What Windows XP Is-and What It Isn t


What Windows XP Is and What It Isn't

Microsoft Windows has been the dominant desktop operating system for almost fifteen years, now. Just to keep everyone on their toes, Microsoft brings out a new version of Windows every few years or so; sometimes the new version is a minor update, sometime it's a complete overhaul. For example, Windows 95 (released back in you guessed it 1995) was a total rewrite of the previous 3.X version of Windows. Windows 98 (which followed in 1998) was a less-significant upgrade, and Windows 98 Second Edition (in 1999) was really no more than a minor bug fix. Windows Me (released in 2000) added a few bells and whistles, but was still basically the same operating system released back in 1995.

Through all those upgrades in the 1990s, the whole Windows 9X/Me product line was targeted toward individual computer users. Corporations were encouraged by Microsoft to use the more robust Windows NT/2000 operating system. This corporate version of Windows was built from the ground up to be a true 32-bit operating system, while the consumer-oriented Windows 9X/Me OS was saddled with legacy support for 16-bit programs.

In fact, when you opened it up and looked under the hood, you still found remnants of the old MS-DOS operating system in the Windows 9X/Me OS. This meant, unfortunately, that the consumer version of Windows was not always the most stable of operating systems.

If you wanted better stability during those years, you had to move up to the 32-bit Windows NT/2000 OS. Unfortunately, Windows 2000 (the latest in this line) wasn't exactly consumer friendly; it didn't support a lot of the peripherals that were common in home computing, and many popular games and older applications didn't run on it.

That brings us to Windows XP, which was released in 2001. With Windows XP, Microsoft combined its consumer and corporate operating systems into a single OS. Windows XP is built on the Windows 2000 engine, but includes an interface and driver support built on what was available in Windows 9X/Me. Windows XP is as stable and robust as the corporate-focused Windows 2000, and as easy-to-use as Windows 9X/Me.

All this makes Windows XP the most important operating system release since Windows 95. Although you might not have had a good reason to upgrade to Windows 98 or Windows Me, the performance and usability improvements in Windows XP makes upgrading either on your old PC or by buying a whole new machine a virtual necessity.

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If you are upgrading to Windows XP from an older version of Windows, check out Appendix A, "Upgrading to Windows XP." I show you what you need to upgrade, how to prepare, and what to watch out for during the process.


Upgrading a really old PC, unfortunately, isn't always an easy thing to do. Mainly, this is because Windows XP has fairly stiff system requirements. (That's a result of using the Windows 2000 engine, which has always required more powerful hardware to run.) If you have a relatively new, relatively powerful computer with a lot of memory and hard disk space, you're probably okay to upgrade. If you have a computer more than five years old, you should stick with your current operating system.

Microsoft says (and I agree with them) that the best way to experience Windows XP is on a new XP-compatible computer, which is why all new consumer-grade PCs come equipped with Windows XP as the standard operating system. Buying a new PC with XP installed is certainly a more pleasant experience than going through the whole hassle of upgrading.

New and Different

When you do move up to Windows XP, you find that all those changes under the hood are just that under the hood. The main result of the change to the Windows 2000 engine is that the OS doesn't crash nearly as often. That is a good thing, of course, but isn't readily apparent.

What is readily apparent is the new look of the OS. Although, when you get right down to it, Windows XP still looks and acts pretty much like all previous versions of Windows.

There really isn't a lot of new functionality in the core of the OS. A lot of operations that used to be accessible by right-clicking an object are now front-and-center via context- sensitive activity center panes. These panes are activated when you choose to display folders in Web view. They appear in all folder windows and contain lists of popular tasks. Just click a task when you want to get something done much easier than right-clicking items or pulling down menus.

NOTE

Luna was one of the many code words bandied about during the development and testing of Windows XP. XP itself was code-named Whistler.


Windows XP has new features, of course. Microsoft's detractors, however, call a lot of these features unnecessary to the operating system's core functionality. They may be right.

