But Newberry found changes to the XP interface, while good for new users, to be "frustrating for Windows veterans."
"I also had some trouble getting used to the new 'Luna' interface and ended up switching back to classic Windows," said Joshua Franklin, an XP tester from Arkadelphia, Ark. "It makes me feel like my computer is a children's toy."
In Windows XP, Microsoft offers the option of using a new look and feel, called the Luna interface, or a more familiar Windows desktop. Luna will offer customers a more streamlined Windows look. It retains the Windows Start button but makes Internet connectivity, email access and interaction with system settings via the Control Panel easier.
Ray Cham, a college student from Windsor, Ontario, by contrast finds the "new graphical user interface together with a new level of personalisation make XP almost addicting." Cham also praised some of the new integrated features, such as integrated CD copying. "Everywhere there is a picture, video or music file there is a choice on the sidebar to copy it to a CD."
Cham, like many other beta testers, gave Windows XP's product activation feature a thumbs-down. The mechanism locks the software to the hardware configuration as part of Microsoft's efforts to fight piracy. Cham worried about "the message it's giving to other software companies who might be thinking of using this feature in their software. It would be a nightmare to have to activate everything on your computer."
Compatibility with older software could determine how successful the operating system will be, said IDC analyst Al Gillen. XP is built on the foundation of Windows 2000, which was notoriously finicky about running many consumer software titles. The test will be how well Microsoft has done overcoming this limitation.
"If the application compatibility isn't there, Windows XP will be a non-starter--at least for consumers," he said.
On that front, there is already grumbling about how it works with third-party CD software.
"I was very disappointed that WinXP is incompatible with my CD recording and (firewall) software, even though they work on both Windows 9x/Me and 2000," he said. "It's also suspicious given Microsoft's inclusion of its own (firewall) software and basic CD recording."
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