Defend Your PC Against Viruses, Worms and Hackers! Introducing Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) with Advanced Security Technologies provides users with an enhanced security infrastructure to help defend against viruses, worms, and hackers. In addition, it helps provide increased manageability and control along with an improved, more consistent user experience. By building on the proven Windows® 2000 operating system, Windows® XP Professional delivers a reliable foundation you can count on to keep your computer up and running when you need it most. Not only is Windows® XP more reliable, it also helps you more easily recover from system problems.Windows® XP Professional delivers the new standard in reliability and performance. This operating system is designed for businesses of all sizes and for users who demand the most from their computing experience. The latest Service Pack for Windows XP—Service Pack 2 (SP2)—is all about security, and it’s one of the most important service packs ever released. It provides better protection against viruses, hackers, and worms, and includes Windows Firewall, Pop-up Blocker for Internet Explorer, and the new Windows Security Center.
With Windows XP Professional Edition with Service Pack 2, you get safer browsing and communication, powerful security tools, and improved experiences. Windows XP is the operating system release that unifies the Microsoft range, with all the desktop versions now built on the NT/2000 code base rather than the shakier foundation of Windows 95, 98, and Me. That makes XP a great upgrade for users of the now-obsolete 9x and Me line, but for those already on Windows 2000 Professional it is a closer call. Despite the similar name, there is no special synergy between Windows XP and Office XP, which works fine on Windows 2000.
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The Security Center lets you check the status of your essential security settings. | XP certainly looks different, with rounded window corners, larger and more detailed icons, and a clean-look desktop that on first installation shows only the taskbar and Recycle Bin. XP is also more customizable than earlier versions of Windows, and includes visual themes that let you change the whole appearance of Windows in an instant. That is the window-dressing, but underneath are some significant improvements. One of the most interesting is Remote Desktop. A standard XP feature, this uses technology from Microsoft Terminal Server to enable users to access their computer over any connection; for example, by dialing into the office from home. This is not just file access--this technology lets you run applications remotely as if you were sitting at your desk at work. This is mature technology, stable and carefully thought out. So, for example, you can print from a remote word processor to a local printer. A variation on the theme is Remote Assistance, where the user can allow a remote helper to view their desktop, or optionally gain control of the keyboard and mouse, in order to troubleshoot a problem. The feature can also be disabled to ease security concerns. |
| Laptop users benefit from enhanced power management, with options to extend battery life by reducing CPU speed and display brightness. IrDA support has been fixed so that, unlike Windows 2000, Windows XP can easily use modems in mobile telephones via infrared. A new screen font, ClearType, improves legibility for laptop or other flat screens, and there is built-in support for wireless networking using the popular 802.11 standard. A great feature of XP, also found in Windows 2000, is the ability to synchronize network files with offline copies. Previously, these files could not be stored securely, but now they can be encrypted. | 
The Information Bar in Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2 notifies you when it blocks ActiveX control or active content and then lets you decide what to do.
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For Web browsing, XP comes with Internet Explorer 6.0. The enhancements in IE 6.0 are mainly of interest to Web developers, and in any case Microsoft makes IE freely available to all Windows users. Although Java is not installed by default, it is not difficult to download a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Windows Messenger, originally a chat client, has evolved into a collaboration tool that allows for video conferencing and application sharing.
Service Pack 2 allows users to instruct Internet Explorer how to handle downloads from a specific publisher | The most significant new feature for Internet users is the built-in firewall. A firewall protects against one of the most disturbing security risks, in which other users unknown to you might connect to your computer while it is online, reading private files or causing other damage. XP's built-in firewall is a simple affair, but it does prevent most types of unauthorized connection. Windows XP has strong multimedia features. The new Media Player lets you copy music from CD to hard disk, create your own playlist, and write your own music CDs if you have a CD writer. Although there is loss of quality as a result of compression, the process is easy and convenient. Media Player 8.0 can play back DVD video, but only if a hardware or software DVD decoder is already installed. You can also play MP3 audio files and MPEG videos, but sadly, not the popular RealMedia formats. In the end, Media Player does nothing that you cannot also do with free alternatives, but it is slick and nicely integrated. |
The XP user interface is not a radical departure from earlier versions of Windows, but there are a number of small changes that together add up to a significant improvement. The Start menu now automatically features the most frequently used programs at the top of the list, and you can add and remove shortcuts by right-clicking the icon and selecting Pin or Unpin from the pop-up menu. Windows online help is integrated into a Help and Support Center that works like an internal Web site, with searchable help, tutorials, and walk-throughs.
