| Product: |
Microsoft Windows XP - Home Edition |
| Date: |
10/10/01 (2170 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Looks great, Very stable, Loads of new features
Disadvantages: Only a year since last windows, Price
Well Christmas must be coming..there's a new version of Microsoft Windows..no sooner have all the bugs been fixed with Windows Millennium (ME), than it's been replaced. Poor old ME didn't have much of a shelf life did it, only a year!
This new version of Windows promises to be around much longer than that, because from what I've seen it looks as if Microsoft have got it right this time, finally!
Windows XP (short for eXPerience) is released to buy on October 26th, however new PC's are already supplied with XP pre-loaded, no beta-copy reviews here I used the complete full version!
The first thing I noticed about XP it starts really quickly, taking at least half as much time as ME, which of course can only be a good thing. After it starts you're asked to enter your profile, and you can add 4 others so if it's a family PC, each person can keep their info away from prying eyes and meddlesome kids ((c) Scooby Doo!). Each user gets their own little picture, which is kind of pointless but also quite cool.
Once you've signed on and Windows boots up your settings, you are greeted by a very empty desktop, just the recycle bin, you can add want you want to the desktop things are not automatically put there by default, same with the icons by the clock there are hidden unless you want them shown or Windows thinks you might want to use them. the effect is a very uncluttered looking screen and it's better for it.
Cosmetically Windows now looks different (At Last!), since Windows 95 it's retained the same exciting grey colour scheme, I mean look at your screen now, odds are there is a high amount of screen acreage taken up by grey (or is it gray?). Well not any more, wow it's so clean and colourful, nifty little animations open and close boxes, fade windows in and out. It's such a nice change. it doesn't look quite as good as MacOSX, but it's a step in the right direction.
There are several new wallpapers (notice how I'm getting the important things out the way first!)and one new screensaver (boo!) and it's pretty dull, however all the old screensavers are there some with new options, the 3D text can now be reflective (ooooh ahhhh!).
Ok, so what are the real benefits? Well in case you weren't aware Windows XP is available in 2 versions, home and professional. The home version promises to be as stable as the pro version and from what I've seen it is, had about 30 windows open at one point, yeah it slowed down, but it was OK. I did manage to get it to crash at one point, but clever old windows recovered itself and asked me if I wanted it to report this fault to Microsoft to help produce a fix or to help designers of the next Windows..pretty cool.
It also has a built in messaging service (ala ICQ, Yahoo MSN et al), Windows messenger, I haven't used it yet but it looks like an update of MSN messenger. I bet ICQ and the others are worried, soon everyone will have a built in service...what's the point of downloading another..will windows messenger become the standard?
Remote access is another good one, as long as it's security features work well. Basically if you are having problems with windows, another person on their PC can control your windows and either fix the problem or show you how to. again haven't used this and it seems good, as long as unwelcome visitors can't get access.
As usual there is more support for people with digital cameras and camcorders, with built in editing software. far more flexibilty in the picture viwere too, giving you far more control over the images in "My pictures"
Microsoft state that is should be compatible with about 99% of hardware and software, Hhmmm that's a big number! Only time will tell. The machine I have it on was designed for XP, I wonder if it will be as easy to upgarde from 98/Me to XP. Which raises a
nother good point you cannot upgarde if you have Windows 95 or earlier, you'll have to but the full version and do a clean install (which to be honest is probably the best way, just a bit more expensive!)
I felt very confident using this new Windows, it feels very solid. It looks good, and it's different enough to feel like a REAL upgrade, but similar enough to find your way around and be able to use it effectively.
I think the average Windows user would prefer this version to Millenium and even 95/98. Could this be the definative Windows!
I have only been using it a week so problems may well arise, but so far I have to say well done Bill you got it right!
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