Do you need Windows XP?

Do you need Windows XP?
By: Scott Hendison � Published: September 2001

Do you need Windows XP? September 2001

Yes, there�s another new OS (Operating System) coming from Microsoft this October 25th called Windows XP. Will you need to upgrade?

Many people are confused by Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, etc. so let me take a minute and round �em up for you.

In the beginning (okay, 7 years ago) there were two Microsoft Operating Systems that mattered. Windows 3.1 for personal use, and Windows NT for businesses.

Windows 3.1 eventually became Windows 95, which was a huge change. Four versions later, it became Windows 98. Two versions later, it became Windows ME. Windows ME is scheduled to be the last one in this �family�.

Windows NT morphed from Windows NT 3.5 to Win NT 4.0 and then to Windows 2000. There were numerous updates in between all of them, and now there are two service pack releases for Windows 2000. Windows 2000 will be branching out from here into two main Windows XP versions, which are for home and business use.

An upgrade to Windows XP for your current computer probably won�t be without its� drawbacks. Windows upgrades from 98 to ME were a pain for millions of users, and my guess is that the XP upgrade won�t fare much better. Be prepared for missing CD Roms, software that won�t work anymore, computers that just don�t boot, etc. Don�t get me wrong, not everyone will have trouble. Just you and I.

Microsoft recommends that to run Windows XP, you have a 300mhz processor, 128 megs of Ram, and 1.5 Gigabytes (wow!) of free hard drive space. While Microsoft says it will run on a lower end system than this (233mhz w/ 64mb of ram), only a glutton for punishment would try it. Minimum system requirements are seldom adequate for full functionality.

Also, keep in mind that new operating systems from Microsoft ALWAYS have bugs that need fixing. These bugs are usually minor though, and with the addition of Windows Update to Windows 98 though, these fixes can usually be applied painlessly.

When Windows ME was released, most consumers noticed few significant differences between it and Windows 98. The biggest consumer benefit to Windows ME, in my opinion, was a �system restore� feature that would allow you to go back in time to a point before you screwed up your computer. Unfortunately, many people found that the point at which there computer became �screwed up� was when they upgraded to WinME, and the uninstallation of Windows ME did not always work.

Windows XP will be truly different, and better in many ways. Windows XP is the future. I expect there to be millions of new computers that will run great on Windows XP, and everyone will love it. Windows XP will be more stable, (it will crash less), it will run faster, and it will make things easier for you, your family, and probably even your pets.

You will read and hear all about the wonderful features that Windows XP offers with the huge marketing blitz that�s sure to come any day now. Eventually, you will have to run it anyway, because new software or hardware you want will demand it. If you�re buying a new computer, don�t hesitate to choose Windows XP. But until there�s something you want or need to do that your current OS won�t do, I recommend leaving well enough alone.