Why you should upgrade to Windows XP

COMMENTARY--OK, now that we've gotten that out of your systems for you, we can report that despite what you Microsoft haters would like to hear, Windows XP is simply the best OS that the company has come up with to date. Granted, with recent releases like Windows Me, the bar wasn't so high. But with the release of Windows XP, Microsoft has managed to build upon the stability of Windows 2000, while adding a slew of features that home and business users will likely welcome with open arms.

We've recommended the upgrade to our friends and family who ask, assuming that their PCs and peripherals are supported. Of course you can make your own decision after reading ZDNet's review of the new OS. If you want to see how compatible your system is, check Microsoft's rather cumbersome Hardware Compatibility list (Web site), or get your hands on an upgrade advisor CD-ROM that the company will be making available online and in computer stores in the coming weeks.

Who shouldn't upgrade? Basically any users satisfied with their current system performance (including boot-up time, power management, etc.), and who don't add a lot of peripherals to their systems. If you're using a system to surf the Web, send out a couple of e-mails, and do some word processing, you really don't need to bother with the hassle--or expense--of an upgrade.

But you should seriously think about Windows XP if you're a power user or you get annoyed at how long it takes to start up your system or you've found that standby and hibernate have never worked quite right on your PC or you can't tolerate the all-too-frequent system crashes you endure (likely not the case if you're running Windows 2000).

And, if you're frequently adding new peripherals to your system, you should be pleasantly surprised at how simple Windows XP makes it. In fact, a couple of weeks ago we popped in a wireless LAN card without the drivers. Within 60 seconds, we accessed a wireless LAN that our systems had never seen before. Very impressive.

We're both fans of the new user interface, which is cleaner and easier--especially for newbies. Of course, you Windows traditionalists out there can revert to the "classic" look if you so desire. We think home and small business users will welcome new networking wizards that greatly simplify connecting multiple PCs. The built-in firewall is a nice addition, too, especially for cable and DSL users.

On the multimedia front, Windows Media Player (WMP) 8.0 has some nice improvements as well, including support for MP3 encoding (with an optional plug-in), better management of music files, and the automatic downloading of album art when you rip a CD--assuming the album's contained in the All Music Guide database. You can also use WMP 8 for DVD playback, as long as you already have a DVD decoder installed.

If you do decide to upgrade, don't get fixated on whether to buy the Home Edition ($99 upgrade, $199 full) or Professional Edition ($199 upgrade, $299 full). Professional contains everything that Home has, but throws in some additional bells and whistles for the IS crowd, including multiple processor support, and a variety of management features that you'll probably never use at home, and perhaps not even in a small office. But many of the differences between the two versions have less to do with features than with look-and-feel. Microsoft has customized each edition to suit its audience, however, all of the other options are still there so you can always change these default settings to suit your tastes.

Is Windows XP perfect? Of course not. As our loyal readers know by now, we don't have any philosophical problems with Product Activation, and Microsoft has taken some steps to make the process less painful. But we concede that for a relatively small group of users--those that swap system components continuously, such as VARs--the scheme could take a little getting used to. We also wish that Microsoft offered greater discounts to home and small business users seeking to upgrade more than one system. Currently you'll only save $8 to $12 a copy.

Still, Microsoft has turned out a vastly improved operating system. Even if you're not one of the company's biggest fans, don't hate Windows XP just because it's from Microsoft.

See Also:
This week's most popular operating systems
For more on Windows XP, visit the ZDNet Windows Guide.

Talkback

Are you considering an upgrade to Windows XP? Why, or why not? Tell us in Talkback.

COMMENTARY--OK, now that we've gotten that out of your systems for you, we can report that despite what you Microsoft haters would like to hear, Windows XP is simply the best OS that the company has come up with to date. Granted, with recent releases like Windows Me, the bar wasn't so high. But with the release of Windows XP, Microsoft has managed to build upon the stability of Windows 2000, while adding a slew of features that home and business users will likely welcome with open arms.

We've recommended the upgrade to our friends and family who ask, assuming that their PCs and peripherals are supported. Of course you can make your own decision after reading ZDNet's review of the new OS. If you want to see how compatible your system is, check Microsoft's rather cumbersome Hardware Compatibility list (Web site), or get your hands on an upgrade advisor CD-ROM that the company will be making available online and in computer stores in the coming weeks.

Who shouldn't upgrade? Basically any users satisfied with their current system performance (including boot-up time, power management, etc.), and who don't add a lot of peripherals to their systems. If you're using a system to surf the Web, send out a couple of e-mails, and do some word processing, you really don't need to bother with the hassle--or expense--of an upgrade.

But you should seriously think about Windows XP if you're a power user or you get annoyed at how long it takes to start up your system or you've found that standby and hibernate have never worked quite right on your PC or you can't tolerate the all-too-frequent system crashes you endure (likely not the case if you're running Windows 2000).

And, if you're frequently adding new peripherals to your system, you should be pleasantly surprised at how simple Windows XP makes it. In fact, a couple of weeks ago we popped in a wireless LAN card without the drivers. Within 60 seconds, we accessed a wireless LAN that our systems had never seen before. Very impressive.

We're both fans of the new user interface, which is cleaner and easier--especially for newbies. Of course, you Windows traditionalists out there can revert to the "classic" look if you so desire. We think home and small business users will welcome new networking wizards that greatly simplify connecting multiple PCs. The built-in firewall is a nice addition, too, especially for cable and DSL users.

On the multimedia front, Windows Media Player (WMP) 8.0 has some nice improvements as well, including support for MP3 encoding (with an optional plug-in), better management of music files, and the automatic downloading of album art when you rip a CD--assuming the album's contained in the All Music Guide database. You can also use WMP 8 for DVD playback, as long as you already have a DVD decoder installed.

If you do decide to upgrade, don't get fixated on whether to buy the Home Edition ($99 upgrade, $199 full) or Professional Edition ($199 upgrade, $299 full). Professional contains everything that Home has, but throws in some additional bells and whistles for the IS crowd, including multiple processor support, and a variety of management features that you'll probably never use at home, and perhaps not even in a small office. But many of the differences between the two versions have less to do with features than with look-and-feel. Microsoft has customized each edition to suit its audience, however, all of the other options are still there so you can always change these default settings to suit your tastes.

Is Windows XP perfect? Of course not. As our loyal readers know by now, we don't have any philosophical problems with Product Activation, and Microsoft has taken some steps to make the process less painful. But we concede that for a relatively small group of users--those that swap system components continuously, such as VARs--the scheme could take a little getting used to. We also wish that Microsoft offered greater discounts to home and small business users seeking to upgrade more than one system. Currently you'll only save $8 to $12 a copy.

Still, Microsoft has turned out a vastly improved operating system. Even if you're not one of the company's biggest fans, don't hate Windows XP just because it's from Microsoft.

See Also:
This week's most popular operating systems
For more on Windows XP, visit the ZDNet Windows Guide.

Talkback

Are you considering an upgrade to Windows XP? Why, or why not? Tell us in Talkback.