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I've been using Windows XP on my Dell laptop since October 24 and I've had nothing but problems. I got the BSOD three times the first day.

From my experience, Beta 2 of Windows 2000 was far more stable than Windows XP gold code! I haven't gone back yet as I work for a software development corporation and my staff will eventually have no choice but to support development on the platform, so we need to know the issues up front. The short and long of it is that my recommendation for those contemplating upgrades or new purchases, "Stick with the tried and true, stable Windows 2000. Don't muck with Windows XP. It's as big a turkey as Windows ME."

On another note, Redaht 7.2 is outstanding. I recommend a KDE 2.2.1 desktop over Gnome, however. Out of the box, it works better on a Cyrix PR233 MHz CPU with 96 MB RAM (yeah...I know, ancient technology) than Windows XP on a 850 MHz Pentium III with 384 MB RAM.

I've been using Windows XP on my Dell laptop since October 24 and I've had nothing but problems. I got the BSOD three times the first day.

Hmm, I don't believe you. Why? Because XP doesn't get the standard Blue Screen errors that Windows 9x gets. You see, by default (you can change it), when XP encounters a fatal error (which is next to never, I've only had it happen thanks to my nVidia drivers), it automatically reboots. No blue screen at all. The only "blue screen" that XP would ever get is called an "NT STOP" error that you get when you boot up. That's a rarity and a very serious problem such as unable to find critical system files. I'm sure that's not what you're talking about. So, do I believe you? No.

"Stick with the tried and true, stable Windows 2000. Don't muck with Windows XP. It's as big a turkey as Windows ME."

Well, Windows 2000 is stable. XP is based on 2000, however, so if you have any problems with XP, it's based on drivers. XP does take a lot more memory than 2000 though, so if you're using older systems, I'd advise for 2000. But comparing it to ME is absurd.

On another note, Redaht 7.2 is outstanding. I recommend a KDE 2.2.1 desktop over Gnome, however. Out of the box, it works better on a Cyrix PR233 MHz CPU with 96 MB RAM (yeah...I know, ancient technology) than Windows XP on a 850 MHz Pentium III with 384 MB RAM.

ugh, not Linux again. Yeah, I'm sure it works better. Of course, you can't run anything you used to run on it. Have fun playing "XBill" and writing documents in some crappy office suite by the makers of Java, while I'm playing great 3D games and using the superb Office XP.

The only Blue Screens I've heard about with XP have been when the machine's bios shadowing was enabled. Unfortunately XP's protected memory requires access to those address ranges and will likely crash if bios is shadowed in them. The video bios can usually be shadowed safely, beyond that one's risking a Blue Screen.