Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-10 of 65
 Not quite there yet December 11, 2004
puregin (Vancouver, Canada)
30 out of 67 found this review helpful
A year ago I bought two machines at the same time. One was an Apple Powerbook running Mac OS X Panther. The other was a premium, designed-for-XP machine with a 3 GHz Pentium 4 processor, 2 GB of RAM, and a 200GB drive - no expense was spared. The Mac laptop was running beautifully within an hour and has given me excellent service since, under rigourous conditions. It took me eight maddening days, assisted by a stack of books, the collected wisdom of the Internet, Microsoft support, and several trips to my dealer, to finally get XP running. An no, it wasn't a hardware problem.
Lest you think I'm clueless about computers: I have an B.Sc honours degree in computer science, graduate degrees in mathematics, and I've been using, administering, and programming into Microsoft operating systems for 20 years.
I'm reminded of the proverbial "Bone-button soup" story - a beggar claims he can make a beautiful soup from a magic button that he owns. Everyone wants to see this impossible feat, so they watch as the beggar begins to simmer his button. "Not bad", he eventually says, tasting the boiling water, "but a pinch of salt would bring out the flavor". In the same way he persuades the crowd to contribute some onions, a few potatoes, carrots, beets, a marrow bone... So it is with XP. By the time you've bought and installed your virus scanner, system utilties, backup software, a working web browser, a mail client, etc., you might as well have bought a real operating system.
If I didn't absolutely need XP for the occasional client, there's no way I'd bother. If you're a small business, my advice is this: steer clear of XP. It's going to take a big chunk off of your bottom line.
 from a long-time Mac user...best Windows to date December 6, 2006
Living in Budapest (Budapest, Hungary (originally Ann Arbor, MI))
25 out of 27 found this review helpful
While I could write that there are better alternatives to Windows, I realize that not all of us have the option of simply trashing Windows and going to Mac OS or Linux. In my case, I have worked for companies that are Windows based for 14 years. In this time I have always used some version of a Mac...mostly Powebooks. In the early years there was no option to use Windows on my Mac, so I often found myself using Windows on a desktop at my office. Thus, I have experienced the evolution of Windows over the years. The earlier versions always seemed to complicated and/or counterintuitive to my Mac senses, especially the installing of software and drivers. I also had way too many viruses and crashes (even with virus proetection and fairly good IT support) when using earlier Windows versions. Thus, I have been pleasantly surprised with Windows XP. I currently run it using Parallels on a MacBook. In four months of fairly regular use, Windows XP has not crashed on me. I should note that I mainly run business applications (i.e. Open Office, QuickBooks, Explorer) and for a time I ran Slingplayer (until released on Mac). These applications ran installed with ease and ran flawlessly. Perhaps the only thing keeping me from giving XP 4 stars is the price. A few lesser issues are the screen (I prefer Windows classic), the constant need for security updates, and the rather time consuming activation process (I worry that I may have trouble if I decide to upgrade my computer and move Windows to another machine).
 Good, but could be better February 23, 2005
Juan Trevino (Evansville,IN)
24 out of 28 found this review helpful
This really goes out to those who read the first review of Windows XP Pro.
1. Service Pack 2 can be downloaded, but it does take a while, even with high-speed internet. With a P3, 800MHz system, it took over 2 hours to download and install with 4MB down stream. Plus, my system had to be rebooted a few times to make sure everything was installed properly. Having SP2 on the WinXP disc saves a lot of time!
2. Nothing is perfect in computers. While Mac systems have fewer virus problems and fewer OS problems, they still have problems. XP Professional is far superior than previous Windows editions, as well as more security features (i.e. firewall, virus and pop-up protection). I would never switch over to Mac if you play any type of PC games, do basic computing, or want a massive selection of compatible software without having to buy an extra program to run Windows-based applications (by this, I mean that Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac is needed to run Windows apps - about an extra $250 or so).
3. You need the FULL version if you have Windows 95 or earlier or a PC without Windows. Telling customers that they may not need the Full version if they have Windows already is somewhat misleading. If they have Win95 or earlier, they must have a FULL version! An upgrade will be a waste of money.
4. Windows XP Professional is for you if you are a student, business professional, or just a home user that wants more features and better security protection out of your Windows experience.
---All in all, WinXP Pro stands above all other Windows' versions. It will not only improve performance in a Windows enviroment over earlier editions, but it is more secure. To put it in my terms, I have only had three pop-ups in 7 months. That is the best luck I have had of any other pop-up blocker ever...
 Best Version Ever October 24, 2005
kangarookirb (Carlisle, PA USA)
18 out of 18 found this review helpful
I've been really impressed with this release of Windows. Couple it with the the latest Service Pack 2 and it really shines. I work as a technician at a computer repair shop, and let me tell you it is by far the easiest version of Microsoft Windows to support.
1. It's driver database is outstanding. I get so amazed when I plug in a device and it automatically installs it.
2. I'm also impressed with the stability of this version. Remember the blue screen that you always got in earlier versions?? It's basically gone!!
3. The built-in popup blocker included with service pack 2 does an excellent job of blocking popups. My popups are gone!!
4. It also does a fine job of backwards compatibility. I've already ran OLD ms-dos programs on my XP machine just for the kicks.
5. And the Windows Restore capability is awesome. I've fixed a problem by simply restoring it to yesterday.
These are just a few of the many features of Windows XP. All in all, I'm well pleased. Buy it.
Good OS for Professionals September 10, 2005
C. Prasojo (Singapore)
17 out of 20 found this review helpful
You can find most of these goods in Home edition. If you are not sure which type is for you, you may want to read my review on Windows XP Home Edition. If you find it's good enough for you, choosing that would be a smart choice as it is tagged with lower price than this Professional edition.
Some other good points on Windows XP Professional edition are:
Advanced control options on networking, security, and administration. You can control user and group policy, audit events on your computer, manage advanced networking, etc. These tools are useful, especially in a network.
Better user interface. All the icons, windows, and its components are redesigned and it's much better than the previous design in any Windows version.
Renewed Start Menu. With this new start menu, the most used/launched software will be displayed. You don't have to scroll through your All Programs items to launch your favourite program. It also displays most accessed items such as Control Panel, My Computer, Help, Your Documents, Music, Pictures, and Network easily.
Better plug & play support. With Windows XP, just plug your device in, and Windows will search the appropriate driver for you. All you have to do is wait for it, and Windows will notify you once your device is ready to be used.
Firewall and other security. Windows XP comes with SP2 and better firewall, keeping you away from all those unauthorized people on the net that are trying to steal your information.
I can conclude that this is the best Windows ever. And while we are waiting for the next generation of Windows, Windows Vista, this OS is still the best choice among other Windows.
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