Windows XP OS Description

History
Microsoft began officially selling XP to the public on Oct. 25, 2001, as a replacement for Windows 2000/NT.
Types
Windows XP comes in two main varieties: the basic Home edition and a more powerful Professional version. Microsoft also has versions specific to media center PCs, tablets and an edition for 64-bit computers.
Features
XP includes Windows Taskbar, which allows users to launch programs with the click of a button to speed multitasking. Microsoft bundles XP with its Live Messenger and Internet Explorer 8--both will need an upgrade to the latest version. In general, XP is quicker and more stable than previous versions, such as Windows 98 and 2000.
Considerations
As of 2009, Windows XP is on Service Pack 3--Service Packs are free, 'downloadable' bundles that include all critical updates to XP and many updates from the user's computer vendor.
Benefits
Despite two sequels to XP--Vista and Windows 7--Gizmodo.com believes some users, especially those who perform only basic tasks or use older hardware, can benefit by using XP. Older systems cannot handle many of Windows 7's features, and Microsoft will continue to update XP for the foreseeable future.