Administration
There are three versions of Windows XP:
- Home Edition,
- Professional, and
- Media Center Edition.
Windows XP Home Edition is good for home and small business PCs. Windows XP Professional is good for small and large business PCs, or for situations in which you need a lot of security or domain-based networking. Windows XP Media Center Edition is good for home PCs that will interface with an entertainment centre. This version comes only on new PCs, not boxed in stores. It has everything Professional has plus extra multimedia tools.
There are also Windows XP Tablet PC and 64-bit Editions that are specific to Tablet PCs and 64-bit machines, respectively. Most people are specifically interested in the differences between the Home and Professional Editions. Here are the features you miss out on if you opt for the Home Edition:
- Backup and Automated System Recovery: The Microsoft Backup program is used to back up and restore files. It's not the only method of backing up, however. You can simply copy important files to another drive.
- Off-line files: This feature makes it possible to synchronise copies of files between a notebook and desktop PC easily.
- Remote desktop: This feature lets you access one PC while sitting at another one -- not only the shared files, but also the entire desktop.
- Ability to connect to a Windows network domain: This is important if your company uses a Windows-based server.
- Ability to connect to a NetWare network: This is useful if your company has a NetWare network.
- Improved SYSPREP utility for drive imaging: This utility helps when setting up a lot of PCs at once, as in a corporate environment.