Windows XP Professional includes all the features of Windows XP Home, and adds support for dual processors, encryptable file systems, offline folders, the Remote Desktop as described above, and extra administration features that come into play when connected to a Windows server domain. XP is demanding on hardware, and it would be a mistake to install it on less than Microsoft's recommended minimum requirements. There is also activation to consider, a mildly annoying anti-piracy measure that requires you to obtain a code from Microsoft for full installation, and in the future if you reinstall or make major system changes.
Windows XP Service Pack 2 Features
| Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker | Makes browsing the Internet more enjoyable by enabling you to reduce unwanted ads and content. |
| Internet Explorer download monitoring | Warns you about potentially harmful downloads and gives you the option to block files that could be malicious. |
| Internet Explorer Information Bar | Provides better information about events that are happening as you browse the Web, so it’s easier to know what’s going on and address potential security issues. |
| Windows Security Center | Allows you to easily view your security status and manage key security settings in one convenient place. |
| Windows Firewall update | Automatically turned on by default, this improved firewall helps protect Windows XP from viruses, worms, and other security threats that can spread over the Internet. |
| Improved wireless support | Dramatically improves and simplifies the process of discovering and connecting to wireless networks. |
| Bluetooth technologies | Enables you to easily connect to the latest Bluetooth-enabled hardware devices such as keyboards, cell phones, and PDAs. |
| Windows Media Player 9 Series | Makes it easy to enjoy music, video, and broadband content with enhanced security. |
1 Windows XP Professional: a (mostly) fair and balanced review
Windows XP Professional is perhaps the best version of Windows that Microsoft has released. It's rock-solid, well-supported, and easy to use. It's also ridiculously expensive, bloated, and the anti-piracy measures are nearly draconian (and woefully ineffective to boot).
What follows is a pretty lengthy breakdown. If you just want the executive summary, read no further than the following bullet-point list:
- If you don't have any special needs consider XP Home instead. If you truly need XP Professional, you'll know.
- If you don't really need Windows (in other words, if you're not a gamer or need to run an application for work that's strictly Windows-only), consider switching to a Mac. Or even Linux if you're a power user.
- Windows XP is a decent OS under the hood. But lingering security issues, price, and Microsoft's questionable behavior over the years should give you pause.
Now for the extended, in-depth review...
Pros:
- Built on the Windows 2000 codebase. It's not so prone to BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death) and other random crashes as 95, 98, and Me. I still get crashes, but they're usually the fault of a particular app, and a single crash rarely brings down the entire system.
- Excellent hardware support. It's plug-and-pray no longer; it recognizes and automatically configures a wide range of hardware.
- Well-supported. Like it or not, Windows is the dominant OS. You won't find a greater selection of commercial software for any other operating system.
- More secure than previous Windows versions. With the introduction of Service Pack 2, Microsoft is finally doing something about the rise of adware with improvements to Internet Explorer 6, a better built-in firewall, and a one-stop Security Center.
- Easier networking. Service Pack 2's wireless networking tools are often better than the ones bundled with wireless networking hardware. It's also easier to share files over a LAN, especially in comparison to Windows 2000. But if you need Windows 2000's more fine-grained control, that's available to you as well.
Cons:
- Expensive. Microsoft's monopoly position basically lets them charge whatever they want. Sometimes (and if you're a good bargain hunter) it's cheaper to buy a used computer with Windows XP preinstalled than to buy a boxed retail version. It's out of control. More on this later.
- Bloated. And not just bloated, but hard to cut down. Applications like Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Windows Media Player, Windows Messenger, and Movie Maker are bundled and do not have uninstallers. You'll need some technical expertise and quite a bit of free time to get rid of these apps.
- Still very insecure. Check Secunia or a similar security site, and you'll see that Windows XP and Internet Explorer are riddled with security holes. And many of the critical ones remain unpatched! Save yourself a lot of grief and use an alternative browser like Mozilla Firefox or Opera (but not ones that embed the IE engine like Maxthon).
