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eXPeriencing Windows XP

Folks, it's time to take a look at the final beta of Windows XP. Let's see what new "eXPeriences" are promised.

Microsoft has greatly improved the WinXP user interface. The Welcome Screen brings a new way of logging into the system. Resembling a PowerPoint slide, it handles multiple users in a more friendly and visual manner. The screen also displays currently set-up users of the system along with their image files. You now no longer need to type in the user name; clicking your image file will do.

The desktop is also neater and shows only the Recycle Bin icon and a few help files by default. But you can modify it to the traditional (cluttered?) style. And add My Computer, My Documents, etc. WinXP goes a step further and its Desktop Cleanup Wizard puts any desktop shortcut that hasn't been used for a few days into the "Unused Desktop Shortcuts" folder. Power users may find this feature annoying.

The Start Menu is more functional. It can be personalised according to your needs. You can also add a list of recently accessed documents. Or make My Documents a cascading menu.

The most significant visual change is the "Whistler" interface. Implemented using Visual Styles, this helps the OS change from one style to another, giving it a new look and feel. Applications written to Microsoft's latest component Theme libraries also benefit from the new styles. WinXP has two basic visual styles: "Whistler" (default) and "Classic" (similar to Windows 2000). Whistler is soaked in blues and greens, making it more attractive than previous versions.

The Enhanced Display Properties dialog helps control the Visual Styles. The System Properties|Advanced|Performance option lets you add more visual effects such as icon text transparencies, per-folder watermarks and drop shadows. Display Properties now also includes ClearType support. This increases the horizontal display resolution (LCD display only) three times.

Windows Explorer has been improved, especially the WebView feature. Now users working with music and digital images can have a WebView pane that is applicable to images in the My Pictures folder. It will have options to view images as a slide show, order prints from the Internet and print images. Similarly, they can also order music online using the My Music folder. Or just play the music in the folder, which is integrated with Windows Media Player 8. You can also now customise folders with a custom image icon. The Folder Options|File Types now supports multiple file associations. And you can open JPEG graphics with Image Preview, Adobe PhotoShop or Microsoft PhotoDraw.

The tray and Taskbar are now "intelligent." In WinXP, unused tray icons are automatically hidden. You can also customise this behaviour. And unlike in previous versions, the Taskbar now groups similar buttons together. Suppose you open My Documents, Microsoft Excel, and My Computer the button order will be My Documents, My Computer and Microsoft Excel because the first two are similar (system folders) and therefore grouped together. If too many windows are opened, similar ones are grouped under a single button. The button pop-menu helps you open the required window.

Microsoft has been leading the digital media revolution. WinXP introduces Windows Media Player 8. This now seamlessly incorporates the Whistler visual style. Player 8 allows you to hide the window border and menu. The Taskbar choices have been renamed, making them more obvious. And unlike in Player 7, ripping an audio CD now takes place at the full speed of the hard drive.

Users you frequently work with scanners and digital cameras, will find WinXP very useful. Its Windows Imaging Acquisition lets you open an image from a digital camera directly in Microsoft Paint without first saving it to the hard drive. The new Scanner and Camera Wizard lets you access a camera as if the latter were a hard drive. Before choosing images for download. Or you can directly delete them from the camera. An enhanced Preview Applet help view and edit images. Microsoft Paint too has been updated.

WinXP digital video too has been enhanced. It now handles data transfers between a digital video camera and the PC more efficiently. The bundled video-editing package, Windows Movie Maker (first released with WinME), gets better in Windows XP. You can now use Movie Maker to record analog or digital video, edit it, add simple transitions. And store the final work in Windows Media format.

WinXP ships with Internet Explorer 6 (see Product Preview, it@tt, 3 April 01). Passport and other authentication dialogs are now included with the WinXP Credential Manager. Outlook Express 6 includes improved virus detection. NetMeeting has been updated. And integrates with MSN Messenger.

WinXP is also meant for non-business users. As is evidenced by it Home Networking Wizard. This simplifies the sharing of an Internet connection (dial-up or broadband). Clients can be configured automatically without requiring any networking knowledge. And the included Internet Connection Firewall offers some level of security against hackers.

Mobile users can also configure a single network card with two network configurations very easily. Win 2k required a manual change when the system was operated online in a new environment. However WinXP detects the environment automatically and applies the appropriate profile.

WinXP depends on the Internet for Product Activation and AutoUpdate. You need to activate your copy within 10 days of installing it. Or you are locked out permanently. This currently unpopular method is Microsoft's response to increasing software piracy. AutoUpdate update components without much user interaction but presumes you have a dedicated Web connection.

Aman Sihint
[email protected]

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