 |
Average Overall Rating:  2577 Ratings,2586 Reviews |
Write a review (optional) |
|
|
|
 |
| Poor |
 |
 |
2008-09-08 00:00:00 1 out of 2 found this reivew helpful |
|
|
In order for me to install XP home edition I had to have internet access first. Second, I thought I ordered the professional version @ $125.00 but received the Home version. Third I had to pay $129.00 to the geek squad to load the software onto... (Read full review at Amazon)
|
|
|
| Was this review helpful to you? [ Yes | No ] |
|
| Report abuse |
|
|
|
|
| XP and Parallels, Quite a Team |
|
 |
2008-09-08 00:00:00 1 out of 2 found this reivew helpful |
|
|
Last year at this time I was a died in the wool Mac person who believed everything Microsoft came from the dark side. Then along came a program I needed to run and they didn't make a Mac version.
What to do? What to do?
Read full review at Amazon)
|
|
|
| Was this review helpful to you? [ Yes | No ] |
|
| Report abuse |
|
|
|
|
| Not up to par |
|
 |
2008-08-28 00:00:00 1 out of 2 found this reivew helpful |
|
|
Of all the MS Windows(R) versions, this is the one I have liked best. Yet, it still gets only 2 stars? The "bang-for-buck" ratio is too low. MS Windows versions are too expensive for what they provide. It is time to consider the better... (Read full review at Amazon)
|
|
|
| Was this review helpful to you? [ Yes | No ] |
|
| Report abuse |
|
|
|
|
| Solid. |
|
 |
2008-08-08 00:00:00 1 out of 2 found this reivew helpful |
|
|
I've owned XP for a couple of years, and its a great system. It doesnt crash, its easy to use, and its customization is much better then Vista and Mac OSX (but not better then Linux.) Its the most professional, its used by business people. Its... (Read full review at Amazon)
|
|
|
| Was this review helpful to you? [ Yes | No ] |
|
| Report abuse |
|
|
|
|
| Windows XP purchase |
|
| |
2008-07-30 00:00:00 1 out of 2 found this reivew helpful |
|
|
The product was in good condition when it was delivered. The software was up to Microsoft's standards. The shipment arrived in a very timely manner. (Read full review at Amazon)
|
|
|
| Was this review helpful to you? [ Yes | No ] |
|
| Report abuse |
|
|
|
|
|
|
-- CNET Expert, CNET  1 out of 2 found this reivew helpful |
|
| Like the Titanic 's passengers, Windows XP users often find themselves in choppy, dangerous waters--instead of hypothermia, think Web viruses; instead of circling sharks, quickly crawling worms. Unfortunately, Microsoft's lifeboats have been, until now, just dinky security patches that saved us from only a few attacks at a time. Last Friday, burlier rescue boats arrived in the form of Microsoft's long-delayed Service Pack 2 (SP2), which will help all of us keep our heads above water. SP2 tightens your PC's security with a new Windows Firewall, an improved Automatic Updates feature, and a pop-up ad blocker for Internet Explorer. Plus, the newly minted Security Center gives you one easy-to-use interface for keeping tabs on your PC's security apps. We suggest you pause before jumping ship, however. We downloaded and installed SP2 and weren't surprised to find a handful of conflicts with existing apps and wireless network settings on some of our test machines. Starting Wednesday, August 18, 2004, Microsoft began offering SP2 to people who have Automatic Updates turned on, but it will still take several weeks before everyone will have the chance to update their computers. Our advice: Be patient and wait until SP2 is made available to your PC via Microsoft's Automatic Updates service. By then, Microsoft should have had enough time to work out the kinks. Setup and interface of Microsoft Windows XP SP2 In order to get our hands on Windows XP Service Pack 2's final code, we downloaded the whopping 266MB network installation package for all of our test machines as soon as it was available at Microsoft's Download Center . We suggest you exercise a bit more patience. After installing SP2, we encountered problems with our wireless network, which we suspect were related to an existing driver that the new version of Windows didn't like. (Microsoft says that some driver conflicts are to be expected.) Previously stable systems developed a tendency to disconnect and jump onto other available wireless local-area networks (WLANs), and one of our test systems kept losing its connection to a secure WLAN completely. Only rebooting would reconnect it. Microsoft expects to add SP2 to its online Windows Update service later this month. Download sizes will vary because your system will download only the components of the service pack it needs. If you've diligently updated XP, Microsoft estimates the download will be between 80MB and 100MB. That number could balloon to 270MB for less up-to-date systems, however. Dial-up users not looking forward to such a large undertaking should note that Microsoft will ship--free of charge--SP2 on CD-ROM, but delivery could take up to two months. Boxed retail versions of Windows XP with SP2 will be available by the end of October. If you've been waiting for a reason to upgrade to XP from an older version of Windows, this is as good a reason as any ( Longhorn is still years away). Corporate IT managers will want to deploy with limited trials to check for compatibility with their current configurations. Sign on