Win2k vs XP

[BonedAgain]

I have a dual boot/dual hdd pc running win2k on both. I'm wondering if there would be any advantage to switching to xp on one or both of these disks. I have this vague impression that xp requires "activating" software and possibly getting some sort of "approval/activation" for other changes to the system, and that the OS is generally less desirable from a privacy standpoint. Is this the case, and if so, how much of a problem does this pose? Win2k seems to work quite well on my machine, in terms of stability etc, but what are the pros & cons of xp vs. win2k?

TIA

BA

[Paul Komski]

Leaving aside Product Activation, the biggest difference I have noticed is the speed of starting-up and shutting down. If it wasnt for that annoyance I would stay with Win2K but (having started out as a doubter) now love XP. Make sure you have just a bit more RAM (512+ IMO) to get the best out of XP.

[BonedAgain]

Paul-Thanks for the reply, I have 768 meg of ram at the moment, so that shouldn't be toooo much of a limitation. Do you know of a good critical discussion of the whole "activation" issue (e.g., a web site on the topic)?

BA

[PrntRhd]

Actually it has been discussed in these forums, particularly by Ghost Hacker, and links to www.BlackViper.com.

[malcore]

Windows Product Activation:

Microsoft WPA FAQs (http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/mpafaq.asp)


PCGuide WPA discussions (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=92378&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending)

one more (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=426&highlight=Windows+Product+Activation)

[jeeza]

Of interest to you might also be this slightly satirical definition :

Microserf. Noun. One who pays to become enslaved to Microsoft.
which, following the links above, I found on
http://www.arachnoid.com/boycott/
Whether this kind of idea is justified or not, is up to everyone to decide for him/herself...