What is Windows XP?

Windows XP is the most recent desktop operating system from Microsoft. Prior to the introduction of Windows XP on October 25, 2001 there were basically two different versions of Windows; consumer and business. The business version was originally designated by the letters NT. In its most recent version, the name was changed to Windows 2000 although it's also known as NT 5.0. The consumer versions prior to XP are most often collectively referred to as Win9x, with Windows 95, 98, and Me being the most recent offerings. Windows NT versions were designed to be more robust than the consumer versions with a heavy emphasis on reliability and security. In contrast, the W9x versions were aimed to be more consumer friendly, concentrating less on security but emphasizing ease of use and tasks that were more likely to interest consumers such as multimedia and compatibility with a wide range of consumer oriented devices. While the user interfaces of both verities may have appeared similar they were very different under the hood. Windows XP is Microsoft's attempt to merge the security and reliability of NT with the ease of use that made Win9x so popular with consumers