for updates If you've disabled Automatic Updates in your copy of Windows XP, we suggest you turn it on now. Once you install SP2, it too will urge you to turn on Automatic Updates. You can set Automatic Updates to do its magic at a given time each day--a good idea, given what CNET security expert Robert Vamosi calls the Eschelbeck Theory . Within the first month of any security flaw going public, a rain of worms and Trojan horses flood the Internet to take advantage of that flaw. The faster you fix the flaw, the safer you'll be--and the safer we'll all be since the worms won't spread. The new Automatic Updates feature gives you more say on how and when to download and install updates from Microsoft's Windows Update service. Occasionally, a Microsoft fix may cause some problems with a particularly delicate Windows configuration. If you're worried that this will happen, you can set Automatic Updates to download but wait for your word before installing or simply alert you that there are updates available for download. Or, should you go it alone, you can just turn it off, but we reserve the right to say, "We told you so." Front and Security Center Microsoft bundles most of SP2's security enhancements into a single interface called the Security Center, which hides in the All Programs menu, under Accessories > System Tools. In addition to providing a single interface for monitoring your system's firewall, (either Microsoft's or a third party's), Automatic Updates, and your third-party antivirus app, it tracks certain antivirus programs to make sure they and their virus signature databases are up-to-date. If you're using eTrust EZ Antivirus, F-Secure, McAfee Security, Panda, Symantec/Norton, or Trend Micro, SP2 hooks into your software and alerts you when updates are available. If you use more obscure software, such as Frisk's F-Prot, you can click an "I'll take care of it myself" box to avoid constant warnings that your system is not secure. One-stop shopping: the new Security Center gives you control over your PC's security settings from a single, easy-to-use interface. Features of Microsoft Windows XP SP2 Most of the new features found in Windows XP SP2 are related to making your PC more secure. Among its many enhancements, you'll find a new firewall, a pop-up ad blocker for Internet Explorer, added protection against attachments, and--in some systems but far from all--technology that helps keep malicious code from attacking via system memory. Microsoft built a software firewall called Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) into the first release of Windows XP, but it was turned off by default. For protection, you either had to hunt through system settings to turn it on, or more likely, you installed ZoneAlarm or another third-party firewall program. (The extremely security-conscious use a hardware firewall router between their PC and Internet connection.) SP2 ushers ICF out the door and replaces it with Windows Firewall, a more comprehensive and aggressive firewall. The first change you'll notice from the new software is that as soon as you install SP2, the firewall is turned on by default. Since no single firewall in entirely foolproof, we ran Windows Firewall alongside an existing installation of ZoneAlarm Pro. In our tests, the two coexisted fairly well: ZoneAlarm flagged every attempt by a new or updated software component to access the Internet, so we did get several warnings after upgrading to SP2. This problem quickly went away, however; we needed only to grant access for a program once to avoid future warnings for it. In some experiments with earlier versions of SP2, we found that the new Windows Firewall blocked programs with legitimate reasons to access our test PCs, such as ActiveSync connections with Pocket PCs. We didn't face this issue with the final version of SP2, however. Should you encounter such problems with your existing apps, you can easily make exceptions to allow your programs to skirt the new Windows Firewall. Using the new Firewall control panel, which you launch from Control Panel or by right-clicking any Internet connection, you can pick whatever networking or Internet connections you use (dial-up, broadband, or sundry networking connections) and set up exceptions and rules on a case-by-case basis. Windows Firewall will block some programs from accessing the Internet or your network. Thankfully, it takes directions well, giving you the option of unblocking or continuing to block certain apps. Windows Firewall is still rudimentary compared with firewalls in the security suites from McAfee, Symantec, and Zone Labs. It does an admirable job of blocking programs from accessing your computer, including during bootup and shutdown, but it doesn't block outbound traffic, a standard feature on third-party firewalls. Outbound blocking is important in case you do accidentally or unknowingly allow an authorized app onto your PC. Windows Firewall can't prevent such an application from broadcasting personal information it finds on your system or making you an unwilling participant in a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. We recommend that you run Windows Firewall but that you don't rely on it. You should continue to employ more-capable third-party firewalls in addition to Windows' new