Which OS?

Question

I now have two home systems, a desktop and a laptop, both with XP Pro. I am about to buy a third system that will be connected via ethernet to a router (with wireless) and the other desktop and via wireless (thru the router) to the laptop.  The new system will be used for general productivity apps plus photo printing/handling.  I am wondering if I should get another XP Pro OS or if I should get the less costly XP Media Ctr version.   Some of the media ctr functions might be useful someday but I do not want to have them at the expense of less network reliablilty and simplicity.  Would XP Pro offer me (relatively simplistic user) any advantages over XP Media Ctr?   Which would you suggest? (the new system will replace an existing desktop with Windows 98SE)   Thanks,  Ed

rickmktg · Answer

@edsea wrote:

I now have two home systems, a desktop and a laptop, both with XP Pro. I am about to buy a third system that will be connected via ethernet to a router (with wireless) and the other desktop and via wireless (thru the router) to the laptop. The new system will be used for general productivity apps plus photo printing/handling. I am wondering if I should get another XP Pro OS or if I should get the less costly XP Media Ctr version. Some of the media ctr functions might be useful someday but I do not want to have them at the expense of less network reliablilty and simplicity. Would XP Pro offer me (relatively simplistic user) any advantages over XP Media Ctr? Which would you suggest?

(the new system will replace an existing desktop with Windows 98SE)

Thanks, Ed

You should actually buy XP Home, Pro is a needless waste of money in a home environment.

Denny Denham · Answer

edsea,

You cannot control the eager moderators with their "Moved" finger. (It's the only input to the forum that most of them have.) It would be helpful if the moved posts had an indication that they had been moved from the ____ conference.

rickmktg · Answer

@edsea wrote:
Thank you Rick, when configuring the systems on the Dell site, I was given a choice between the XP Media Ctr and XP Pro --- XP home was not offered, is Media Ctr the new "home" version? Ed

No, it's not. Are you on the Small Business site?

There is absolutely NO reason to pay for Pro.

Also, please don't post the same question on multiple forums. :smileywink:

edsea · Answer

No I don't think so --- I followed home and desktops??    I accidently went to the wrong forum prior to this one.        Ed

edsea · Answer

Thank you Rick,  when configuring the systems on the Dell site, I was given a choice between the XP Media Ctr and XP Pro --- XP home was not offered, is Media Ctr the new 'home' version?   Ed

maxd · Answer

Here's some info on the Media Center version. In the limited reading I've done on it it appears that the only networking drawback relates to its inability to work in a domain-based setup which I think is not a likely scenario for home users. Check it out with Dell and do some researc before opting for the MCE option.

http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/windowsxp_mce2005.asp

rickmktg · Answer

@edsea wrote:
The implication was that Home XP will go away in time after they get more experience with Media XP. Time will tell. Ed

Home and Pro will go away when Microsoft releases the next version of Windows.

edsea · Answer

thank you,  I have discussed this with Dell's pre-sales support reps and they claim that Media has everything that was in Home -- plus the addtional TV/Video functions.  And that it will work just like Home in a network with other Windows computers.  The implication was that Home XP will go away in time after they get more experience with Media XP.    Time will tell.       Ed

Windows General

Which OS?

Was this post helpful?