Microsoft views these additions as "extensions" to the OS, much as the addition of a Web browser was an extension. The new features of Windows XP include such "extensions" as a more robust media player, a digital video editor, a new instant-messaging program that incorporates Internet telephony and video conferencing, and improved support for digital cameras and scanners.

Most of these new features were previously available from third-party providers, and from Microsoft as well. But now that they're built into the operating system, you don't need to obtain them separately. That's good for you (assuming you like Microsoft's versions), and bad for the third-party providers. Whether or not it's legal is up to the courts to decide.

All this functionality is given a high-tech sheen by Windows XP's new Luna interface. Luna is the biggest interface change since Windows 95's 3D icons replaced Windows 3.X's flat-screen look. Luna is bright and colorful, with attractive rounded edges and all sorts of visual cues and effects that take full advantage of today's more detailed graphics displays. It may not affect the way XP works, but the new interface makes everything look a little fresher.

Different Versions

Microsoft is selling three different versions of Windows XP, as well as a few significant variations. Windows XP Home Edition (on which this book was written) is the version of XP for home and small business users. Windows XP Professional is designed for larger businesses and corporate users, and includes the more robust networking and system administration functions required for that environment. Windows XP 64-Bit Edition is designed for workstation-class applications, such as designing bridges and making movies such as Toy Story and Shrek.

NOTE

Automated System Recovery is a new addition to the standard Backup utility, specifically designed for network system administrators


Unless you're running a large network, you don't need Windows XP Professional. And unless you're looking to upgrade a powerful workstation, and are running Intel's new Itanium processor, you don't need the 64-bit version.

Windows XP Home Edition includes all the functionality you need for typical home or small business use, including an improved Network Setup Wizard that makes it easy to set up small home networks or shared Internet connections. XP Home Edition is the version installed on most consumer-grade PCs.

Windows XP Professional is somewhat of a superset of XP Home Edition. Everything you can do with XP Home you can do with XP Pro and then some.

In case you're curious, these are some of the "and then some" features of XP Professional (not found in XP Home Edition):

  • The ability to upgrade from Windows NT 4.0 Workstation and Windows 2000 Professional

  • Administrative tools

  • Automated System Recovery (ASR).

  • Dynamic Disk Support

  • Encrypting File System (EFS)

  • Fax support

  • File-level access control

  • Group Policy settings

  • IntelliMirror capabilities, including user data management, centrally managed software installation and updating, user settings management, and Remote Installation Services (RIS)

  • Internet Explorer 6 Administration Kit

  • Internet Information Services (IIS)/Personal Web Server

  • IPSecurity user interface

  • Kerberos authentication for enterprise resources

  • Multi-language support

  • Multi-processor support

  • NetWare client service

  • Network Monitor

  • Remote Desktop

  • Roaming user profiles

  • SAP Agent

  • SNMP support

  • System Preparation (sysprep) utility

NOTE

You can learn more about Media Center Edition in Chapter 17, "Using Windows XP Media Center Edition."


As you can see, most of these differences have to do with corporate networking and administration. They aren't necessary for typical home or small business use.

When it comes to Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, you get support for Intel's new Itanium 64-bit processor. The 64-bit version of XP includes pretty much the same feature set as XP Professional, with exceptions of infrared support, DVD support, System Restore, and selected features related to mobile computing all of which were taken out of the 64-Bit Edition. Suffice to say, you shouldn't be running XP 64-Bit Edition unless you're running some sort of high-end professional workstation.

And the variations? The most notable variation is Windows XP Media Center Edition, which is an interface on top of an interface that makes it easier to use your computer in your home theater system or to serve up digital music and movie files. It's a great interface for both home theater and dorm room PCs.

The Latest Update

Microsoft is constantly updating its products so much so that the Windows XP you buy today is quite a bit different from the Windows XP that went on sale back in 2001. If you're running an older version of XP, you can update it to the new version by installing Service Pack 2 (which followed on the heels and integrates the previous Service Pack 1). This software update upgrades your system to include all sorts of bug fixes and security patches, as well as adds the new features found on the version of XP currently distributed by Microsoft.