built-in firewall. Pop-up ads, begone The bane of most Net surfers is the constant stream of pop-up ads. Wander into the wrong Web neighborhood, and you not only get assaulted with unwanted advertising, you can also be infected by opportunistic code that changes your home page or worse. With SP2, Microsoft Internet Explorer gets a much-needed pop-up ad blocker. Like the new Windows Firewall, it's turned on by default. In our tests with medium-strength settings, IE's new pop-up blocker kept most offenders at bay, including JavaScript-spawned pop-ups such as those found at Tripod and Newsweek. In one or two cases, the pop-up blocker prevented a few windows from appearing that we wanted. At Download.com, for example, it suppressed our download window, and it also disabled one of Trillian's best features: an indicator that new Yahoo mail has arrived. (SP2 deemed the ActiveX code that signs you into the Yahoo Mail site insecure.) Fortunately, the newly updated IE displays a gray bar beneath the address bar explaining what action its pop-up blocker has taken. To let pages through selectively, you just click this bar and select the Allow option. You can also add sites to an exceptions list by clicking a new Tools menu option and entering the URLs you want to allow through. Or if you prefer to use a third-party app, you can turn IE's new pop-up ad blocker off altogether. E-mail and IM protection But SP2 blocks more than just pop-ups. The new update adds a feature to Outlook Express that's available in the Microsoft Office 2003 version of Outlook: It can prevent HTML-formatted messages from displaying images and executing code. The HTML code within Bagle.aq , for example, will automatically execute the download of a Trojan horse on some vulnerable PCs without a user's intervention. This setting is reversible; you can display images on a case-by-case basis. Another SP2 security feature cautions you against opening e-mail and IM attachments. Whether you're opening or saving an attachment from your e-mail or IM client, you'll be given a warning to make sure you trust the source. This is the software equivalent of being asked at the airport, "Did you pack your bags yourself and have they left your sight since you packed them?" Yes, it's a good message to reinforce, but no, it's not a real security measure. Don't forget about system memory To combat viruses and worms that take advantage of buffer overruns in your system's memory ( Sasser , for example), SP2 includes its so-called data execution prevention (DEP) feature, sometimes referred to as no execute (NX), which prevents portions of your system's memory from running this rogue code. Only a small percentage of PCs, however, support this feature so far. No current Intel Pentium 4-based PCs can take advantage of DEP, and Intel won't release chips with DEP support until the end of the year at the earliest. The only desktop CPUs that support DEP are AMD's Athlon 64 and Sempron chips. Regardless of the type of system you own now, it's a good idea to install SP2. If you are considering purchasing a new PC soon and are really worried about buffer-overrun attacks, however, we suggest that you choose a PC with a new AMD processor or postpone your purchase if you want an Intel-based system. SP2 also throws in a welter of retooled features, including DirectX 9.0b multimedia API for better graphics and sound, and a setup routine for SmartKeys. The service pack includes Windows Media Player 9.0 , also with improved security features. And two special versions of Windows XP get a complete OS overhaul with SP2. Tablet PCs receive Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, which improves handwriting recognition among other tablet-specific enhancements. And first-generation Media Center PCs will be upgraded to Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004, an updated version of the specialized OS for machines that also serve as media hubs. Finally, XP's wireless capabilities are improved. There's a new user-friendly interface for wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) setup. But there are still too many configuration pages underneath the fancy new interface, and they are mostly unchanged from the previous version of XP. More substantive is XP's new native Bluetooth support. We plugged a Linksys Bluetooth adapter into our test system. Using XP's new built-in user interface and native Bluetooth hardware drivers, we were able to easily connect with a Bluetooth phone to transfer images and use it as a modem. Service and support of Microsoft Windows XP SP2 Technical support for Windows XP SP2 covers the usual bases: you can e-mail questions to Microsoft or find answers to some questions on an online FAQ page. Toll-free phone support is available from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. (PT) on weekdays and from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. We called the phone line with our problem of dropped wireless connections and spent nearly two hours getting nowhere. The support technician we spoke with chalked it up to a driver conflict and stressed that SP2 was essentially a new operating system and that driver problems were to be expected. At press time, the issue was still not resolved, but it was escalated to Microsoft's research division. ...
