Rating: 
Summary: Is it really worth it?
Review: Note: This review was based on pre-release copies of Windows XP Professional Edition.Microsoft has compiled its latest version of Windows with stunning stability and features. However, it's overpriced for the new features. Pros: Most stable version ever. In 2 months of use, I experienced only 2 applications freezing, and those two were designed for Windows 95. Pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del no longer brings up the famous Close Program box from Windows 98, etc., rather, the Task Manager. From here, you can shut down any applications that might have frozen, close background processes, monitor your CPU and other performance stats, view network status, and log off or disconnect other users. You can also Shutdown, standby, restart, hibernate, log off, or switch users from this manager. Any programs that have frozen can be closed without going to this manager, simply by clicking the red X that replaces the close program button on window title bars. A new taskbar- you can now lock the taskbar, so you don't accidently move or resize it. If it's at least 2 lengths high, the date/time expands to the format: Time/Day/Date. Idle system tray icons are automatically hidden, saving desktop clutter. They can be viewed by clicking a small arrow button. The Start menu is revramped- internet and e-mail are first on the list. under that is a list of recently used programs. You can access My computer, my pictures, my music, Network places, Control panel, etc. from the right side. All other installed programs are under More Programs. It also highlights newly installed programs to make them easier to locate. Networking is EXTREMELY easy. A few simple clicks, and our home network was set up on all computers, even those running Windows 95. Integration with .NET Passports. Easy access to MSN Messenger and Hotmail. Windows Media Player 8 and IE 6 make multimedia easier, expecially with DVD integration in WMP8. More applications, such as Movie Maker, Pinball, Spider Solitaire, etc. included. Rounded corners on the windows so your mouse pointer won't suffer any more hideous skewings on those sharp corners. Cons- Although speed might have improved since the release of this beta, installation is slow, and the time remaining estimate is inaccurate. Estimated at 2 hr, took nearly 4. Uses a lot of system resources... installation took more than 1 gb of space, including the "Restore to previous operating system files". Older printers, so far, do not have supporting drivers. System Restore feature requires a lot of disk space. If you choose to hibernate your computer, you will need an amount of free disk space equal to the amount of installed RAM. Windows Activation required. So, if you ask me, I wouldn't purchase Windows XP if your version is stable. Rather, wait until you purchase a new computer. It will come with XP by then.
Rating: 
Summary: Good job microsoft !!!
Review: Ah, windows xp. This is one of the first versions of windows i have actually enjoyed uprgrading to. Every single upgrade: 3.1 to 95 have been painful. The uprgrade from windows 98 to xp is a piece of pie. Normally I reformat my harddrive but not this time. I checked all my software was relatively recently and popped it in my drive. After installing it on a 750mhz PIII/128 mb sdram/ nvidia tnt, it looked great. The colours were clear and sharp and the interface resembles the MSN browser for those who are familiar. Virtually every tool from defrag to scandisk is improved in performance and speed. No more infamous bsd( blue screen of death). DOS as we know it will be lost. The interface at first is basic for a power user like me, but i get used to it. It immediatly builds on you and you love it. I like the new login screen and the control panel. All in all this software is a combination of all that mircosoft learned in the past 15 years.
Rating:
Summary: Based on Release Candidate-2
Review: This is by far the best O/S that Microsoft has brought out to date. I 've done my best to crash it, and using many running porgram's , such as degrag, anti-virus scans, telephony apps, and its rock solid.
There of course is still some bugs in a pre-release copy such as this but I have already ordered the final and am anxious to get it.
Its easy to use, for instance installing new hardware, normally is a big headache, most of the time XP will install the drivers in the background and lets you know when its ready to use, couldn't be any easier than that.
BUY YOURS TODAY.
Rating:
Summary: Windows XP RC2
Review: Microsoft has finally come up with the goods.
The promised performance and stability enhancements of earlier versions seem to have been realized in this version of Windows.
I found Windows XP RC2 (a version released prior to the retail copy) to be stable, user friendly and powerful enough for enthusiasts. Given its large library of native drivers, as well as extensive applications compatibility, I can comfortably recommend it to anyone who is using a version of Win 9X.
