What are the differences between Microsoft Server 2003 and WinXp?

[spazo]

Is this an operating system that a "typical" user can benefit from?

 

[PeteRoy]

No

Difference is that Windows 2003 doesn't let you use login screen that Win XP has, 2003 has much tighter security and many stuff are disabled by default in 2003 such as sound, DX acceleration, and much more.

 

[JackMDS]

Windows 2003 is a Server OS.

That means that the OS includes a capacity to mange Network(s) and it is optimized for it.

WinXP Pro is a client OS. I.e. it used on a computer that is stand alone or part of a Network.

A real Server is comprised of Server OS. (Win2000 server, Win2003 Server, a Variety of Linux Servers, etc.).

The Server type of Network, is mainly used in the corporate world.

Servers I used to maintain large Network from one central spot, while providing Services like DNS, NAT, Security, etc. Server might have special Network applications and are serving the other Network?s computers.

Example for Network Application: Let say that we have a corporate Accounting Department with 10 people that issue invoices. You keep the Invoicing Software on a server, and the employees access it from their own computers. Every thing concerning invoicing is maintain and saved on the server. Doing so makes sure that every thing is central, and there are no duplications and updating issues. For this type of usage you need special Server accounting software that was written for this purpose.

Unless you have some elaborate plan for a business Network I doubt very much that Win2003 will do any thing for you.

Most Home users use WinXP or few computers with Windows XP in a peer to peer Network (No server).

You might come across the use of the term server related to a computer used on peer to peer network with WinXP installed on it.

When the word ?Server? is used this way it?s related to the general function of such a computer and not to the nature of the OS.

Most Home/SOHO Networks are configured as peer to peer, i.e. there is no one Main Server, but few computers connected together, sharing the Internet, files, and printers.

Peer to peer is not a Real Server arrangement, WinXP is not server software.

The so called my "WinXP Server" should be referred to as my WinXP Storage Computer.

What is Storage Computer?

One dedicated computer that holds copies of the files, (Docs. Pictures, Music, etc.) and backup of important information that is on the other Network computers.

The information can be synchronized to the Storage Computer using Sync. Program and its drives are mapped to the user?s computer in order to share the resources.

:sun: