Xp Pro versus Xp Home

[Guest]

I am a home computer user using Xp Home. I use my system mostly for creating
presentations and technical analysis of stock (I actually do considerable
number crunching). I use the internet very heavily. I experience system
crashes every so often due to my HP v series printer driver.

Are there any compelling reasons to upgrade to Xp Pro? I have heard that
the firewall support on Xp Pro is a possible reason. I have also heard that
Xp Pro is more robust than Xp Home.

Thank you in advance,
- Mark

 

[Murray]

I would think that the only compelling reasons for *you* to upgrade would be
if you wanted to use a webserver (XPPro has IIS and XPHome does not), or if
you wanted more control over your local network parameters than allowed by
XPHome.

 

[Wislu Plethora]

-----Original Message-----
I am a home computer user using Xp Home. I use my system mostly for creating
presentations and technical analysis of stock (I actually do considerable
number crunching). I use the internet very heavily. I experience system
crashes every so often due to my HP v series printer driver.

Are there any compelling reasons to upgrade to Xp Pro? I have heard that
the firewall support on Xp Pro is a possible reason. I have also heard that
Xp Pro is more robust than Xp Home.

Thank you in advance,
- Mark

There is probably no advantage for you (or most other home
users) in upgrading to Pro. There is no difference
between the firewall in Pro and that in Home. If you
spend a lot of time online, you should have a third-party
firewall. "Robust" is a nonsense word in this context--
you've spent too much time reading (and perhaps writing)
corporate gobbledygook.

If you have problems with a printer driver, it means you
need either a new driver or a new printer--not a new
operating system, unless you love your printer so much that
you are willing to downgrade in order to keep using it.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I am a home computer user using Xp Home. I use my system mostly
for
creating presentations and technical analysis of stock (I
actually do
considerable number crunching). I use the internet very
heavily. I
experience system crashes every so often due to my HP v series
printer driver.

Are there any compelling reasons to upgrade to Xp Pro?

Probably not. See below.

I have heard
that the firewall support on Xp Pro is a possible reason. I
have
also heard that Xp Pro is more robust than Xp Home.

You heard wrong, on both counts. The two are identical in both
those respects.

In fact, the two are identical in most respects. XP Professional
and XP Home are exactly the same, except that Professional has a
few features (mostly related to networking and security) missing
from Home. For most (but not all) home users, 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 that Professional allows ten concurrent network
connections, and Home only five.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Upgrading to WinXP Pro would accomplish nothing for you, based
upon your description of the situation.

The two 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
--
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