Rating: 
Summary: Best operating system so far
Review: I just have to say it never crashes on me and it has a very nice layout.
Rating: 
Summary: A stable, friendly OS
Review: I will admit, although I have a great love for the Apple line, that Microsoft Windows XP is a stable and friendly Operating System. Emerging from the ashes of the 9x line with the NT Kernel, Windows XP builds upon the foundation which 2000 laid.Although I can not say that it is as stable as Mac OS 10.2 (or 10.1 for that matter), I will admit that Windows XP is pretty solid and stable. Coming from a heritage of blue screens of death, XP gives users very few problems. There will always be, because of the vast array of hardware products available (as well as buggy drivers), times when Windows will crash. In my experience, this has indeed happened. However, it definitely does not occur as frequently as it did in the old 9x line. For the most part, I can go for a week without a crash (or semi-crash) and this, in itself, makes me happy. The really good thing about XP, especially for a user who is learning the system through the eyes of a Mac OS lover, is that it is extremely user friendly. Although the driver installation process is almost completely foreign to many users, it is not a problem when it is needed because XP explains the processes very well, without confusing users. Also, it is very easy to deal with networking in XP, including wireless networking (which is extremely nice when you don't feel like wiring your house for a personal network). All in all, compared with its predecessors, XP is based on a much more intuitive interface. So, indeed, even a Macintosh lover can admit that Windows XP is quite a good Operating System. I feel that it is both stable and intuitive, giving it 4 stars out of 5.
Rating: 
Summary: Windows XP Home Edition
Review: Overall, I think that Windows XP Home Edition is just the 2 bestest operator Systems put together in this one. It will not play some of my favorite games, either! It has a cool new 3D look to it, though, but I think that Windows Millennium Edition might be more compatible, but it's your choice! I just don't recommend it to some older game players.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Wonderful OS!
Review: I jumped from Win 95 to XP at home, but have experienced 98 and Me at work. All I can say is: It's great! Especially appreciated is the System Restore feature, which saves people like me who occasionally want to experiment with settings. Very stable and predictable -- what home computing should be.
Rating:
Summary: I Guess I'm Lucky
Review: I was using Windows 98SE and overall was happy with it. While I experienced some lockups and freezing, it didn't happen that often. What prompted me to switch to XP was a desire for better memory management (Windows 98 doesn't do a very good job), more stability even though Win98 wasn't bad for me, and an overall change of scenery. So finally I made the plunge, doing a clean install instead of trying to upgrade over 98. The Upgrade Advisor that you can download from Microsoft.com was very useful. Luckily everything except my NEC printer was compatible with XP. Next, the Transfer Settings and Files Wizard that comes on the XP disk also came in handy. It gathers all your settings and/or files from the "old computer," saves them in a file (or transfers them directly - you have various options) which you can then put on the new computer. I wound up transferring only settings using the wizard. Originally I told it to transfer files too, but it copied too many things that were unnecessary and the result was way too big to fit on a cd. I would advise copying your documents and other important files manually but letting XP transfer your settings. That way you can be more selective about what gets transferred (assuming you are doing a clean install). Installation of XP went very smoothly. It identified all my hardware, and I was able to reinstall my software with no problems. Using the Transfer Wizard to move the settings to the new installation worked fine and was a real time saver - it moved all of my internet and e-mail settings and messages over with ease. All user input was very clearly explained and the process overall was quite simple. Using XP: There's a lot I still have to learn, but so far the system has been stable and I notice memory is managed much better than under 98. It loads faster and while the much more colorful layout took some getting used to, now it seems like 98 is in black and white by comparison. I also use the "clear type" option for fonts and find that they are easier to read than under a "normal" display (it seems to me that the main difference is that clear type makes it darker and bolder). I'm glad I made the switch. I've read some complaints about installation experiences and also the strict registration requirements but my experience so far has been all positive (knock on wood, of course!). It seems like the Microsoft engineers really gave this a lot of thought and put it into action.
Rating:
Summary: Sturdy as a rock.
Review: Windows XP is an excellent multimedia operating system. With the included Windows Media Player 8 (upgradable to 9), you can play nearly any kind of multimedia you could ever want on your desktop computer. The layout is ideal for playing movies, though I'd still suggest something more compact for music. Along with Media Player, you get Windows Movie Maker, for editing your digital movies. Windows XP is also extremely easy to use with scanners and digital cameras, since Explorer now has nice thumbnailing and preview support. Windows XP Professional is also an excellent business-oriented operating system. With the stability of Windows 2000, Windows XP is not prone to random crashing. Unlike Windows9x, Windows XP will stand up to whatever you throw at it and keep on chugging. Stability aside, it also has very nice business-oriented tools such as Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance. Remote Desktop allows you to login remotely, while Remote Assistance allows you to share your desktop with another machine, either for collaboration or support purposes. If you depend on multimedia or you use a version of Windows older than Windows 2000, I would highly suggest you invest in this product. It is well worth the time. There is much I didn't mention here that you will find useful.
