a panel in the left of the window | | | | XP. |
| gives you options such as printing the file, copying it | | | | Because both XP Home and Professional use the |
| to CD and so on. The CD copying uses technology | | | | same system code, the same hardware drivers will |
| from Roxio and enables you to use CD-R and | | | | work on both systems. The included Internet |
| CD-RW discs as if they were giant floppy disks. The | | | | Explorer 6.0 is prettier than on non-XP systems and |
| system also supports DVD-RAM drives. | | | | can be upgraded to Version 7 when installing updates. |
| Windows XP also includes a new version of Media | | | | An integrated Media Bar enables you to use Windows |
| Player, which will play DVD movies if you buy the | | | | Media Player without leaving the browser windows. |
| additional Decoder Pack, and the useless Windows | | | | XP includes a firewall that can protect your computer |
| Movie Maker returns with a slightly better interface. | | | | from online threats and two new features - Remote |
| Performance and Stability | | | | Assistance and Remote Desktop - make it easier for |
| Every time Microsoft updates Windows it promises | | | | tech support to access your machine over a |
| better performance, but with Windows XP they are | | | | network. Multiple computers can share an Internet |
| actually telling the truth. The system is based on the | | | | connection. |
| rock-solid code of Windows 2000 rather than the | | | | Other changes are more subtle, and beyond the |
| unreliable Windows 9x, crashes are rare - and if one | | | | scope of this article. Windows XP is the best |
| program does pack up, it won't take your entire | | | | Windows yet and out performs its successor, |
| system down with it. | | | | Windows Vista. |