More |
|
| Was this review helpful to you? [ Yes | No ] |
|
| Report abuse |
|
|
|
|
| -- Activehome Expert, Activehome 1 out of 2 found this reivew helpful |
|
| There's no doubt about it - Windows XP has a lot going for it. Not only is it the best-looking operating system on the market (MacOS X users eat your hearts out), but it's also the most comprehensively specified and easiest to use OS. There's so much new stuff in it, we could easily devote an entire issue of PCW to describing the new features. Windows XP offers exemplary support for digital media, be it audio, still or moving video. Home networking is now considerably simplified and its support for WiFi networking is superb. So, the big question is, should you upgrade? If you're running Windows 9x or Me, then the answer is an unequivocal yes, because you gain a heck of a lot. Existing Windows 2000 users have less of an incentive to upgrade, especially if they're business users who won't make much use of Windows XP's support for digital media. The main reason for upgrading to XP is stability. If you're a Windows 95, 98, or Me user, you've probably had your fair share of lock-ups, Blue Screens of Death (BSOD) and crashes. Windows 2000 Professional is a good choice but it's expensive and has strict hardware and software compatibility rules. Plus, its industrial strength security and networking features present a steep learning curve to the novice user. Windows XP gives you the best of both worlds. It takes the wide range of hardware and software compatibility from Windows 95, 98, and Me, as well as the ease of use features. It also adds the stability found in the Windows 2000 kernel but removes the complexity. The end result is a very stable platform designed specifically for the average home user. This stability will be further maintained by its strict approach to device drivers, a common cause of OS instability. Microsoft recommends you only install 'digitally signed' (i.e. Microsoft approved) drivers. Unfortunately, upgrading to Windows XP is not open to everyone. For a start, upgrading is probably restricted to fairly recent PCs. Windows XP is power hungry and if you have an old PC, for example anything slower than a 300MHz processor, the upgrade isn't to be recommended. We ran all the betas on a 500MHz Athlon PC without any problems. Windows XP is also memory hungry and needs 128MB or more of RAM to run - the more the merrier. Another potential stumbling block for some users is product activation. Many people will sneer at Windows Product Activation (WPA), imposed by Microsoft to deter casual copying. But you don't have to look too far on the web to find out that determined attempts to bypass WPA have succeeded. Microsoft has continuously watered down the restrictions imposed by WPA. To recap, reactivation is only necessary if you change six pieces of hardware; a phone reactivation is only required on the fourth reactivation. You now have 60 days to activate (up from 30), which is plenty of time to experiment with hardware before needing to activate; and, in any event, the reactivation slate is wiped clean every 120 days. We can't see many users falling foul of those upgrade restrictions. Many Windows XP users will get their copies preinstalled on newly bought PCs which will be pre-activated. And because Windows XP is locked to the BIOS of that machine, it can't be installed on other PCs, so there's no hardware checking at all. Pricing remains an issue. Windows XP is about 20 per cent dearer than Windows 9x or Me. You can pick up the full retail Windows 98 for about £135 - the equivalent Windows XP Home Edition will cost about £30 more. For those interested in the Professional version, you'll need deep pockets: it's priced at about £235. The upgrade price is lower but your options are limited - you can only upgrade to Windows XP Home Edition from Windows 98 and Me. If you have Windows 95, you'll need the full retail version. Price £179.99 (£153.18 ex VAT); Upgrade £89.99 (£76.58 ex VAT) Contact Microsoft: 08457 002 000 www.microsoft.com/uk Like this story? Spread the news by clicking below: del.icio.us Digg this reddit! Permalink for this story | View trackbacks to this story Trackback URL: http://www.activehome.co.uk/actions/trackback/2043390 ...
