Home Edition vs. Professional?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Neil Harrington
  • Start date Start date
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Neil Harrington

For the home user on a very small (two or three machines) network, using a
cable modem, router, single-processor computers, and ISP-supplied security
services, is there any point to upgrading to WinXP Professional?

I know a few users of WinXP Pro who seem to think it's much better than
Home, but none have been able to say convincingly why it's better. I suspect
it may be just because it's "professional" and therefore somehow "better."
But am I missing something?
 
Neil said:
For the home user on a very small (two or three machines) network, using a
cable modem, router, single-processor computers, and ISP-supplied security
services, is there any point to upgrading to WinXP Professional?
Click to expand...


No, probably not; although I would advise relying entirely upon any
ISP-provided security services. Do you really trust your ISP with all
of your personal and financial records? Be sure to install and maintain
your own anti-virus and anti-spyware applications, as well as your own
firewall.

I know a few users of WinXP Pro who seem to think it's much better than
Home, but none have been able to say convincingly why it's better. I suspect
it may be just because it's "professional" and therefore somehow "better."
But am I missing something?
Click to expand...


I doubt it. Another factor is that WinXP Pro costs more than WinXP
Home, and many people - not entirely unreasonably, in most cases -
equate the higher cost with "better." In this case, however, the higher
cost of WinXP Pro is due to additional functionality, not quality. If
those additional features are of no use to you, there's no sense in
paying more for them; they have no value for you.

The WinXP Home and WinXP Pro versions are _identical_ when it comes
to performance, stability, and device driver and software application
compatibility, but are intended to meet different functionality,
networking, security, and ease-of-use needs, in different environments.
The most significant differences are that WinXP Pro allows up to 10
simultaneous inbound network connections while WinXP Home only allows
only 5, WinXP Pro is designed to join a Microsoft domain while WinXP
Home cannot, and only WinXP Pro supports file encryption and IIS. (Oh,
and WinXP Pro usually costs roughly $100 USD more than WinXP Home.)

Windows XP Comparison Guide
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp

Which Edition Is Right for You
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp

Windows XP Home Edition vs. Professional Edition
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrum Russell
 
Bruce Chambers said:
No, probably not; although I would advise relying entirely upon any
ISP-provided security services. Do you really trust your ISP with all of
your personal and financial records? Be sure to install and maintain your
own anti-virus and anti-spyware applications, as well as your own
firewall.
Click to expand...

I probably should have phrased that differently. The security services are
actually McAfee (Personal Firewall Plus, Privacy Service and (virus) Scan.
They're just provided by my ISP and included in the fee; other than that the
provider doesn't have anything to do with them as far as I know. They all
seem very satisfactory and I'm happy with them.

I doubt it. Another factor is that WinXP Pro costs more than WinXP Home,
and many people - not entirely unreasonably, in most cases - equate the
higher cost with "better." In this case, however, the higher cost of
WinXP Pro is due to additional functionality, not quality. If those
additional features are of no use to you, there's no sense in paying more
for them; they have no value for you.

The WinXP Home and WinXP Pro versions are _identical_ when it comes to
performance, stability, and device driver and software application
compatibility, but are intended to meet different functionality,
networking, security, and ease-of-use needs, in different environments.
The most significant differences are that WinXP Pro allows up to 10
simultaneous inbound network connections while WinXP Home only allows only
5, WinXP Pro is designed to join a Microsoft domain while WinXP Home
cannot, and only WinXP Pro supports file encryption and IIS. (Oh, and
WinXP Pro usually costs roughly $100 USD more than WinXP Home.)

Windows XP Comparison Guide
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp

Which Edition Is Right for You
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp

Windows XP Home Edition vs. Professional Edition
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp
Click to expand...

Bruce, many thanks for all the information and the links. Helps me a lot.

Neil
 
Neil said:
I probably should have phrased that differently. The security services are
actually McAfee (Personal Firewall Plus, Privacy Service and (virus) Scan.
They're just provided by my ISP and included in the fee; other than that the
provider doesn't have anything to do with them as far as I know. They all
seem very satisfactory and I'm happy with them.
Click to expand...

That is clearer. I'm afraid, however, that you'll find very few people
who have a good opinion of McAfee security products, which probably why
McAfee has tried to supplement its sagging consumer sales by offering
volume discounts to ISPs. You'd probably be safer using other products,
such as AVG or AVAST anti-virus and ZoneAlarm or Kerio firwalls (all
free, by the way). Of course, if Your ISP won't reduce their price if
you switch to a better security model, I'd understand your reluctance to
pay for a service/product and then not use it.)

Bruce, many thanks for all the information and the links. Helps me a lot.
Click to expand...

Your welcome.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrum Russell
 
Neil said:
For the home user on a very small (two or three machines) network,
using a cable modem, router, single-processor computers, and
ISP-supplied security services, is there any point to upgrading to
WinXP Professional?
Click to expand...


Probably not. There's no point for most home users. At least you haven't
said anything in the above that tells me you need Professional.

I know a few users of WinXP Pro who seem to think it's much better
than Home, but none have been able to say convincingly why it's
better. I suspect it may be just because it's "professional" and
therefore somehow "better." But am I missing something?
Click to expand...


No. It's not "better," it's actually exactly the same in all respects,
except that Professional has a few features (mostly related to networking
and security) missing from Home. For most (but not all) home users, even
those with a home network, these features aren't needed, would never be
used, and buying Professional instead of Home is a waste of money.

For details go to
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp

Also note one other point not mentioned on any of those sites: Professional
allows ten concurrent network connections, and Home only five.
 
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