Have your say: Win XP...hype or improvement?

[Rellik]

I am honestly interested in hearing your opinions about this. It is save to say that XP has been out long enough to make a good estimation about features/stability/speed in comparison to Win2K pro.


Some rules:
PLEASE don´t state how much you dig the Luna interface. If you like that, you will adore AOL as well. This thread is meant to identify why
XP is supposedly better then 2K.

My opinon:

XP is w2k with more built-in spyware,bloatware and a bunch of tools that are weaker then third party apps(like system restore is no match for Norton ghost). The drivers seem to be appearing faster then for 2k, but then again, XP has the same NT kernel under the hood... Don´t get me started on LUNA, as it is looking like those fisher price toys from back in the days.

W2K can be modded just as XP if one wants a pretty GUI. All "features" I have seen of xp so far can be easily replaced by third party apps so it is nothing new. And after 3 months of testing, XP showed more of a slowdown then 2K. (similar to the slowdown that occurs on 9x systems)

So, what do you all think?

 

[HexVector]

I've been using XP for over a month and honestly its a good OS, just like 2K is a great OS. There is -no- spyware.
There are opinions on the interface (I don't love that LUNA interface either), thats why you can switch to the "classic" 2000 look.

Really there isn't too much bloatware as people make it seem, I uninstalled that silly MSN Messenger,
Media Player 8 is a decent (as long as you stick with the simple interface), you can turn off System restore
completely, and the rest are just little files that sit unused in the start menu, not a big deal.

This is an OS upgrade for those poor 98/ME users, so if your on 2000 already it doesn't really matter.

 

[Vadatajs]

In my opinion Windows XP is a vast improvement over the win9x line. It is much more stable and has better memory management and I don't think anyone will really dispute that. It isn't much of an improvement in comparison to windows 2000 though. Windows 2000 is great if you know exactly what you're doing, it's stable but when a problem arises you don't have as many options as XP. Driver rollback is great, and system restore is good if you are new to computers and accidently mess something up (if you know what you're doing it can be disabled).

There are really 2 ways of thinking about XP's bloat. On the one hand there are many more powerful 3rd party apps that do the same thing available, but on the other hand the vast majority of computer users might not be inclined to purchase such an application because they don't really know what it's for. I think that in the long run the built in functionality of windows XP will actually result in an increase in sales of 3rd party apps once consumers outgrow the stuff that comes with XP. I wish that at least with the professional version, the installation routine would allow you to not install certain features as I tend to use the 3rd party apps more often. It is a good idea to include all the apps, but microsoft really should have given us a choice.

Luna, I like it. I don't like the default theme, but I like how highly customizable it is. This is actually the reason I switched from 2k to XP. The interface is actually easier than previous versions of windows. The information and options on the left side of explorer actually have meaning. Once I got used to the new start menu I can't go back. I love the shortcuts to my most frequently used programs. It may look big and gaudy, but when you get used to it, it actually works.

I want to upgrade my family's computer to XP. Should they have any problems I can try remote assistance to straighten it out for them.

To sum it all up windows XP is an improvement over 9x due to stability and 2k in terms of ease of use. It may not be the best choice for powerusers who change their hardware frequently (I'm not a big fan of WPA), but it is the best choice for those new to computers.

 

[Insidious]

Well, I'm one of the challenged dinks that XP was probably written for....

I've become pretty good with the hardware and the OS related stuff to get it working without instability.

But the System Administration stufforz.... OMG, I can safely say 90% of the time, I don't have much of a clue

So the bundled stuff.... well, it may not be the most effecient, but for the administrationally challenged... its great!



Anyway, I do a lot of gaming and have a teenage son who games even more. (we have two networked computers

on 2 IPs) between me, my son, and his buds.... this room is rockin' most of the time.

I've found the with a few exceptions (yeah, I had to pull the plug on the messenger thingy) I can just go ahead and

take my nap, because the kids aren't gonna be waking me up to reboot, fix, or tweak while they play.

This was NOT the case with the Windows98 SE. I managed to get it pretty stable and it wasn't too much trouble, but

compared to the NO trouble I seem to have with XP... well, life is good!

 

[Elledan]

At this moment, after having struggled with Windows for hours now, I can only say that I would gladly see Windows die a most agonizing death. It simply sucks.

I've used WinXP a couple of times, and IMHO, it is the 'kiddyfied' version of Win2k. Lots of pretty colors and stuff, yet with little substance.

Not that Win2k is that good, but at least it doesn't try to hide the fact that Windows is technically inferior to just about any major OS.

 

[Rellik]

Interesting replies so far. I didn´t thought that that much "pc challanged" ppl would visit this board(no offense intended).

HexVector, you might find THIS THREAD interesting. No spyware....right.