- The new visual themes are an acquired taste. Some people like big and colorful. I'm not one of those people. Luckily, "Windows Classic" is still available. You'll get your traditional desktop and Start menu back, as well as a hefty performance increase.
- Activation. It's not as bad as you might have been led to believe, but it's still annoying. The process takes seconds over the internet, and you don't have to provide any personal information. But if you're in the habit of upgrading and swapping out hardware often, you might find yourself on the phone with Microsoft trying to prove that you're not doing anything illegal. Meanwhile, Windows piracy still runs rampant, especially in third-world countries where a genuine copy of Windows costs a month's wages or more. Hell, it cost me a week's wages here in the U.S. of A. for my copies. (The job market's not exactly laden with golden opportunities for recent college grads. But I digress.) Seriously Microsoft, drop the price. What you lose in the margins up front will be more than made up for by the decreased loss due to piracy.
Other considerations:
- Unless you have ancient hardware (by that I mean computers built before 1997), get away from Windows 9x or Me as soon as you can. Leave that crash-prone monstrosity of an OS behind.
- I'd say get away from Windows entirely if possible. This isn't a viable option for everyone. For gamers, there's no real good substitute for Windows short of a console. Sometimes you'll get Mac and Linux releases, but they're often released long after the Windows version and are not as well supported. Then there are those who need a Windows PC for work. Solutions like Virtual PC and VMware provide a Windows environment for Mac and Linux respectively, but they can be clunky, and you wind up having to get Windows anyway. And of course there are those that can't deal with the Mac way of doing things or can't be bothered with the endless tinkering that a Linux setup entails. But if you just need a computer that gets on the internet without fuss, and you're not beholden to Windows in any way, consider something like the newly-released Mac mini. Easy to use, easy on the eyes, easy on the wallet.
- Power users may want to consider giving Linux a spin. It's still got a way to go before it's a solid desktop OS, but it's getting better every day.
- If you're not a power user and/or don't need the advanced networking features, Remote Desktop, etc. (and really, really must have Windows), go with XP Home instead. All of the stability, most of the power, less of the fat. Cheaper too.
- If you're already using Windows 2000, XP Professional probably isn't a very compelling upgrade. You've already got a very mature, stable, not-too-bloated, well-supported desktop OS on your hands. Maybe the new network features (the better wireless tools in particular) are worth the upgrade and migration cost. I leave it to you to weigh the risks and benefits in your particular situation.
Thanks for reading!
2 Good, but could be better
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...
3 Windows XP rocks, you might not need professional!
If you're reading this. You're thinking of buying Windows XP Professional Edition here are a few things to keep in mind.
First thing is, you might be able to get away with buying just the upgrade edition. The upgrade edition allows you to do a full install. It just asks you for the CD of a previous version of Windows. Also remember you can download service pack two from the Windows update web site. So no need to buy it integrated with XP.
These are what I consider the minimum system requirements:
256 MB of RAM. I have found is adequate more equals better.
500 MHz or higher will do.
7200 rpm hard drive will help a lot.
If you're running Windows millennium edition, or 98 upgrade now the stability is vastly improved. Gone are the blue screens of death.
Frequently asked question: is Windows XP Pro better than home edition?
Windows XP Pro has a more high-end networking features that most home users will never miss or would even know were missing. So for most users Windows home edition is fine. They both are based on the same code and are almost identical.
And the price differences are drastic and deftly not worth it in my opinion unless you need these networking features.
If you're thinking of upgrading from Windows 2000, I did, because I like the GUI interface better. But Windows XP is as stable as Windows 2000. So it's your call.
The plug-and-play ability of Windows XP is totally great! Windows XP will by default find most drivers for video card sound cards, network cards, etc. that is such a bonus gone in the days of having to search for CDs with drivers.
I recommend upgrading to Windows XP be it professional or home edition. It is a great operating system
Have some fun and get it done
4 Not quite there yet
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.
5 Service Pack 2 is Terrible
I just recently upgraded my computer from xp pro service pack one to service pack 2, and i totally regret it. Service pack 2 hardly ever inializes the proper drivers for anything including games. It also keep asking me to activate my copy long after i installed it. I had to install a patch to get around that problem. I still have to do a system restore every month just so i can keep using my pc. I would not recommend service pack 2 to anyone.