More |
|
| Was this review helpful to you? [ Yes | No ] |
|
| Report abuse |
|
|
|
|
| -- Networkitweek Expert, Networkitweek 1 out of 2 found this reivew helpful |
|
| Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Packed full of many new features, this latest Microsoft OS will amaze and delight. Price: £179.99 Manufacturer: Microsoft Roger Gann, Personal Computer World , 07 Jan 2002 Windowsxp There's no doubt about it - Windows XP has a lot going for it. Not only is it the best-looking operating system on the market (MacOS X users eat your hearts out), but it's also the most comprehensively specified and easiest to use OS. There's so much new stuff in it, we could easily devote an entire issue of PCW to describing the new features. Windows XP offers exemplary support for digital media, be it audio, still or moving video. Home networking is now considerably simplified and its support for WiFi networking is superb. So, the big question is, should you upgrade? If you're running Windows 9x or Me, then the answer is an unequivocal yes, because you gain a heck of a lot. Existing Windows 2000 users have less of an incentive to upgrade, especially if they're business users who won't make much use of Windows XP's support for digital media. The main reason for upgrading to XP is stability. If you're a Windows 95, 98, or Me user, you've probably had your fair share of lock-ups, Blue Screens of Death (BSOD) and crashes. Windows 2000 Professional is a good choice but it's expensive and has strict hardware and software compatibility rules. Plus, its industrial strength security and networking features present a steep learning curve to the novice user. Windows XP gives you the best of both worlds. It takes the wide range of hardware and software compatibility from Windows 95, 98, and Me, as well as the ease of use features. It also adds the stability found in the Windows 2000 kernel but removes the complexity. The end result is a very stable platform designed specifically for the average home user. This stability will be further maintained by its strict approach to device drivers, a common cause of OS instability. Microsoft recommends you only install 'digitally signed' (i.e. Microsoft approved) drivers. Unfortunately, upgrading to Windows XP is not open to everyone. For a start, upgrading is probably restricted to fairly recent PCs. Windows XP is power hungry and if you have an old PC, for example anything slower than a 300MHz processor, the upgrade isn't to be recommended. We ran all the betas on a 500MHz Athlon PC without any problems. Windows XP is also memory hungry and needs 128MB or more of RAM to run - the more the merrier. Another potential stumbling block for some users is product activation. Many people will sneer at Windows Product Activation (WPA), imposed by Microsoft to deter casual copying. But you don't have to look too far on the web to find out that determined attempts to bypass WPA have succeeded. Microsoft has continuously watered down the restrictions imposed by WPA. To recap, reactivation is only necessary if you change six pieces of hardware; a phone reactivation is only required on the fourth reactivation. You now have 60 days to activate (up from 30), which is plenty of time to experiment with hardware before needing to activate; and, in any event, the reactivation slate is wiped clean every 120 days. We can't see many users falling foul of those upgrade restrictions. Many Windows XP users will get their copies preinstalled on newly bought PCs which will be pre-activated. And because Windows XP is locked to the BIOS of that machine, it can't be installed on other PCs, so there's no hardware checking at all. Pricing remains an issue. Windows XP is about 20 per cent dearer than Windows 9x or Me. You can pick up the full retail Windows 98 for about £135 - the equivalent Windows XP Home Edition will cost about £30 more. For those interested in the Professional version, you'll need deep pockets: it's priced at about £235. The upgrade price is lower but your options are limited - you can only upgrade to Windows XP Home Edition from Windows 98 and Me. If you have Windows 95, you'll need the full retail version. Price £179.99 (£153.18 ex VAT); Upgrade £89.99 (£76.58 ex VAT) Contact Microsoft: 08457 002 000 www.microsoft.com/uk Permalink Comments Forward Print digg del.icio.us reddit! Related content Latest news Software Applications Hands on: Organisation in databases Organise your data by creating many-to-many relationships between multiple fields 20 Dec 2006 Network Tools Review: Peak Mpeg4 Pan/Tilt Internet Camera A low-cost way to monitor your home via the internet 20 Dec 2006 Flat Panel monitors Review: Samsung Syncmaster 225BW TFT monitor A quality 22in monitor with a good selection of features 20 Dec 2006 > More news Latest in depth Comment Lose track of time and yule be sorry The age-old problem of shopping in good time for Xmas has not been cracked by e-commerce 19 Dec 2006 Comment Barclays can?t bank on its intelligence BI systems can prove a liability if, like one high-street bank, you measure the wrong things 18 Dec 2006 Comment Will Palm revitalise its old platform? Reports of the demise of Palm OS were premature, but can it compete in today?s world? 