About the "classic" version of XP. It IS NOT identical to 2k. The icons are still blown up and differ greatly from 2k classic mode.

The comment about XP being the "kiddyfied" version of 2K fits. I suspect that xp is good for ppl who used 9x versions(95,98,ME)
but for 2K people who know what they are doing there are no reasons to upgrade.

Anyone has some more points for or against xp?

 

[littlegohan]

Just because theres something wrong with your computer, you cant say there microsoft makes bad os!
Windows xp is by far the best os I have ever used (no crash ever)

 

[Rellik]

there is nothing wrong with my pc. Or are you referring to elledan?

I want user comments on the OS, and if there are troubles with ANY
OS, I would like to know...

 

[zigCorsair]

I actually like the icons, as I now run my 15'' viewable screen at 1600x1200 - I couldn't do this in the previous versions....

 

[BiHgBiHlZ]

XP is God. Its ability to have multiple users at the same time almost like it was a totally different computer is amazing. And the fact that you never lose any information you saved is great. You can make your personal settings, install programs, make folders, documents or whatever and password protect them all so nobody else will use it. It's security, speed, and ease are just an astounding jump up from my windows 98 SE.


Only complaint: my sound screws up when i scroll with my mouse like in a web browser or folder. I'm sure its resolvable, but I still have no fix for it.

XP is definately worth the investment for a serious PC user.

 

[Pyramix]

i recently installed xp, and so far i love it.

finally, there is a rich set of core functionality - firewall, compression, highly customizable user interface (eg., address bar on the toolbar), customizable hot keys, system restore, backup, ftp services, smtp server (advanced tools that need to be installed separately from the winxp pro cd), hibernation, "my pictures screensaver", cd burning and copying, equivalents of some other programs - hotbar, sisoft sandra, improved disk defragmenter (that can run in the background while you are working), etc. other nice features - win+L, speech recognition, writing pad, write anywhere, drawing pad, etc. for office xp.....and on and on the list goes. sure, the operating system is not perfect, and there is still some room for improvement. but this is, without a doubt, much better than anything i have seen before.

only basic thing missing in my opinion is a virus scanner

what about multiple desktops? does it have that?

 

[Blayze]

Ive been using XP since June of 2001 (RC1 version).
I honestly think that most of it is hype. I used to use the "new" interface, but then switched back to "classic".
It is a huge improvement from the 9x line, but not a big step from Windows 2000.

 

[Blayze]

<< what about multiple desktops? does it have that? >>



Yes, you have to download and install Powertoys from Microsoft.

 

[FuManStan]

I personally love Windows XP, and i think its unfair that you discount the new interface, because thats a big reason why some people like it. I for one love the new look, and its a welcome change over the bland look thats been around for 5 years. I dont think there's anything wrong with a more pleasant (in my opinion) desktop. As far as other XP features... Media Player 8 is a lot better than 7. System Restore i turn off. A built in firewall, despite its simplicity, is nice off the bat, especially for users who wouldnt know what it does. As for spyware... i still think everyone is over reacting, but either way i could care less, because it doesnt affect me at all. I actually like MSN Messenger, so thats a moot point.

 

[erikiksaz]

I dig the Luna interface, silver in particular, with a few modifications. It sure as hell doesn't mean that i adore AOL. Overrall, i'd say it's an improvement. With the base of win2k, the bootup of ME, and the updated GUI, how can you go wrong?

Those third party applications that totally modify the appearance of Win2k, are out of the question. I do not believe they are totally free of bugs just yet.

 

[ToBeMe]

Small, but noticable improvement over 2K..........VAST improvement over ANY 9X offering!

 

[Priit]

Hmm, you guys are making me wanting to try WinXP out. I want personally test if it's really that good as you say...

 

[Sunner]

A service pack for 2K.

That is Luna aside, but Luna is utterly useless, so that doesnt count

 

[Saltin]

Im a Windows 2000 sys Admin, and have considerable experience with XP in its beta, RC, and Gold release. In a large networked business environment, 2k is the superiour operating system. I believe infact, that Windows 2000 professional is the best desktop OS available today.
I think XP professional is a decent OS. It isnt as stable as 2k, but once it gets to be a year or two old, it certainly will be. The driver support is phenomenal. Nothing comes close to it in that respect.
Alot of you guys seem to use XP Home, and you should not compare that to 2k. It is an inferior OS, and really should be compared to 98 or 95. The lack of "networkability" in Home edition is laughable.

So, will I be switching my domain to XP Pro clients anytime soon? No.
Do I run XP Pro on my personal box. Yes.

 

[gwlam12]

i prefer xp cuz of the software that comes with it. no need for me to install nero , or winzip. well, tahts pretty much it. i also like how it groups my icons in the system tray

 

[Tokar]

I think its a MAJOR IMPROVEMENT...

