PC Industry Sets High Expectations for Windows XP

With Windows XP development and testing entering the home stretch, Microsoft and the PC industry are getting ready for the most expensive and high-profile launch of an operating system (OS) since Windows 95. Manufacturers are so anxious to sell systems with Windows XP that Microsoft will allow them to ship the new OS preinstalled prior to the October general availability date. Yet even as Windows XP is being released to manufacturing, it is still not clear which icons will be displayed on the Windows XP desktop, whether or not consumer and business users will upgrade, and where it fits in Microsoft’s product roadmap.

The release of Windows XP will also come amid growing controversy about new bundled features, such as Windows Messaging and Windows Media Player, as well as privacy concerns about Passport and Windows XP product activation. (See “Legal Update: Wrangling Over Windows XP“.)

View of the Desktop Unclear

Microsoft originally intended for Windows XP to ship with a minimum of desktop clutter. However, the recent appeals court ruling in the antitrust case has prompted Microsoft to give PC manufacturers more flexibility with the desktop, allowing OEMs like Compaq to sell favorable icon placement to Microsoft competitors such as AOL. (See “Verdict Will Affect Partnerships, Agreements” on page 35 of the Aug. 2001 Update.) The result: rather than having a common or standardized desktop look for all Windows XP users, the number of icons, and the actual icons on the desktop, will vary by PC manufacturer.