| What is an Operating System? A good answer would | | | | capability. |
| be "A set of programs that provide a GUI to interact | | | | After a few years with XP, internet threats have |
| with various devices in a computer". This definition | | | | grown and Microsoft started bundling Anti-spyware |
| would hold good until a few years back, when an | | | | products along with Windows XP. This didn't help |
| operating system is just a few icons and menus that | | | | much, and since Windows XP is the most used, |
| you see when you switch on your computer. | | | | hackers tried to find ways to break into Windows XP |
| Operating systems provided file and device | | | | systems. This triggered the need for a more secure |
| management using a Basic GUI. | | | | operating system and there came Windows Vista into |
| But with the development of computers, operating | | | | picture. |
| systems also evolved a lot. From simple file and | | | | Some of the problems with Windows XP are that |
| device management solution, modern day operating | | | | password protection is not secure enough, users can |
| systems should be stable and secure the data stored | | | | use Bootable live CD's like miniPE or Road Starter to |
| on a computer. The data stored on a computer can | | | | bypass Passwords and access the file system. The |
| be anything from music, movies and photos to data | | | | other major issue is Internet Explorer 6 which is the |
| that you have generated and stored in different files. It | | | | number one target for hackers. By exploiting the |
| takes only a small virus, a power surge or a device | | | | security homes in IE6 hackers can take control of IE |
| failure to destroy data. | | | | and hence the Windows XP box. And last but not |
| Today's operating systems try to anticipate such | | | | least, when you try to search for a file under Windows |
| scenarios and issue warning messages and take | | | | XP, you have a terribly slow search tool. |
| pro-active steps to minimize the data loss. I would talk | | | | Now its Windows Vista which is structurally more |
| about Windows XP and Windows Vista because | | | | robust and is much more visually appealing. Vista |
| 80% of computers run on Windows Operating system | | | | comes with Encrypted File System (EFS) which takes |
| and Windows Vista is an upgrade to Windows XP. | | | | care of file level security. Vista allows one to encode |
| Windows XP has been around for 8 years now and in | | | | an entire partition or hard disk with just a few clicks. In |
| considered one of the best operating systems | | | | Windows Vista Internet Explorer runs with restricted |
| released by Microsoft. When Windows XP was | | | | permission. If a malicious piece of code enters the |
| released it was considered a resource hogger. | | | | system through the browser it cannot do much harm, |
| Windows XP required 128 MB of RAM to run | | | | since Vista simply refuses to permit to run it. File |
| smoothly. And there are many complaints from long | | | | Searching has improved a lot with Vista. |
| installation times to frequent crashes. Microsoft | | | | But 2 of the night mares with Vista are getting your |
| released Service Pack 1 and things changed. Most of | | | | old hardware running and the annoying popup |
| the security holes are fixed and Windows XP became | | | | prompting you to allow or block any action you have |
| stable. Windows XP was built to give a better user | | | | performed. |
| experience by easy installation and plug & play | | | | |