My bootup times were SIGNIFICANTLY increase...but my shutdown times are hurtin, but once i installed the Nvidia 23.11 detonators, that was all cured, until i got a BSOD b/c of a conflict the 23.11's have with the default XP drivers for the VIA KTxxx chipsets...(this is a widely known problem)...there are new VIA drivers out there, but they are for win98, but one can always use them and do a manual install thru the device manager, which im not exactly doing anytime soon, so ill just stick with earlier detonators and deal with the slow shutdown times...

The integrated Zip and Burning were good ideas by MS, but i think that Winzip and/or Winrar (or Winace) beats the integrated zip, while a good CD writing program like roxio, nero, clonecd, fireburner, etc is lightyears better than the integrated burning...

I cant stand the fact that you cant choose to not have windows messenger installed...its dumb, MS knows AIM/ICQ whups their messenger service...
MS media player 8 is all good, except it doesnt play alot of the divx clips i download from http websites...i end up having to open them with The Playa or Global Divx Player, which i frankly do not like in comparison to WM8's features...Windows Media Player has a lot of features and make it a better movie player than say, Real or The Playa or Global Divx Player...though i STILL recommend WM6.4...if it were my choice, i would choose not to install WM8 when i do a clean winxp install...then download WM6.4...

Overall a faster, more user friendly, better OS than 2k...just my opinion

 

[baisezmoi]

<< This thread is meant to identify why XP is supposedly better then 2K >>


for a second, i thought this thread sounded more like a ms bashing post. oh well, atleast its not an xp vs linux thread.



<< Don´t get me started on LUNA, as it is looking like those fisher price toys from back in the days. >>

the default silver theme is much better, and you can REPLACE the stupid looking luna theme!!



<< W2K can be modded just as XP if one wants a pretty GUI. All "features" I have seen of xp so far can be easily replaced by third party apps so it is nothing new >>


yeah, well i prefer xp built in gui, i don't have the time to go searching or tweaking 3rd party apps.



<< And after 3 months of testing, XP showed more of a slowdown then 2K. >>

not a problem for me. i run a high end cadcam system, which really hogs system resourses like a motha focka, but xp keeps on ticking. it hasn't slowed down or crashed on me, in 3months, since i've installed it. Maybe if you run the disk defragmenter every month, xp wouldn't seem so sluggish?

maybe its just me, but as i get older, i want an OS, where i spend less time tweaking and fiddling with command lines and OS itself. i just don't wanna waste hours doing stupid stuff like that. i just want a stable OS that is up and running with little or not too much maintenance. xp does this well for me, and i don't plan on switching to linux or any other os in the future.

edit. only thing about xp that bugs me, is the mediaplayer and its pathetic attempts at skinning. damn it looks fugly.

 

[Mucker]

I have used all of the MS OS's and I'll have to say that I am impressed with XP. WinXP is on par with Win2000 and an enhancement over the older OS's and will keep getting better with future updates. It installed very easily and runs very stable (on my setup anyway). I am not crazy about WPA, as I ugrade fairly frequently (mobo's etc.), it will just be an annoyance. The only thing that bums me out is that my analog CH Fighterstick and Pro Throttle lose all functionality and thus are renedered useless under XP. There are probably alot of legacy devices that won't make the cut with XP, as alot of hardware vendors won't support them. Most of the latest and greatsest hardware will undoubtedly be fine but some research may be needed for specific devices. I have an Epson 1240u scanner that is less than 6 mo's purchased. To this day there is no driver on Epson's site supporting my scanner for XP. I found out through researching the newsgroups that the 1250 driver works just fine however. Just a word of caution is all....

GPJ

My Personal Confuser

 

[CQuinn]

Rellik,

Please point me to a utility that places the Fast-User switching feature
of XP on a Windows 2000 box. I've been looking and have not found one yet.
It really could have helped this past week when I was testing the effect
a software install was having on admin and non-admin accounts.

System restore (driver-rollback) is not meant to be a match for Ghost,
and it has saved my butt at least once from a bad driver install.

I set up more than one account for personal use, and turned off the LUNA
interface (for the most part) on my main account. But I keep it on the
other accounts so I can switch back and forth and get used to it.
Whether you as a power user like it or not, it does add some good features
to assist productivity and ease of use.

My AIW 8500DV supports more features under XP than it does under W2K.

If you are concerned about the update features in XP being "spyware"
then Go Here

 

[Crackabot]

You've heard it before... if Win2k is working good for ... then there's really no need to change, I allways had trouble with Win2k on a couple of my favorite games, so while I had @k on my bow, I almost allways used 98, but with XP all the issues are gone.


So I get the stability of Win2k, but everything works