[ml/nj]

I’m keeping XP. But, certainly not because I want another operating system to learn. I’m keeping it simply because it has caused me zero problems in its first 60 hours of use. What’s not to like here?

Win 2000 cause me zero problems in my first 60 hours with it, and few in the year and a half since.

I had my first (attempted) encounter with XP last week and it wasn't pretty. My college age son put XP on his system and, several weeks later, blew out his motherboard (which had nothing to do with XP). I collected his computer and got a new motherboard and processor. Once everything was put together with his old disk I turned the thing on, and XP died during the boot. It had a non-traditional blue screen which suggested I use the old disk controller (Thanks for the advice MS!), or run Scandisk which was impossible because the boot to the command line prompt came up with the same blue screen. I called MS, and during discussions with them, it turned out that the key they gave me for my XP license(s) was invalid. When I asked for a new one, they told me they "were out of keys," and it would take three days for them to get new ones. That was five days ago and I still don't have a key. (Fortunately for me I have no real need to use XP.)

I'm generally supportive of Microsoft. But my first impression of XP is that it is "Bad News." Since my first attempt several days ago I've heard that phrase: "Bad news," from two others in connection with XP.

ML/NJ

PS In my reading of the README files to try to get up to speed to help my son, I believe I read that XP considers the NIC, part of the basic computer, so if you change NICs and you have XP - brace yourself.

[vharlow]

MIke, we have XP on that one new system Richard built recently for me, and the only problem was the ATI Multimedia software as they haven't upgraded that to work with XP yet, but the Atitech site says it's in the works. I'm not switching from this system to that one until that problem is solved. I like being able to capture small videos and if the software won't work, the XP system is useless for me. It seems very stable. Our regular parts dealer gave us a DVD driver, so the DVD works, but ATI Multimedia software has a DVD driver too....so we will probably switch over when they finally release the XP ready software. What is NIC??