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