Rating:
Summary: If you need to, then do it...
Review: I upgraded a four year old Dell (PIII 500 MHz) that had been running Windows 98 SE. It had been limping along after a virus attack damaged some system files. I had reinstalled system files from W98 and never got things running @ 100%. I upgraded to XP with a clean installation and the computer is now running well -- it boots faster and has been stable. The installation was smooth and without a hitch -- but requires much thought and preparation. The web sites for the manufacturer of each item of hardware (video card, audio card, modem, scanner, printer, expansion cards, expansion drives...) should be checked to confirm compatability and driver availability for XP. Download and collect the necessary drivers. My scanner, audio card and video card were not compatable and had to be replaced for optimum stability and performance. I added a CD burner and removed the zip drive for better backup capability. So..... after about three weeks of preparation and making a two page checklist of the sequence of activities for backing up, unistalling and installing .... the installation went smoothly. I am happy with the result and all of the productivity apps are working perfectly, although a few of my old programs (Myst, Riven) dont run on XP. Bottom line, if your computer is running well, then you probably do not need/want to upgrade. If you have a reason to upgrade, then you should go ahead and do it -- If you prepare then you will be pleased with the result....
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, but not for the technically timid
Review: Windows XP Pro is great. Not only does it offer the benifits of windows NT's stability, but it's also as software-friendly as 98 was. I give it four stars because: registering with microsoft is a hassle. Also, if you buy it now, expect about a half-hour of downloading upgrades; long but painless. XP's (only) downside is that some things don't quite work on it. So far I've had two games fail on XP, but I found patches online that made them work. Overall XP is great, but you should buy XP Home if you aren't the best with the internet and your computer.
Rating:
Summary: Buyer Beware!!! (Go with Win2000 Pro Instead)
Review: There appears to be a problem that is occurring to a lot of people lately, myself included, and relates to error messages related to the irprops.cpl file. The XP Pro "upgrade" I purchased doesn't appear to be 802.1b wireless network compliant as stated. The problem is referenced in several NG posts and in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article #323183, which doesn't even try to offer a solution other than "contact the manufacturer of your Bluetooth wireless technology device to obtain this update." (Mine doesn't have one, of course.) XP Home Editon worked quite well, I'm really disappointed that Pro screwed things up. Microsoft email support was friendly, professional, and persistent but unable to resolve my problem. XP also has a lot of auto-reminders stuff that pop up on your desktop just in time to break your concentration and are very consumptive of system resources. If you liked that microsoft assistant guy they built into Office a few years back, you'll love XP...it's a classic case of over-engineering.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing potential... if you know how to tap into it.
Review: First off, let me say: don't waste your money on an "Upgrade" disc... Windows XP is a fairly stable O/S... as long as it's not trying to update itself from Windows ME or 9x. ME I've heard some particularly nasty things about upgrading. If you want any kind of stability, spring for the full version. For those of you who don't know the difference. "Upgrade" means that if your computer ever crashed, you'd have to load your old operating system first... then Windows XP. The upgrade doesn't stand alone. Fresh install you'll have less problems, Less time reloading and you won't have to find multiple discs. Windows XP professional is an awesome O/S, but aside from the slick, new interface and MASSIVE driver base, the CD is pure gold as well. If you're new to networking, pop the Windows XP CD into any Windows-based computer, and run it's networking application. It'll walk you right through the network setup. Also, if you're more of a hardcore user, XP Professional has a set of troubleshooting software not installed with the operating system. Poolmon.exe (under the Gflags util) is a great way to see what's going on if you're trying to hunt down a memory leak. As for the operating system itself, I've been running XP for roughly a year and a half. I don't like going backwards. Windows 9x is phasing out, Windows ME was probably the worse thing MS ever put out and Windows 2000 hasn't really impressed me as much as XP (not to mention having to download 3rd party software to emulate "msconfig"). Stability isn't absolute... but NOTHING Microsoft has put out has been absolute since DOS and maybe 3.1 If you're looking for good looks, awesome potential, a full range of supported games and hardware and a lot of power... Windows XP is your bag.
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