Finally gave WinXP at try... ME NO LIKE IT!

[SleepyGuy]

Here is my summary...

Pros:
- great driver support
- nice look
- user friendly
- pppoe support out the box! DSL user rejoice!
- NT stability

Cons:
- Just be an OS not a do everything OS... ie cd-writing support
- my fav apps don't work! CDRwin 4.0a... keep getting media error!?! Also can't use NAV 7.5 CE!
- large install size... memory hog!
- Not as stable at 2000 for me... don't know why... keeps crashing at 1000 Mhz on my Duron 750... 2000 is stable at 1000 Mhz

Conclusion:
Lets see... I can't use my fav apps... my proc is not stable at 1000 Mhz... hmmm... let's just say i'm in "love" with DriveImage Pro 4... another app that won't work with XP.

Tip:
Even though i sound negative about XP, don't get me wrong... it's is an awesome OS with the right hardware and software. It just isn't for me.

Hardware used:
Duron 750 @ 1000 Mhz (only 930 Mhz on XP)
K7S5A
256 PC133
IBM 40 GB 7200
IBM 20 GB 7200
Asus 8x DVD
Ricoh 6x CDRW
Radeon 7500
Intergrated Sound (hehe)

 

[exorr]

Ditto, I'm not a big fan of XP either. I actually don't like how they hide everything. For example, the control panel, printers, etc. They are all hidden. I'm sure you can bring them out, but its just a pain...

 

[Mitzi]

It gets better the more you use it. As for the stability and software compatability problems you mentioned, in time these will be resolved (you checked the manufacturers web sites for updates??).

 

[SleepyGuy]

Yeah the fancy menus and stuff can all be changed to Win2000 standards. I have to admit that Text is alot sharper in WinXP. This is with my Radeon 7500... could be I updated drivers though...

 

[exorr]

I figured they could be changed to win2000 standards. Just to lazy to try and figure it out. But windows 2000 loves me. I've had almost no problems with it whatsoever. So I'm not really wanting to change.

 

[HawkeyeColt]

Yeah, hunting down all patches for my software sorta sucked. Once all the patches were found it's been running great for me. 24/7 for 2 monthes now

 

[gregor7777]

Stability over win98 se is key for me. I use Xmpeg all the time, and XP actually can keep it running all night.

 

[SleepyGuy]

I like my proc at 1000 Mhz though... WinXP was giving me a blue screen every once in a while. Win2000 at 1000 Mhz I could play games and all day long so I don't think my chip was overheating... may be a bios issue though... I updated my k7s5a to the latest bios. I think i'll pass on XP for now... and what's up with that registering scheme...

 

[Amused]

<<
- my fav apps don't work! CDRwin 4.0a... keep getting media error!?! Also can't use NAV 7.5 CE!
>>



It's this way with every new OS. That's not MS's fault.

I remember when everyone whined about their programs not working on 98. Hell, I remember that 2K ran nearly nothing "fun" until SW and HW manufacturers started supporting it a year later.

 

[joohang]

<< I like my proc at 1000 Mhz though... WinXP was giving me a blue screen every once in a while. Win2000 at 1000 Mhz I could play games and all day long so I don't think my chip was overheating... may be a bios issue though... I updated my k7s5a to the latest bios. I think i'll pass on XP for now... and what's up with that registering scheme... >>


Since when the hell was the stability of the OS judged with overclocked chips?

 

[joohang]

<< Ditto, I'm not a big fan of XP either. I actually don't like how they hide everything. For example, the control panel, printers, etc. They are all hidden. I'm sure you can bring them out, but its just a pain... >>


It takes only a couple of clicks to change them back. Such a pain?

And printers are hidden? Click on your Start menu. Don't you see it there?

It definitely helps newbies, though, believe it or not. Microsoft spends nearly $1 billion or so every year researching on how to make a more effective UI. I don't like the new Control Panel either, but there are many other features that I find useful as well.

 

[GTaudiophile]

I'm happy with Win2K. I'll wait until WinXP SP2 comes out before I give it a try. It's just still too new.

 

[exorr]

joohang,

Don't take it so personally. I just don't like the way it looks. Maybe a year down the road I will, but I just don't. I know it only takes a couple clicks, but thats not the only thing I don't like about it. Relax bud...

 

[Adul]

go for the classic look like I did.

 

[Jen]

for myself i put it in a friends computer. after seeing it and useing it for awhile i went back to my windows 98se.



Jen

 

[joohang]

<< Don't take it so personally. I just don't like the way it looks. Maybe a year down the road I will, but I just don't. I know it only takes a couple clicks, but thats not the only thing I don't like about it. Relax bud... >>


Didn't take anything personal. Just wondering why people find it so painful to make a couple of clicks to make permanent changes to the Control Panel, Start menu, etc, so that it resembles earlier Windows.

 

[Eug]

<< It definitely helps newbies, though, believe it or not. Microsoft spends nearly $1 billion or so every year researching on how to make a more effective UI. I don't like the new Control Panel either, but there are many other features that I find useful as well. >>

Hmmm... Methinks they're spending the money in the wrong areas then because as much as I like XP, it's still not as user friendly as it should be. I don't think they're spending a billion a year on UI issues, however. But nonetheless, they need to pay more attention to it as well as aesthetics. XP works well for me, but the standard theme is fugly.

 

[joohang]

<< Hmmm... Methinks they're spending the money in the wrong areas then because as much as I like XP, it's still not as user friendly as it should be. I don't think they're spending a billion a year on UI issues, however. But nonetheless, they need to pay more attention to it as well as aesthetics. XP works well for me, but the standard theme is fugly. >>


That research is not limited to Windows (IIRC). Yeah, I agree that the theme could be improved, although I don't find it "fugly".

One of the results of that research was the Task Pane in Office XP. I saved quite a bit of time using that and I found many newbies figuring out some of the "hidden" features of Word/Excel/etc and making good uses of them easily. That was pretty impressive, imo.

 

[MadRat]

Win XP Home - poor O/S for consumers
Win XP Pro - excellent for connecting to A.D. Service-based Domains.

 

[BeauJangles]

<< Yeah the fancy menus and stuff can all be changed to Win2000 standards. I have to admit that Text is alot sharper in WinXP. This is with my Radeon 7500... could be I updated drivers though... >>



mmm.... Cleartype... so clear and nice.

 

[DN]

WinXP should only be used by people who know what they are doing and who have "adequate" hardware.. As for the incompatibilities, for a new OS, they are FEW.. How ignorant to complain about a disk manager that doesn't understand NTFS.. Duh-uh-uh.. It's tight, it's fast, it does everything right out of the box, it's rock solid, it's so customizeable.. 95% of the complaints are meaningless drivel based on ignorant statements from people, by what I've seen, not only here, but in the past..

 

[NeoMadHatter]

i like XP, it does everything i want it to do. the only software issue i had was systemworks 2001 and so i got systemworks 2002 and problem was solved. aside from that, never had a problem.

 

[Ryan]

XP Runs perfectly for me, and I like the way it looks.

 

[Mem]

I had no problems with my hardware,I had to use Win2K drivers for my printer since there was no XP drivers but that did not cause any problems,infact it`s rock stable & even my gaming needs are fine with WinXP.

Btw I don`t like the old "classic look" mode, prefer the XP look which`s better .

 

[sandorski]

I've had a few issues with hacked Voodoo5 drivers, but besides that obvious problem WinXP has been great. Not only are things *not* hidden in WinXP, but there are many more options to choose from in comparison to Win98. You just need to spend a little time and familiarize yourself with the layout first, you maybe pleasantly surprised with what you find.