Rating: 
Summary: CRUMMY
Review: What a resource hog! My home PC was quite happily running Windows 2000 Pro, so when I installed this I was hoping for the same reasonable levels of stability and ease of use I had got used to with that operating system, with the added advantage of a home-user slant. But, boy, what a drag! Not only have all of my once swift and slick hardware resources been sucked into some Redmond power vacuum, but the built in driver for my ATI graphics card is _still_ not working correctly and Norton Antivirus continually fails to load.It's been two years since Windows 2000 came out, and they've actuallly succeeded in making it worse! I wouldn't mind, if there was _anything_ visually appealing about what is making my system drag its feet, but sadly all these bell-n-whistles simply serve to reveal the underlying clunkiness and awfulness of this outdated software. They tried to make it look like an Apple operating system: if I wanted an Apple, I'd have bought one, thanks, Bill. So, it's back to Windows 2000, for me, and back to the shop, for XP! In my opinion, if you have a working Windows OS already, don't bother "upgrading". Sorry!
Rating: 
Summary: Best Operating system of them all
Review: Windows XP is the best windows operating system that you can buy. A dramatic upgrade since windows 95. This is probably a must have to get.
Rating: 
Summary: Decent Improvement
Review: I've used the Professional edition since late last year and I have no complaints. If you have old hardware that you've been using since 97, you might want to consider upgrading otherwise stick with your old OS and CPU. Users that are finding difficulty setting up their computer with this product should consult a professional or at least a modest computer geek. I've built computers from the case to the motherboard to the software. I'm not a trained computer tech nor have I been employed as one. If I can do it; anyone should be able to do it. Common sense is all that's needed. With progress comes change; get used to it.
Rating: 
Summary: Good product: Questionable business practices
Review: Windows XP professional is, without a doubt, the best and most stable version of Windows yet. Unfortunately, MS shows no signs of relenting from their aggressive business practices.
One thing that simply shocked me about Windows XP: ASPI drivers, which are required for many CD ripping programs, are not included. Why would they do this? "Surely a careless mistake", you may think to yourself. Sadly, Microsoft deliberately left out these drivers. There are several reasons for this. Microsoft, being on the side of the RIAA, has realized that some people rip songs and share them on the internet. It seems that the recording industry and its allies believe EVERYONE ripping songs is guilty of sharing them, and they want to prevent that through copy-protection, or in this case, sabotaging an entire operating system. Microsoft would like its users to switch to their COPYRIGHTED Windows Media Audio format. Windows XP also lacks drivers with support for open GL, forcing the serious gamer to hunt down something which MS should be supplying in the first place. This is simply another attempt by Microsoft to attain complete dominance over the market. MS has already accomplished this with their Windows operating system: when is the last time you saw Linux being displayed on a PC? Because MS has complete dominance over the market, they are allowed to charge absolutely insane prices for their products. Windows XP pro, for example, is nearly 7 times as expensive as Linux, IF one were to buy it! This is the unfortunate side effect of one company being the only option for most people. Linux is free to download, and can also be bought for a fraction of the price that MS would charge you for its operating system.
Rating:
Summary: Windows XP Home edition
Review: This is the worst windows program so far. What they don't say is that it won't support many scanners (TWAIN), other hardware and software. All in one print/scan/copy etc. units only partly work and the manufactures will not offer software upgrades. In order to not replace my equipment, I had to revert back to Windows 98. It seems almost like a scheme on the part of Microsoft to disble outside drivers like TWAIN making the systems obsolete. It looks cool, but having to do patches on most programs is a waste of time and money.
Rating:
Summary: Don't buy Windows XP!
Review: I got XP when it was first released. You STILL CANNOT BUY SOFTWARE OR HARDWARE that is compatible with it! Forget Games. There are practically none that support it. I got a Kodak Digital camera for Christmas & had to return it . I bought an HP printer/fax/scanner in December & they STILL don't have drivers to support XP!
If you never plan to get new hardware or software, XP is almost as good as Windows 98.
Rating:
Summary: GOOD, IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT
Review: The Upgrade version of Windows XP Professional is fast, feature-rich, and has a fine interface. It is crash-resistant; does not hang during shut-down, and supports dual processors. It boasts of good networking options, as well as built-in Firewall internet security; yet, its value-for-money is suspect.
