XP vrs 2003. Which should I choose.

[Curious George]

I'm honestly not trying to start a flame so please if you choose to respond
with specifics.

I am a programmer and have a MSDN subscription. I can install either 2003
server or XP prof. I will be programming on the computer but also would
like to be able to play games and so forth.

Will 2003 be 2 restrictive?
If I choose XP will I miss out on programming stuff?

Should I just duel boot both?

I currently run XP.

Thanks in advance for your advice

 

[Mike Kolitz]

Honestly, you'll probably want to go with XP, since it will require
significantly less configuration to make your games work.

If you're doing Active Directory programming, you'll probably want to go
with 2003, since you could set your computer up as a domain controller for
testing, but that's the only reason I can think of to choose 2003 over XP
(unless you're coding a program specifically for 2003 - in which case there
are probably some API enhancements that you'll want access to...)

--
Mike Kolitz MCSE 2000
MS-MVP - Windows Setup and Deployment

PATCH YOUR WINDOWS NT/2000/XP/2003 COMPUTERS!
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-026.asp

 

[Jonathan Maltz [MS-MVP]]

You're aware that with an OS installed from MSDN you can't "play games and
so forth", right?

What do you mean by "production?" What are examples of test and development
work?

By "production" we mean any activity that is personal, for general business
use, or not directly related to the testing and development of software
applications.

Examples of (prohibited) production use include:

a.. Installing Windows 98 to play games for entertainment.
b.. Installing Windows 2000 Server and Exchange Server to set up an e-mail
system that you use to send personal and/or business-related e-mail.
You may not use your MSDN Subscription as a substitute for purchasing a
retail license for an operating system if you do more than develop and test
on your computer.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/faq/default.asp

That said, unless you have a specific need for 2003, stick with XP

--
--Jonathan Maltz [Microsoft MVP - Windows Server]
http://www.imbored.biz - A Windows Server 2003 visual, step-by-step
tutorial site
Only reply by newsgroup. If I see an email I didn't ask for, it will be
deleted without reading.

 

[Jonathan Maltz [MS-MVP]]

Hi Rick--

So does this rule apply to game developers? What if one is entertained
by their work? Perhaps MS has a white paper that explains the
difference?

A game developer should like his work ;-) I don't see a problem with a game
developer playing his own game on an MSDN OS

Sheesh. And MS wonders why the growth in Linux development is
outpacing Windows three and a half to one..

Uh? I was offering advice, because in regards to using 2003 as a desktop,
things are different than XP, and XP is a more desktop-friendly desktop.
Also, I don't work for Microsoft, so don't take my word as theirs'

Rick

--
--Jonathan Maltz [Microsoft MVP - Windows Server]
http://www.imbored.biz - A Windows Server 2003 visual, step-by-step
tutorial site
Only reply by newsgroup. If I see an email I didn't ask for, it will be
deleted without reading.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I'm honestly not trying to start a flame so please if you choose to respond
with specifics.

I am a programmer and have a MSDN subscription. I can install either 2003
server or XP prof. I will be programming on the computer but also would
like to be able to play games and so forth.

Will 2003 be 2 restrictive?

Probably restrictive on more than just games - on multimedia in general.
It is intended as a server, and leaves out such matters

If I choose XP will I miss out on programming stuff?

Anything that you want will run, and there is the restricted IIS to test
server aspects. Unless you are doing development that is server
oriented and needs testing on a 'proper' full scale server, go for the
XP Pro