What an XPrience (Microsoft Windows XP (Whistler))

Name: smcc

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Product:	Microsoft Windows XP (Whistler)
Date:	13/10/01 (92 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Improved performance, Faster internet, More stability

Disadvantages: Slow installation, Having to reinstall programs, ...And existing emails

I am one of these people that has to install the latest version of whatever, however it is obtained.

When Windows 95 was first released, I hesitated in installing it. A friend handed me an "unofficial backup" of it and I though, what the heck...can't cause too much harm, can it? Stupid remark number 1! It ran like a dog (granted my mongrel of a PC was not helping the matter). However, it did state it had an uninstal feature...HA! Have Microsoft ever got that wonderful gimmick working themselves?

Anyway, I eventually reinstalled 3.11 for another year and was happily plodding away, and then...I upgraded my system and was handed an "unofficial backup" (shall we call these UBs?) of version B. I still reckon that this has been the most stable operating system from Microsoft in the last 6 years. I stayed with this until Windows 98 came out. This all-singing/dancing new version was just the ticket for my tired looking PC that had yet again been spring-cleaned of it's internal workings and ready for the latest OS from MS. Nice system, shame it needed version 2 less than a year later. Still version 2 (what's this I'm about to say?), a genuine copy with licence and EULA, was more stable than the original.

In the year we all thought we'd never see, came Millennium Edition!!! The uniting of Windows 98 with 2000...supposedly. I have to say, it was a more stable and more reassuring OS than 98. So, as we expected version 2 to be released within a year, no-one batted an eyelid when rumours of Whistler started reverberating in the ranks. It's just a new version of Win 2K, we all thought. Wrong! It was to be the most significant change in Windows since 95!

I decided to jump on the bandwagon of early users, but waited until the sensible OEM version was released (I'm not THAT stupid as to install a Beta version).

What a change! For the better? Hmmm, we shall see. By the way, t
he version I am using is the Professional one.

Ok, so far (after one day mind you) the pros I have seen are: improved internet connections; faster all round performance; nice looking effects and even better installation routines. The cons are as follows: why do things keep disappearing when I haven't used it in several minutes (taking the Office 2000 idea too far); I have to manually switch off my PC now; what's with having to uninstall programs and then reinstall them and why do all your existing e-mails disappear and you have to manually import then again?

Please bear in mind that I have only been using the OS for just over 24 hours and that I will update my opinion regularly (if I remember, that is).

Oh, and one more gripe...an hour and a half to install? Does Microsoft not think we users have lives? Oh, right...point taken, Bill. We must all be as nerdy as you!

Ok, it is now about a week and a half since I installed XP. We have settled in nicely together, it seems. I have since found out that if you upgrade from 98/ME to XP Professional then for some strange reason you do not get auto shutdown, hopefully this will be resolved later with a suitable patch. I'm still raving about the internet: best connection I have ever had AND it always connects first time. Have just installed a new Epson printer (Photo 790) and that was a bit of a task to get going. XP did not like the ME/9x drivers or Status Monitor and so I had to install just the Windows 2000 ones. Apart from this, everything is just fine. It probably won't be long before I wonder how I ever got on without the operating system.

Summary: