The XP task-oriented interface uses WebViews, a new feature that lets novice users more easily become immediately productive. The WebView interface combines a dynamic HTML-style task list with the current folder content to create a context-sensitive task list. The WebView pane lists common file tasks, letting novice users easily perform these tasks. The options in the WebView pane change depending on the type of content that you're displaying. For example, when Windows Explorer displays folders, the WebView pane displays folder-relevant options such as Create a new folder and Share this folder. When files are displayed, the WebView pane displays file-relevant options such as Copy this file and Delete this file.
WebViews are also sensitive to file types. For images (e.g., files ending in extensions such as .bmp, .jpg, or .gif), the WebView pane displays photo tasks such as View a slide show, Print this picture, or Set as desktop background. If you're an experienced user, you'll benefit less from WebViews than a novice user will. But you can still take advantage of the familiar Windows Explorer context menu by right-clicking items displayed in the Windows Explorer window. You can also turn off the WebViews feature by selecting the Folders Option from the Windows Explorer Tools menu, then selecting the Windows Classic option. This action will display a Windows Explorer view that looks and acts like the Win2K and Win9x version.
The Networking Experience
XP has several new networking features that make setting up and using your LAN or Internet connections easier than ever. Network Setup Wizard, designed to simplify setting up all your system's network connections, guides you though several common networking tasks including assigning a computer name, configuring the networking protocols, and setting up file and printer sharing. The Network Setup Wizard also lets you take advantage of more advanced networking features for businesses and small office/home office (SOHO) users, such as Network Bridging, ICS, and ICF. I discuss these features in "The SOHO Experience" section.
XP also includes another new networking feature: Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) 6.0. IE 6.0's look and feel has changed to match the new XP user experience. The Explorer Bar includes capabilities other than just being a storage place for your favorite links. You can customize the Explorer Bar to automatically pull in information from your favorite sites. IE 6.0 also features an integrated Media Bar that lets you play music and videos through the browser without launching additional applications.
In addition, IE 6.0 includes support for the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Platform for Privacy Preferences (P3P) standard, which lets you control the cookies that enter your system. With IE 6.0, you can allow all cookies, block all cookies, or accept only cookies from the connected domain—essentially blocking third-party banner ads from retrieving personal information without your approval and returning that information to a Web site.
One of the major networking changes that Microsoft has added to XP is Windows Messenger. Microsoft has positioned Windows Messenger as a replacement for the MSN Messenger instant-messaging application and for NetMeeting, a videoconferencing application. Windows Messenger provides instant messaging capabilities, as well as audio- and video-conferencing and collaborative whiteboard support. Microsoft improved the audio and video transmission technologies incorporated into Windows Messenger to allow high-quality conferencing over typical DSL and cable modem broadband connections.
The SOHO Experience
With the rapidly increasing availability of high-speed broadband connections such as DSL and cable modems, SOHO users can now get the same type of high-speed Internet service that business users have enjoyed for some time. As a card-carrying DSL addict, I readily guarantee that after you get a DSL connection you'll never willingly return to a 56Kbps dial-up connection. However, there's no free lunch, and these new high-speed broadband connections are no exception. The always-on nature of DSL and cable modem connections opens your system and network to the same security concerns that give network administrators gray hairs. SOHO-related enhancements in XP include several features that let the OS keep pace with these new broadband connections.
XP's ICS feature lets you set up an XP system that acts as a gateway to the Internet for other systems in your home network. This feature lets two or more systems on your home network simultaneously access the Internet. ICS works best over a high-speed broadband connection, but you can also use it over a lower-speed, dial-up link.
XP provides basic home-network security through its ICF feature. Although not as sophisticated as most standalone firewall products, XP's ICF can block port scans by dynamically opening and closing the communications ports that network programs use.
XP Pro's Automatic Updates feature lets you easily keep your systems current with Microsoft's latest patches and updates. When enabled, Automatic Updates lets XP automatically download important system fixes from the Windows Update site.
The Wireless and Mobile Experience
Not all XP enhancements are as visible as the UI or the networking wizards. Several behind-the-scenes enabling features are important to wireless and mobile users. A major change for wireless computing is the integration of 802.11x support (Wi-Fi, the wireless networking protocol) into XP. Out-of-the-box XP supports most of the popular wireless network interface cards (NICs). Integrated wireless support lets your laptop immediately recognize Plug and Play (PnP) network cards. XP's integrated wireless capabilities let you take advantage of the many mobile Internet access ports you can find in a variety of locations, including your local Starbucks and some major metropolitan airports.
A closely related feature, the Windows XP Network Bridge, also makes networking a better experience for mobile users. The Network Bridge connects disparate networks, letting them appear to your system as a single virtual network. If you're a wireless user, you'll find this feature handy because your home network probably has both Ethernet and 802.11x wireless segments. XP's Network Bridge lets your system see the two separate networks as one entity, making it easier for you to access and share resources between the two networks.
