Step right up folks: Guided tour of Windows XP

The final version of Microsoft's next operating system won't appear until later and in between there will be many interim releases to exterminate bugs and tweak performance, but Windows XP has already been unleashed on the world in the form of a widely distributed beta. Though it is still too early to tell how Windows XP will perform, Beta 2 provides a good glimpse at the design and features of this eagerly anticipated upgrade for both home and office.

Arguably Windows XP is Microsoft's most ambitious operating system release since Windows 95. That much is apparent from the moment you start up the system and see the new Welcome screen. The interface has been completely overhauled. Microsoft claims the new look, code-named "Luna," gives a "dual sense of rugged functionality and welcomed simplicity," which sounds more like the description of the interior of a new SUV than an operating system. But it is fair to say that the streamlined interface is less cluttered, far more attractive, and simpler to use.

The new operating system will be available in two versions: Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional. Although both look entirely new, beneath the hood they are based on the same Windows 2000 code, which offers better reliability than Windows Me or Windows 98 SE. At the same time, Microsoft claims Windows XP will offer far broader hardware and software support than Windows 2000, giving you the best of both worlds.

Although the code is new, many of the features in Windows XP will be familiar to those who have lots of experience with Windows 98 SE and Windows Me. Rather than adding new features, Microsoft has given a lot of thought to making existing ones easier to find and use by taking a more task-oriented approach. For example, all of the tools related to tasks such as digital photography, digital audio, and digital video editing are now grouped together. But that's not to say there are no new features--in fact, there are many enhancements in upgraded applications such as Internet Explorer 6 and Windows Media Player 8.