Product Features
- Upgrade Version
- Automatically keep your PC up-to-date with the latest security
enhancements including the Windows Security Center, Windows Firewall
- Windows XP Professional provides rich, wireless network support, helping
you simply and easily connect to wireless networks whether in your home,
office, or out on the road
- Quickly set up and connect all the computers, printers, devices, and an
Internet connection in your home with the all new Network Setup Wizard
- Encrypting File System provides an additional level of file protection
from hackers and data theft by transparently encrypting files with a randomly
generated key
- Clean, simple design of Windows XP Professional puts the features you use
most often at your fingertips, helping you find them quickly
Product DescriptionWith 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.
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.
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.
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.
System Requirements:
- PC with a 233-MHz or faster processor required; 300-MHz Intel
Pentium/Celeron family, AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible processor
recommended
- 128 MB of RAM or more recommended (64 MB minimum supported; may limit
performance and some features)
- 1.5 GB of available hard-disk space required (hard-disk usage will vary
based on configuration; custom installation may require more or less disk
space); additional hard-disk space may be required if you are installing over
a network
- CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
- Super VGA monitor and video adapter supporting 800 x 600 or greater
resolution
- Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device
Click here to check for Windows 7 compatibility.
For complete product details please visit the manufacturer's website.
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