Among disappointments were the weak firewall, and networking that is geared more toward using a PC as a gateway rather than a designated gateway router.
Rating:
Summary: The eXPerience has been great with Windows XP
Review: I'm one of the Windows Preview Program participants and have used Windows XP Beta 2, Release Candidate 1 & 2 and have been most satisfied. If you're looking for an OS with the stability and robustness of NT/2000 and the compatibility of the Windows 9x family, your wait is nearly over. Come October 25, you'll do well to upgrade to Windows XP!
Rating:
Summary: Windows XP "The Next Gerneration"
Review: 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:
Summary: Upgrading from Millennium is a breeze
Review: XP Pro was the easiest upgrade of a Windows OS I've ever done! The only hardware that didn't have a driver was my monitor, and I used the Win2K driver from Viewsonic's site for that with no problems. My games run faster, and no more lockups. XP is based on the NT/2K kernel, so it's much harder to crash than Win9x systems. The built in firewall is a no-brainer to use, networking our home systems was as easy as ever, and the new interface (while taking some getting used to), is easier on the eyes than the old squared-off one. Don't let WPA (Windows Product Activation) throw you off it either. It's just a hash value of your hardware (no personal info), and minor upgrades do not require re-activation. And if you ever do have to re-activate by phone, they don't hassle you about the hardware changes. If you're fairly computer literate, you won't be happy with the Home Edition, as it's not as network configurable as Pro. The wizards in both versions can be a bit dumbed down, but experienced users will know how to re-arrange things to their liking, and wizards generally only have to be run once anyway. My only main complaint was with my Abit KT7 motherboard's USB ports, XP and my Logitech WebCam. I had to disable 2 of the 4 ports and use an add-on PCI USB card to keep the camera working. Hopefully Abit, XP and Logitech will have that fixed by release though... if not, the PCI card isn't that much, so it's not a big problem. All in all, I recommend this upgrade to anyone with a fairly current system (128MB is my minimum recommendation), who's tired of blue screens in Win9x (95,98,ME) or had gaming problems in Win2K.
Rating:
Summary: I expected to be disappointed ...
Review: and I wasn't! I've been running the Windows XP preview release 2 (RC2) for over 3 weeks now and love it. The upgrade from Windows 2000 was flawless. I had no hardware of software conflicts outside of a small glitch with Norton Anti-virus which was easily fixed. So far the system hasn't crashed, none of my running programs have crashed, and I have yet to find any bugs. I also love the upgraded interface and the new start menu layout. All-in-all I really am very satisfied with this latest OS from microsoft.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Windows Operating System Yet.
Review: I have been beta testing the versions of XP since M$ started releasing them, and this thing was rock solid even in beta form. It has NEVER crashed on me, and the only times I've seen it crash is due to faulty drivers. I'd consider myself a power user, and this OS actually keeps up. I would highly reccomend getting the Professional version, as it adds several features I would say are key, that aren't present in the home edition, such as remote desktop. There is great plug & play, great multimedia support, and the new interface is amazing once you get used to it. Windows Media Player 8 has replaced my need for any other music. I'm also using the Plus! pack, which adds some nifty other features. Of course, the reason this OS is awesome is it's kernel. It is running NT, not the DOS ... that M$ has been releasing in 9x. If you thought 2000 was stable, this is even more stable (yeah, it gets stabler than that). I have never, EVER given a Microsoft product a full 5 stars, but I can't give this product anything less. Forget about WPA, forget about so called "privacy" and "antitrust" issues. If you want a rock solid OS, you want Windows XP.
Rating:
Summary: Windows XP is the first step to a new technology
Review: I have seen Windows XP on action at a computer fair where microsoft was present, and I must say that Windows XP has very nice new features like a re-stylished start bar, very good looking i must say, and the edge of windows... It also has many improvements from the technology side, like its faster than Windows 2000 and the internet is easy to use on this Operating System. I rate it 5 stars... I think this is a product you HAVE TO buy!
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