18 Dec 2006 > More in depth Reader comments Advertising Marketplace Software License control, Windows Vista/XP Upgrade Manage Software Licenses, plan for XP/Vista upgrades, Security Audits. Click to try and whitepapers. Free Webcast: How to Profit with Remote Support Learn how to grow your IT services business. Discover how remote support can fuel your business in ways you've never thought of before, expand your geographic reach and see how the right technology can widen the gap between you and your competition. WAN based Vulnerability Assessment WAN based, automated, daily vulnerability assessments. Click here to try and request our whitepapers. EMC - The easier way to archive is here Minimize risk, control costs, and protect vital information with EMC's software archiving platform. Online Storage - IBackup IBackup offers secure online storage, online backup and remote access services for consumers and businesses, for Windows, Mac and Linux including handheld devices. Features include Network Drive Mapping using IDrive, Sharing and more! Have your product or service listed here > TechFinder Search for Software, Hardware & Solutions Enterprise Accounting Solutions Business Intelligence Solutions Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Supply Chain Management Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Project Management Solutions Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Security Solutions Systems Management Networking and Communications Solutions Sponsored links ...
More |
|
| Was this review helpful to you? [ Yes | No ] |
|
| Report abuse |
|
|
|
|
| -- Itreviews Expert, Itreviews 1 out of 2 found this reivew helpful |
|
| So, it's here at last. Microsoft's much-hyped new version of Windows is available to new and existing PC owners and claims all kinds of improvements over its antecedents. Windows XP isn't the latest in the Windows 95/98/ME line. Nor is it a continuation of Windows NT and 2000. Although it's based on NT technology, as 2000 was, it's an amalgam of both types of Windows and has one common code base. It may be available in Home and Professional (business) versions, but it is basically one product. XP Pro is a super-set of XP Home. We've reviewed the latter here. This has been Microsoft's strategy for several years and is intended to make it easier to maintain and to keep new releases of home and business products in line for the future. Making use of NT code, designed for the more rigorous business and networked environment, should benefit everybody, as the new version is claimed to be more robust than any previous incarnation. Windows XP looks different from previous versions, with a much cleaner appearance to the desktop. Apart from the Start button, there's little extra to confuse the newcomer. Click on Start, though, and the two-column menu that pops up is re-ordered and points the way to other changes in the operating system. The colour scheme suggests a bigger, brighter approach to PCs and this idea is strengthened by the bold icons and the way it's harder to get at the nuts and bolts. You're encouraged to stay on the yellow brick road of applications and their documents, rather than delving into backwoods on your own. The operating system, which supports both FAT32 and NTFS filing systems, offers a lot of fun extras, too. A new Wizard for printing that arranges photos to make the best use of expensive photo paper and a video editing applet which, while not Adobe Premier, provides the basics for cutting and pasting digital video, are just two highlights. Others include easier home networking and the ability to allow a service technician to temporarily take over your PC to provide technical support. This isn't quite as worrying as it might sound, as you can specify how long that person can have access. Much has been made about product activation, the need to contact Microsoft over the Net or by phone to receive a code to activate your copy of Windows XP. While it may be an irritation, more so if you make frequent changes to your PC, it's hard to deny Microsoft the right to stop people buying one copy of Windows and passing it round to all their friends - it happens. You'll need quite a substantial PC to run Windows XP. The minimum recommended is a 300MHz Pentium with 64MB memory and 1.5GB of hard drive space. Double