Installation is time-consuming: budget one hundred minutes for it. Like the Office XP before it, there are activation woes: the money you paid notwithstanding, Microsoft dictates how and where you will use it. Again, bear in mind that Windows XP may compel you to spend more on updating other applications that would not run on it. There is also, this voracious demand on hardware: your PC must conform to at least 128MB of RAM, 1.5GB of free hard-disk space, and 300MHz of clock speed in order to do a decent job. Gambling on anything with lower statistics may backfire.
In a nutshell, upgrading to XP may not worth the financial hassles, unless you're running Windows 98 or earlier model; and wouldn't mind replacing older software that this new Operating System may shun.
Rating:
Summary: MAJOR improvement over '98; Microsoft finally got it right!
Review: I purchased a BYO system and went with an OEM version of XP Home edition. Given Microsoft's track record when coming out with a new OS (always wait at least 1 year to make sure most of the major bugs are out), I was skeptical; but, to my surprise I have been VERY pleased with XP so far. I leave my computer on 24/7, and I have not seen ONE B.S.O.D. since I installed it a month ago. In fact, I have not had to restart my computer ONE time due to a system crash/lockup.
I was also concerned about having to download drivers for all of my peripherals and plug-in cards; but again, Microsoft surprised me! My printer, network card, cd-rw drive, video card and gamepad installed almost instantly without me doing anything! XP comes preloaded with MANY drivers, and when the device is plugged in XP instantly recognizes it and loads the correct driver before your even done sitting down. No hardware wizard to mess with . . . just a quick painless install.
My recommendation? Backup all your files, wipe out your hard drive and install XP from scratch (NOT as an upgrade or on top of '98). This will ensure you get the smoothest operation. Also, as mentioned, XP may not support some older devices; but if it's not supported it's probably time for you to get a new one anyway.
Rating:
Summary: Does exactly what it says onthe box.
Review: I have been using XP home since the day it was released. Having been through each generation of Windows (3.1, 95, 98, 2000), I have to say that it is certainly evolutionary and not revolutionary. However the new functionality that it offers is worth the money. There are a lot of little changes that have been made under the hood, apart from the big one which is that XP is based on NT. There are a lot of subtle changes that make life that much more easier and the OS more appealing. There have been a few reviewers below who seem to have had misfortune with XP. These are obviously users from the Linux or Apple camp, trying to trash Microsoft, or who are simply incompetant at using a computer. XP cannot not promise nirvana to all people who use it because a computer as we know it, is comprised of components (and the associated drivers), that may not always work together in unison. It is far to easy for people to blame Microsoft rather than the makers of inferior drivers. Unlike Apple, a PC is not propritery, so many companies make peripherals. So please be objective when making your XP purchasing decision, and don't be sidetracked by other peoples misfortune with peripherals, that have nothing to do with how well the OS performs and functions.
Rating:
Summary: An OK OS--but watch the hidden costs of migration
Review: Win Xp has some hidden aggravations, so be ready to shell out more money to upgrade. First, you need at least 256 MB's of RAM to really enjoy this OS. Running it with less memeroy will be frustrating. Win Xp does not play nicely with some games, especially some older games. Even some new games may not run properly on Win XP. Windows does not really have flexibility with CD burning. If you have Roxio Cd Creator (and you will need it)you will have to upgrade that as well. Windows will burn a cd in one session once and once only. If you have earlier versions of Roxio, you have to upgrade that. get the latest Norton Anti-Virus. Your old Norton wont run. Get Zone Alarm because Windows XP's firewall is not very strong. Matter of fact, Windows XP will make you a big security risk (but that has been true of all MS Products.) Hackers can even hack your system through a security vulnerability through Media Player. Download those updates and check their security site weekly. Media Player will only rip Cd's in its own format--not MP3. If you want to convert Win Media Files to MP3's, you have to shell out some bux to get Win XP Plus (which is a total waste of money.) MS believes that you should keep buying more and more stuff to have an all inclusive OS. The other features are features like Instant Voice Messaging is available otherplaces too. What it does do right is handling Digital Cameras. Real plug and play. Some of the features that have been cobbled from Win 2000 make it more stable but not crash proof. I don't see the dreaded Blue Screen O' Death much these days but then Windows will just lock up and freeze. Once your registry gets futzy, problems will occur. Windows still needs to be reinstalled every six months or so to keep it running well.
|
