To Window or not to Window?

Author's Rating:

Pros: It's Windows, slightly more secure

Cons: It's Windows, still insecure

The Bottom Line: 
Windows XP is good for a novice, but not so good for nerd. At least it's compatible with most software.

Author's Review
My op is on the OEM version.

###Intro###

Windows is probably the most successful operating systems, software that runs software, ever.

Naturally, because of this most software is for Windows, but also most viruses/hackers are too.

###The history of Windows###

Microsoft started to make 'Interface Manager' way back in '81, it was later renamed to 'Microsoft Windows'. It wasn't a pretty sight when released in 1985, and not much software was available. It was text/DOS based and the only feature that is the same is where the menu is. No start menu though.

As this didn't sell well Microsoft created a slightly different version of Windows: Windows/286. The colours remind me of a computer off Star Trek. It still could handle some programs that may ring a bell: Excel, Word for Windows, Corel Draw!, Ami, MS Calculator PageMaker and Micrografx Designe

. Still it was mainly text and MS-Dos based.

Then it was the unpopular 3.0, followed by the popular 3.1 . 3.1 included Paintbrush (aka. MS Paint), Media Player, Write (a text editor), Control Panel and more. For the first time is could handle more than 640k RAM and provided the GUI plus the legendry 'Start' menu.

Now I won't yat on about newer versions as you'll probably know them.

###WinXP Home SP2###

You probably know my reading my other ops I hate Microsoft. But I had no choice. I had to get a WinXP. No software I bought was compatible on my old Win98/Knoppix.

I realised I would want a high-tech PC so I bought myself an Athlon 64 3400+ and a gig RAM processor (plus 128MB ATI Radeon9800Pro). With the package WIN XP Home came.

Naturally, I stuck to my anti-XP campaign by setting it to classic mode.

Unlike Pre-2000 operating systems, Win XP is stand-alone and doesn't require MS-DOS. Some may argue over this, but it's a welcome move by me. It emulates DOS for DOS programs, while keeping the Windows 'stability'' (*)

###WIN XP HATE###

As a bulleted list

@The evil start menu. I hate how they've kicked the favourites and documents out of the start menu, and the 'ability' to pin programs to a quick part to access. Isn't this what quick start was for? Okay, I know you can edit all of this, but it's default!

@Product activation. You have to contact Microsoft before 30days of WINXP use to activate it. Naturally, you can do this via phone of through the internet. If you don't have the internet you can get MSN. Oh joy (joking). Microsoft say this is to get rid of piracy, but in my view it just the chance of getting you to sign-up for MSN. Look, though I see the point on piracy any decent cracker can crack it!

@Windows Media Player. I hate this media player. It’s too big and it's irritating. I would prefer the use of iTunes or Winamp.

@Internet Explorer/Outlook Express 'support'. Again, Microsoft tries to stop other software foundations emerging, by integrating their browser into Windows. You'd far better off with Firefox or Opera (see my ops). Also, you'd far better use Opera or Thunderbird over Outlook Express. For both of these points, hackers have found weaknesses in MS products and can destroy you PC through loopholes

@Cheap and colourful look in default mode.

@Backward compatibility mode. Heh! Don't expect any of your old software to work without a little fiddling.

@My Frontpage Express gone! Sniff Sniff. What a great HTML editor.

###WINXP LOVE###

@NTFS file system

@Built-in CD writing tool.

@Free firewall, new in SP2: SIMPLE SECURITY MANAGER. MANAGES YOUR FIREWALL AND ANTI-VIRUS IN ONE PLACE!

@.net passport support. Though I hate the idea at least there's an operating system that supports it easily. Windows Messenger is also a great addition to this feature, but you might as well use MSN Messenger, as it has more features and is newer.

@Pinball. Come on for a free game its cool. The best integrated Windows game ever.

@Notepad. Reads most files in an awful text based environment. Oh... and it's the only way to make a website in XP without having to buy/download a HTML editor.

@Partition your disk. Unfortunately not in a Linux friendly manner. Run>compmgmt.msc . Far better with a paid partitioner though.

@Album artwork grabbing for My Music

@Hundreds of drivers in the driver DB.

@Remote Assistance. Stuck or is your friend stuck. Help or destroy them and there machine, at yours, remotely.

@Windows Movie Maker, free simple movie maker and ripper.

@Decent help. But the search tool is inaccurate.

###What should I do?###

Novice:

Use Windows XP in default mode and get an anti-virus program and iTunes

Nerds:

Use Linux/Linspire/GNU, it's more secure and generally free. Also they come with most software you'll need? Still not sure give Knoppix, a Linux that runs off your RAM by booting into it (not permantly installed) a go.