all those figures to be comfortable. From our experience, the pre-installed version is likely to be more popular than the upgrade pack. We installed Windows XP on a Sony Vaio notebook as an upgrade. The resultant report of software that had to be removed or reinstalled (including Microsoft's own Outlook 2000) ran to four pages of A4. So it's probably best to let the PC builders install it from scratch. Microsoft - Windows XP Home features - Verdict Even if you're a Microsoft sceptic, Windows XP is impressive. It appears to be more stable than before and adds welcome support for a number of extras, like digital cameras and video. A touch expensive, though, and the upgrade option could lead you down a tedious, time-consuming path. Microsoft - Windows XP Home price Buy Microsoft Windows XP Home securely online at a bargain price £153 + VAT, upgrade £77 + VAT Microsoft: 0870 601 0100 www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/ Read more reviews of Operating Systems (including Linux) Read our Buyers Guide to Operating Systems (including Linux) ...
More |
|
| Was this review helpful to you? [ Yes | No ] |
|
| Report abuse |
|
|
|
|
| -- Ephotozine Expert, Ephotozine 1 out of 2 found this reivew helpful |
|
| Windows XP is the latest operating system from software giant Microsoft, and is probably the most hyped product since the release of Windows 95. There is a wealth of detailed information on the Internet about the changes in Windows XP, so rather than repeating all that we'd suggest you go to the links provided at the end of this article. What we will focus on are issues more relevant to digital cameras and digital imaging, as many other sites only give this a cursory mention. Before we go into detail of the photography orientated features Windows XP provides, here's a brief overview of the general features: Uses a vastly improved graphical user interface It includes many security fixes and bug fixes from previous operating systems There is improved driver support (less drivers had to be installed on our test machines compared to previous Microsoft operating systems) It comes with Internet Explorer 6 which includes new features to simplify Web browsing, increase stability and help protect your privacy eTesting Labs Inc has found it to be 'overall the fastest version of the Windows operating system ever created for a wide range of desktop computing tasks' There are of course some potential drawbacks you should be aware of too: It is quite expensive at around 175 (85 Upgrade) for Home edition and 255 (165 Upgrade) for the Professional It has quite high hardware requirements on your PC, Microsoft recommend a minimum of 128Mb of memory, though we'd recommend at least double that if you are going to be doing digital imaging. At least at today's memory prices upgrading won't cost much Many devices haven't got compatible drivers yet (on the two machines we tested on there were no problems) As with any new Operating System it is likely there will be some unexpected bugs Some people are put off by the Microsoft Activation procedure Okay so there's a roundup of the advantages and drawbacks, Now let's look at the specific features Windows XP provides to those of us who use our PC's for digital imaging. Setup Firstly, the setup procedure is straightforward, and improved on the already easy to use routines of previous Microsoft operating systems. So anyone who's has installed one before should have no problems. We installed the Home version of XP, but for the purposes of this article they are identical. The main difference between Home XP and Professional XP is the latters additional benefits listed below: Increased security, including functionality to encrypt your files and folders to protect your business data Built in mobile support to allow you to work off-line or access your computer remotely Can support two processors instead of only one in Home XP It is designed to work with Microsoft Windows Servers and management solutions A good place to find more out about the differences between the editions is Microsoft's own site here . When the setup had finished we began investigating everyday use of XP's photographic features. Digital Cameras and Digital Imaging When you connect a camera to a PC these days, in the vast majority of cases you are using a USB cable. When XP detects the camera is attached it does the standard USB procedure of installing any drivers necessary. Some cameras didn't need drivers (E.g.. Olympus C-4040z) and others did (Canon G2). This procedure is straightforward and when finished the camera finds the pictures on the camera: and then opens the following dialog of options: These options are all self-explanatory and use similar user interfaces, but we feel they greatly improve the ease of use for