Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system is downwardly compatible with most older Windows software. Windows XP also offers a customizable desktop and taskbar for user convenience.
If more than one person uses a computer, XP allows each user to create a separate computer account. This keeps their personal files, documents, and settings separate from others.
System Requirements
The minimum requirements for a system to run windows xp are a 233 MHz processor and 64 MB of RAM. However, it can also be run on a lot older hardware. It’s not recommended to do so, since you are five times more vulnerable to viruses and hacker attacks.
Other features introduced by Windows XP include error reporting that sends information to Microsoft about application and system crashes, automated wireless network configuration, a desktop clean-up wizard that moves unused shortcuts into a separate folder, and compatibility modes that allow older applications to work with Windows XP. It is also the first version of Windows to feature prefetching, a function that optimizes application startup performance by caching dynamic link libraries that are used frequently.
The operating system is available in two editions, Home Edition and Professional. Home Edition is a consumer-oriented release, while the Professional Edition is targeted at small businesses and professionals. The operating system was marketed using the slogan “Prepare to fly” (later changed to “Yes you can”) and a new theme song, Ray of Light by Madonna.
User Interface
Microsoft invested countless hours and untold millions of dollars in making computers more approachable for the average user with Windows XP. The colorful interface, with large icons and buttons that are clearly labeled, encourages the user to try new things and use the computer.
A significant improvement is support for ClearType, which allows fonts to be drawn on the screen more crisply than previous versions of Windows. This provides a much sharper and more readable display on color LCD screens.
Another significant feature is fast user switching, which allows users to switch to another user without the other users having to close programs. This is important for applications that cannot tolerate multiple instances of themselves running simultaneously.
One disadvantage of this functionality is that it prevents the application from keeping its own temporary data files in the same directory as other user’s temporary files, which can cause a conflict. This can be solved by using SHGetFolderLocation to query the proper directories for this purpose.
Security
After Microsoft ended security updates for Windows XP last April, computer gurus anticipated that hackers would exploit the system to get into networks. That hasn’t happened, but it doesn’t mean organizations should let their guard down.
Many companies are still running XP, especially small businesses that have invested in expensive hardware such as point-of-sale terminals and ATM machines. Some have custom software that runs only on XP, and upgrading to newer systems can be cost prohibitive.
Fortunately, there are measures that can be taken to reduce the vulnerability of these systems. For example, the free antivirus program Microsoft Security Essentials will continue to receive anti-malware signature updates through July 14, 2015. But that won’t address any vulnerabilities discovered after April 8. Also, solution providers should talk to longtime clients and encourage them to upgrade their systems soon. If a business can’t afford to upgrade, it may be worth considering using a virtual machine to run Windows XP in a separate environment on a newer PC.
Performance
Windows XP is an operating system that has been in the market since 2002. It was the first of Microsoft’s NT kernel-based systems to be released for both business and general type consumer use, and it is generally considered to be a major improvement over the 9x line in stability, efficiency, and usability.
Upon release, the operating system received critical acclaim for increased performance (especially compared to its predecessor, Windows ME), a more intuitive user interface, improved hardware support, and expanded multimedia capabilities. It was also the first version of Windows to utilize product activation to prevent software piracy.
The OS has some settings that can affect performance, especially when recording audio. Disabling write caching will ensure that data is written directly to the hard drive, improving performance while recording. Other tips include reducing the number of background services, increasing capacity, cleaning up the prefetch folder and more. Click the link to read the full article and learn 23 ways you can increase the speed of your WinXP box.