Abstract This article gives a technical overview of the new technologies and features of the Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system. It shows you new technologies and new features that greatly facilitate your task execution, information sharing, desktop management, working while traveling with your mobile computer, getting help and support, and performing many other computing tasks. Since this article is an overview, it is not specific to a particular domain and only provides an overview of many of the new Windows XP technologies and new features. Introduction Windows XP is another version of Microsoft Windows after Windows 2000 and Windows Millennium. Windows XP integrates the strengths of Windows 2000 (standards-based security, manageability, and reliability) with the best features of Windows 98 and Windows Me (plug-and-play, easy-to-use user interface, innovative support services) The unification of the Windows system created the best Windows in history. This article provides an extensive technical overview of the new features of Windows XP. It shows you new technologies and new features that greatly facilitate your task execution, information sharing, desktop management, working while traveling with your mobile computer, getting help and support, and performing many other computing tasks. Windows XP is built on the enhanced Windows 2000 code base and is available in two different editions for home and business users: Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional. Unless otherwise stated, this article describes the technologies and features common to both versions of the operating system. Smart User Interface While preserving the Windows 2000 core, Windows XP features a new visual design. Common tasks are merged and simplified, and new visual cues help you navigate your computer more easily. This section describes user interface innovations that make it easier for you to use your computer at home or at work. "Fast User Switching" for a single user sharing a single computer "Fast User Switching" is designed for home use, allowing everyone to share a computer as if they had their own computer. You don't have to log out of other users and decide whether to save their files. Windows XP uses Terminal Services technology to run each user session as a unique Terminal Services session, enabling complete separation of each user's data. (The extra memory overhead per session is approximately 2 megabytes (MB) of RAM, however, this does not count toward the memory overhead of any applications running in the session. To run a reliable multi-user session, it is recommended that at least the total amount of RAM is at least It is 128 MB.) By default, Windows XP Home Edition has enabled Fast User Switching, which is also available through Windows XP Professional by installing it separately on a stand-alone or workgroup computer. However, if you join a computer running Windows XP Professional to a domain, you cannot use Fast User Switching. Fast User Switching makes it easier for family members to share a single computer. For example, if a mother is using a computer to process finances, but must leave for a short period of time, her child can switch to their own account to play the game. The finance app remains in the mom account and continues to run and open. There is no need to cancel the account for all of these things. The new "Welcome" screen is easily customized with the image of each logged-in user, and switching users through this screen is as simple as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 Windows XP Welcome Screen New Visual Styles Windows XP has new visual styles and themes that use contrasting 24-bit color icons and unique colors that are easily associated with specific tasks. For example, green represents tasks that allow you to do something or go somewhere, such as the Start menu. Redesigned Start Menu To suit the way you work, the Start menu has been redesigned. Your favorite five programs will be displayed first, and the default email and web browsers will always be accessible, as shown in Figure 2 below. It organizes the most commonly used files and applications for quick and easy access. You can also get Help and Support and system configuration tools with a single click. In addition, you can further customize the Start menu to suit your needs. Figure 2 Windows XP provides a redesigned Start menu that organizes the most frequently used applications together. Search Assistants By organizing search-related tasks into the Search Assistant, Windows XP makes searching easier, as shown in Figure 3 below. Show. Figure 3 Searching is made easier by the Search Assistant My Documents In Windows XP, you can organize your files into different groups so that you can easily track files. The document can be viewed by type, as shown in Figure 4 below. You can also organize documents based on recent revisions, such as today, yesterday, last week, 2 months ago, early this year, or last year. Figure 4 Windows XP can organize files by group Web view Windows XP uses Web View technology to help you better manage file and file namespaces. For example, if you select a file or folder, you will see a list of options that allow you to rename, move, copy, email, delete, or publish files or folders on the web. This feature is similar to the effect of right-clicking a file or folder in Windows 2000; Windows XP takes this information and places it directly on the desktop view, as shown in Figure 5 below. Figure 5 Web view provides easy access to tasks File grouping Windows XP makes the taskbar easier to manage by combining multiple instances of the same application. For example, Windows XP does not arrange nine instances of a Microsoft Word file horizontally on the taskbar, but instead organizes the instances on the same taskbar button. Under this scenario, you only see one taskbar button that shows the number of files opened in the app. Clicking the button will display a vertical list of all file names, as shown in Figure 6 below. In addition, all files can be stacked, tiled, or minimized simultaneously. Figure 6 Windows XP combines applications on the taskbar User interface increases productivity The new user interface takes the Windows operating system to a new level of availability, allowing you to complete tasks faster and easier than ever before. The remainder of this article will focus on new technologies in Windows XP.