Microsoft's latest gamble will win it new respect

By PETER GRIFFIN

If the love affair with your computer operating system is starting to wane, software giant and matchmaker Microsoft may be able to help. On October 25, the company officially releases Windows XP, the new version of its ubiquitous Windows software.

It's better looking, easier to get along with and more sophisticated than you are used to - and it has a stable frame of mind.

Antitrust suits, software security scares and accusations of "Big Brother" inclinations aside, XP is a big gamble for Microsoft, but one that should gain new respect for the company in the way Windows 95 did.

Much of what is wrapped up in Windows XP is not entirely new, but is pulled together in one software package that is quite easy to use.

Image overhaul

XP has a lush look to it, and that's not just down to the rolling green hills that make up the new generic Windows desktop. Icons, boxes and type are clearer and easier on the eye. Try using the XP desktop for a week and then switching back to Windows 95 to measure the jump in quality.

In XP, Windows' traditional "Start" button now reveals a two-columned menu. The left bar lists applications that are most used, and the right lists housekeeping functions. The menu gives access to one of XP's greatest features - multiple user accounts.

Previous versions of Windows have allowed users to customise their desktop settings and limit access to files with log-in passwords.

But XP takes it further - switch between accounts without closing applications and logging out; give the kids their own accounts and grant them access to files they will need by dumping them in a shared files folder; restrict them from getting their hands on others and assign administrator rights to the family gatekeeper.

Bigger and better

XP introduces and updates several handy Windows functions designed to make your computing life easier.

Internet Connection Firewall is bundled into XP to deflect unwanted probes. It is not as sophisticated as specialist offerings such as Zone Alarm, BlackICE Defender or Symantec Personal Firewall, but ICF at least starts users off with a basic level of protection to keep the cyber nasties out.

System Restore lets you take a snapshot of your software settings in XP. If the installation of a new device creates some erratic behaviour in XP, choose a date in the past that you want to return to. It is a bit like the undo function in Microsoft Word.

The Compatibility Mode feature means that, if you are running older legacy applications that do not work in the XP environment, the software will emulate Windows 95 or NT to create a stable environment.

A reinvigorated Help Centre makes your PC life easier by posing questions to get to the root of your problem.

But you'll also find the new software much more stable than previous Windows versions. I had to "ctrl-alt-delete" just once with XP over the space of a week.

When it comes to upgrading to the new software, the File settings and Transfer Wizard remember your personal settings, Favorites in Windows Explorer, contact lists in Outlook Express and ICQ instant messenger program, making for a smooth transfer of data files to your new XP-friendly machine.

The Autoplay feature has also become more intelligent. With Windows 95 it automatically runs a disk when you pop it in the CD or DVD drive. Now, put a blank CD-R in the drive and autoplay will come up with suggestions such as loading the CD-R wizard. The same thing happens when you plug in an external device such as a digital camera.

Some burning issues

Windows Media Player has got a lot more useful in XP, and will be central to the platform's attractiveness for home users. It includes a wizard enabling you to "burn" your own CDs and create a digital playlist of songs stored in the WMA (Windows Media Audio) file format, which takes up around half the space as mp3 files.

I copied Ozzy Osbourne's new 46-minute long album to my hard drive before the first track had finished playing. All up, it took up around 20MB of drive space. With enough spare capacity, you can use MediaPlayer to create a digital jukebox with a playlist that will keep you going for days.

It is features like these that will require competing media players such as RealPlayer and Winamp to stay one step ahead if they want to lure XP users.

Also bundled in is a fairly standard DVD player. It needs a third-party DVD decoder, but most DVDs come preloaded with this software on the disk.

Windows MovieMaker is an impressive update on its Me predecessor. I took some video with a simple Intel web camera, overlaying it with Beethoven's Symphony No.9 to create my own little home movie. Footage from digital video cameras can be downloaded and edited for better effect.