those new to digital cameras and computers. An important factor in helping to increase the acceptance and widespread use of digital cameras. Having selected an option, in this case 'Copy pictures to a folder on my computer' you are presented with a choice of where to store images and what to call them. Then the following window is displayed: Here you can select the images you want to be copied, and rotate and view its properties. When you've done this you are presented with an informative display showing the current picture being transferred and progress indicators: When the images have finished transferring, you have the three option,s indicted below, all of which are self-explanatory. Publish to the web and order prints on-line go live on 25th October (Windows XP Launch) and we will be testing these soon. Leading photographic retailer Jessops, are the only UK-based company to offer this direct printing service, something that will greatly aid ease of use for many of us. Image viewing One of the main improvements Microsoft have made is the ease in which you can view images throughout your computer. In the old days it was quite tiresome having to locate a particular image from a myriad of badly named folders, on my computer anyway! In XP however the user interface has several features to make storing and finding images easier. For example, if you wonder what pictures are in a particularly bad named folder, you don't even need to go into it anymore, as images are shown in the folder icon: Also shown is a selection of tasks, shortcuts and details, all of which help to make navigating and working with your pictures easier. If you want to view an image in more detail, simply double click and it is loaded in Window XP's own viewer (shown below) or you can select an editing program to open it instead: In this viewer you can jump to previous and next pictures, select best fit or actual size, start a slide show, zoom in and out, rotate the image clockwise and anti-clockwise, delete, print, save, open for editing and lastly obtain help. This interface really makes viewing and sorting images a lot easier, and the rotate function is great for looking at photos taken in portrait format. Lastly, when in a standard windows explorer window you can change the way the pictures are shown. There are the standard types, of list, and details, and icons, and a faster thumbnail view, and all new filmstrip view. The last two are shown below in this animation: Other features E-mail wizard gives you the option to resize images or send them untouched, great for quickly reducing the size of big files Printing wizard automates the process, allowing you to set a batch of photos printing quickly and easily Easily display your images via screensaver, desktop or side show With the built in CD recording feature, backing up images to CD has never been easier Verdict Windows XP has a lot of other benefits besides the few we've mentioned here, the links below will help if you want to read more about it. From a digital imaging point of view, the changes are not massive but are still welcomed. Combine these changes with the rest of the advantages XP brings and many people will want to upgrade. Those of you still using Windows 95, 98 or Windows ME will benefit from the increased stability and speed, those using Windows 2000 will not see such a difference but will probably appreciate the added functionality and user interface. All users of any operating system other than XP should be impressed with the high level of usability that the graphical user interface provides. Many people will argue that they could do all this with third party shareware or freeware applications, and they'd be right. However not all users want to be downloading extra applications, worrying about trials expiring and learning to use new software. Inevitably some third party applications will be needed as unfortunately Microsoft have still not provided any decent image editing application. Yet overall we loved it, and we're very confident most other people will too. If you'd like to ask us anything about our experiences with XP, or discuss it with other ePHOTOzine readers, you're welcome to do so in our software forum . Links Microsoft's guide to which version of Windows XP you should use More information about Windows XP from Microsoft's tours and demos A list of independent Windows XP reviews from Microsoft's site Detailed review of Windows XP from PC Magazine Something wrong with this article? Click here to submit a report so we can fix it ...
More |
|
| Was this review helpful to you? [ Yes | No ] |
|
| Report abuse |
|
|
|
|
| Microsoft MS Windows XP Home Edition w/SP2 Complete package |
| $91.00 - $224.95 |
| from 14 stores |
|
| Top 5 Merchants |
|
|
|
| See All Merchants |
|
|
|