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To see which version of Windows XP you have installed on your computer, open My Computer, and then select Help, About Windows. The About Windows dialog box shows the version number (should be 5.1) and whether Service Pack 1 or 2 has been installed. (If it doesn't mention the Service Pack, it isn't installed.)


There are several big changes noticeable with Service Pack 2. First are those changes that were initially part of Service Pack 1, most of which let you change certain components of the operating system itself. These changes mandated by the courts, as part of the government's anti-trust action against Microsoft are designed to reduce Microsoft's monopoly of the computer desktop by letting you configure Windows XP to use various accessory programs of your choice, instead of Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer, and the like.

Service Pack 2 also includes additional changes that build on the SP1 update. Most of these new changes have to do with improved security making Windows and your PC safer when you connect to the Internet. There's also a new Wireless Network Setup Wizard for configuring your computers in a Wi-Fi network, and some neat changes to Internet Explorer (including a very effective pop-up blocker).

Beyond the service pack changes, Microsoft has also released a new and improved version of Windows Media Player (WMP). WMP 10 is a significant update to the media player program that makes playing, ripping, and burning music and movies that much easier to do. If you haven't yet upgraded to WMP 10, I recommend you do so ASAP.

If you've purchased a copy of Windows XP or a new PC since fall 2004, you probably have the latest version of Windows XP with Service Pack 2 already built in. If you have an older version of XP, you can upgrade it with SP2 by clicking the Windows Start button, selecting Help and Support, and when the Help and Support Center window opens, selecting Keep Your Computer Up-to-Date with Windows Update (in the Pick a Task section). Be sure you're connected to the Internet, because this selection will take you online (to Microsoft's Windows Update Web site) to find out what updates are available that haven't yet been installed on your system. Assuming you don't have SP2 installed, the Windows Update application will sense this and prompt you to download and install the Service Pack. Just follow the onscreen instructions to complete the upgrade.

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You can also download SP2 directly by going to the Windows XP Service Pack 2 page, at www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/. This page is also where you order the SP2 update on CD.


Changing to a Task-Based Approach

Whichever version of Windows XP you use, you notice one extremely important change in the way this new operating system works. Put simply, Windows XP is much more task-based than its predecessors. Where older versions of Windows forced you to choose an item and then find the desired operation on a pull-down menu (or right-click an item to display a pop-up menu), Windows XP provides a list of likely tasks every time you select an item.

For example, when you select a file in My Computer or the My Documents folder (shown in Figure 1.1), the activity center pane displays a list of possible File Tasks. In this instance, the suggested tasks include Rename this file, Move this file, Copy this file, Publish this file to the Web, E-mail this file, Print this file, or Delete this file. You can still choose an operation from the menu bar (or right-click the file and choose an operation from the pop-up menu), but your most likely actions are listed in the activity center.

Figure 1.1. The File and Folder Tasks list in the topic bar drives Windows XP's new task-based approach.


Windows XP carries this task-based approach throughout the operating system, using what Microsoft calls an "intelligent user interface." The revamped Start menu, for example, groups together your most frequently used files and applications for quick and easy access. The new Search Companion asks you what you want to search for, in plain English (as opposed to requiring wildcards and file extensions, such as the old Find utility did) and then offers additional suggestions to help refine your search. The My Pictures folder displays image thumbnails and tasks associated with image management. The My Music folder displays album covers for ripped CDs and tasks associated with digital music playback and recording, and so on.

This whole task-based approach is designed to make Windows work more like you work. It's kind of nice, for a change, to see an operating system adapt to my way of doing things, instead of the other way around!



Microsoft Windows XP for Home Users Service Pack
Windows XP for Home Users, Service Pack 2 Edition
ISBN: 0321369890
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 270

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