Remotely interesting

If the revamped Media Player is not enough to tempt consumers, Windows Messenger will. Combining the widely used MSN Messenger and neglected NetMeeting, the feature allows instant chat, videoconferencing, quick file swapping and remote access to the machines of other XP users.

Over a 56Kbps internet connection I was able to get a jerky two-way videoconferencing link going with average quality audio as a technician from Microsoft took control of my desktop to open a notepad file for me. Perfect if you want to get a tech-savvy friend to tinker with your settings or compose a joint letter with a distant party.

Funnily enough, it was Windows Messenger's simple file-swapping tool that for some reason did not work for us. This removes the need to load an e-mail program and attach the file you wish to send.

A connecting experience

Windows XP sitting on a PC without web access is like Christmas dinner without the turkey. More than any of its previous incarnations, Windows is now so closely linked to the web that internet access - preferably high speed - is an essential. From driver updates to online help links and photo print ordering, XP's user experience depends on your ability to surf.

The internet is now so inextricably bound to Microsoft's future that the company has even coined a term for it - . Net.

Both links to the internet and local network connections are easily managed in XP using Network Setup Wizard. As long as you've got a network card and the associated wiring properly installed, a few click-through questions is usually all it takes to network your home or office PCs and select a "gateway" machine which connects to the internet.

Here you can also set up a nifty internet connection sharing feature.

New Zealand entrepreneur Adrien de Croy made his millions out of an unrelated forerunner to this called Wingate, born out of his frustration at his flatmates hogging their single internet connection. Such multi-use works best with a broadband connection but removes the frustration of having to queue up to check your e-mail.

Tackling compatibility issues that usually need a geeky system administrator to sort out, XP will automatically allow for varying network settings. So if you are running it on a laptop which you take home after work, XP will reconfigure the home network settings automatically if they are different to those of the office. Wireless networks are also supported.

And a feature called universal plug and play (UPnP) is designed to automatically detect new devices when you connect them to the network.

Automatic Update likewise is not a new feature but is now more extensive - and some would say intrusive. It will automatically update and download new applications and drivers, and the patches without which millions of complacent Windows users have been subject to the ravages of computer viruses.

The need for speed

The downside of XP is that its heavy system requirements will turn many existing PC users away at the door.

Microsoft recommends a processor with a minimum speed of 300MHz, 128MB of memory and 1.5GB of hard disk space - 1GB alone is needed for installation.

But don't take that guide as gospel. I'd recommend a minimum of 256MB of memory - but 512MB if you can stretch to it - and a Pentium III or compatible processor as a Windows XP starting point.

Upgrading memory has become relatively cheap, but so have bundled PC packages that have been assembled with XP in mind - so you may be better off buying a new machine.

It is the power and memory hungry features of XP that computer manufacturers are hoping will spark an upgrade frenzy before Christmas.

On a fast machine - say, a Pentium 4 1500MHz or an Athlon 1400MHz - XP runs smoothly most of the time, booting up quickly. If you can justify the upgrade price, you can expect an easier computing life.

Existing Windows 98, Me and 2000 users will be able to upgrade to XP's consumer-oriented version Home Edition for $309. Windows 95 users will have to buy from scratch at $599. Upgrading to the slightly gruntier XP Professional will cost $599 with a non-upgrade price of $889 - all prices GST included.

Quirky behaviour

New Microsoft software would not be Microsoft if it didn't have some annoying little traits. Continued prompting to sign-up for a Passport account will grate with some.

And while third party software is widely supported, Microsoft-flavoured applications and business partners are favoured every time.

Product Activation is a touchy subject and one aspect of XP that has received almost as much attention as the "smart tags" that never made the final version. Starting life with the release of Office XP this year, the feature is aimed at clamping down on software piracy.

From the day you first boot up XP you will have a further 30 days to activate the software by visiting Microsoft's website or calling a toll-free number. Don't even think about burning copies of XP for mates. This feature profiles your hardware settings and matches them with your product activation key.

Links


Windows XP

Norton

Winamp

PealPlayer

ZoneAlarm Pro

Network ICE