Is Windows XP Home enough?

[Antony]

I just want to get some opinions on Microsoft Windows XP.

For a PC not intending to do anything serious. Would Windows XP Home sufficient? Or do I need to get Windows XP Professional? Or do I need to get Windows Vista at least?

(To Don: I am only 'considering' a small and cheap netbook at this stage.)

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[iJohnE]

Unless you are planning on using a 64-Bit processor, or running the netbook as part of a network, XP Home should be enough. Professional just has Fax capabilities and a few other things.

Anyways, home will be fine enough.

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[Don_HH2K]

If you're just going to be using the netbook for basic uses like word processing and internet access, you might want to consider giving Ubuntu a try. On some netbook models you can save between $50 and $100 by going with the Linux model instead of the Windows model, and even if you don't, you'll have a more familiar upgrade path a few years down the road when extended support for XP ends.

If you decide to go with a Linux netbook, though, I would wait and see if any ARM-based netbooks become generally available soon. They may be cheaper, and with the power footprint of the 945 chipset in virtually every Atom netbook, you're almost guaranteed better battery life too.

If you're looking into a netbook right now, then I would recommend the MSI Wind U123. It's mostly the same as the U100 series I've used before, except it runs on a 667MHz bus instead of a 533MHz bus, which is about the fastest you'll find in a netbook nowadays. If you really want Windows, then XP Home should be fine for you.

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[Mandrake]

I'd wait a few weeks and get one with Windows Seven. After using a new modern OS on a daily basis, going back to Windows XP can be... painful.

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[Antony]

Thank you for the opinions.

I'd wait a few weeks and get one with Windows Seven. After using a new modern OS on a daily basis, going back to Windows XP can be... painful.

Currently, a cheap netbook is what I am 'thinking'. I don't think it would be powerful to run Windows 7 efficiently.

However, as you guys can probably tell, it is unlikely that I would be using the upcoming Windows machine a lot.

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[Fulvio]

Accept the fact that WindowsXP Home, with SP3, is as good as they in the PC world, for every use.

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[Mandrake]

Thank you for the opinions.

I'd wait a few weeks and get one with Windows Seven. After using a new modern OS on a daily basis, going back to Windows XP can be... painful.

Currently, a cheap netbook is what I am 'thinking'. I don't think it would be powerful to run Windows 7 efficiently.

However, as you guys can probably tell, it is unlikely that I would be using the upcoming Windows machine a lot.

Just make sure to get one with 2GB ram. It'll run Windows Seven fine. As well as any netbook with an Atom CPU will run, anyway.

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[Antony]

Thank you for everybody's comments. I decided not to get a netbook for now. Perhaps getting a camera lens or a camcorder first.

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