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The Windows XP Experience
A Briefing on Microsoft's New Operating System
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The Windows XP Experience
A Briefing on Microsoft's New Operating System
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 Windows XP, Microsoft's newest operating system, will be available October 25. Windows XP (which stands for "eXPerience") will come in two versions: Professional and Home Edition. Windows XP Professional is an upgrade to Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP Home Edition is the next generation of Windows Me. New PCs are already shipping with Windows XP installed or with an option for a free upgrade to XP.The XP Experience
The most striking difference between Windows XP and Windows 2000 Professional is the new Graphical User Interface (GUI). The GUI includes all of the graphics, icons, and colors that make up your desktop. In Windows XP, the GUI is more colorful and graphics-laden. Microsoft also touts XP for enhanced security, more stability (reducing the need to reboot your computer), improved power management, and better digital media performance. XP @ UC Davis
IET maintains a Web site about Windows XP to help those affiliated with the UC Davis campus. This site (http://xp.ucdavis.edu/) can answer your questions about licensing XP, compatibility of your systems with XP, and the university's recommendation about purchasing this new operating system. IET's Compatability Preparation for Windows XP
The Desktop Enterprise Solutions (DES) team is currently testing beta versions of XP against major campus administrative systems, such as the student information system. To see the results and status of the testing, go to http://xp.ucdavis.edu/. If your system or program is not on the list and you would like the DES team to test it, contact the group at 530-757-8907 or dsg-help@ucdavis.edu, and they will provide you with a quote.IET's Recommendation to the Campus
As with any new software program, particularly a new operating system, IET recommends delaying the upgrade of your system until all programs and systems can be tested against the new software. If you delay implementing Windows XP, you can avoid waiting for commercial software and hardware manufacturers, such as Adobe and Hewlett-Packard, to develop products that are compatible with Windows XP. When it unveiled Windows 2000, Microsoft offered an online compatibility checker to test software and hardware against Windows 2000. It is expected Microsoft will do the same for XP.Those of you with cmputers already equipped with XP should address XP-specific questions to Desktop Systems (530-757-8907; dsg-help@ucdavis.edu) or IT Express (530-754-HELP; ithelp@ucdavis.edu). |
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