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Win XP Pro tips and tricks for home computing. 

This area is dedicated to the WIN XP ( windows XP ) home computer user.  A big note, from all I've read, try to buy Windows XP Pro versus Windows XP home, if, you have any plans of being a "power user".  As a Win XP Pro user I'm satisfied with the basic product, but as a software development professional ( a PRO ) I'm quite disappointed.  Microsoft® has hacked the entire Internet Information Server (IIS) component of Win XP.  Also they appear to be limiting the "Windows XP Professional" from ever upgrading to the 6.0 version of IIS.  These hacks lead to inconsistencies in the user interface for IIS.  In Internet Information Services manager you see a folder called "Web Sites" but you can only have one.  Microsoft's online documentation is so inconsistent, they are proliferating so many configurations of Windows even though Win XP was the final integration, the version that would eliminate all the versions (DOS, Win 95, Win 98, Win ME).

1. You can have multiple virtual web servers if you know the right guy (not Bob) !  See BobsHowTo.com - Win XP Multiple Web Sites.
2. If you're new to Win XP or Windows in general a powerful source of information is the Microsoft Developers Network Website.  http://msdn.microsoft.com/.
3. Of course you should go to the Win XP website, but there is a lot less information there, mostly update information.  Start at the windows web site and click "Windows XP". http://www.microsoft.com/windows/default.mspx
4. Make sure you install all the updates to Windows XP from the Windows Update Site.  If you don't your system is probably pretty vulnerable, especially if you are going to run a personal home web site.  http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com.
5. If you don't have a virus detection software package get one now.  If it has a firewall use it.  Win XP does come with a built in firewall but you must turn it on yourself.  You can do this through your connections properties dialog box.
6. I've really tried to make Win XP IIS GZIP data compression work, and seem to have failed.  It seems others have reached the same conclusion, its broke.  You do get the compfilt.dll and it is installed.  If you use the Microsoft Meta Editor for IIS you can find fields that enable compression but it seems to simply not work.

Windows Vista

Well it appears Microsoft has sort of shafted Windows XP users if you use "roaming profiles".  Roaming profiles make it easy to move from one computer to another and still use exactly the same desktop, favorites, email, etc.  A portable computing environment.  With the release of Windows Vista, Microsoft has made design changes which prevent XP and Vista from easily sharing profiles.  Talk about cutting the cord!

1. Vista Profiles a Word document from Microsoft.
2. Vista step by step from Microsoft.
3. State migration tool from Microsoft.

Network performance enhancement Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008

I hope this performance enhancement is for real.  It seems to me Windows network performance has always been very slow.

1. Microsoft Document 207180.  Network performance enhancements.

Just some random ramblings about Windows XP Pro, and now Windows Vista, hope they help.
Thanks, Bob.

Topic: Win XP Pro tips and tricks for home computing.