Windows XP has been given a 25 October, official release date. PC makers will however, begin offering the new Windows version on Monday.
The long road leading to XP's imminent release has seen various issues arise such as the pirated versions of the OS selling in Asia, reported activation difficulties and lengthy activation procedures, attempts to defeat the activation codes and various compatibility issues. It seems a miracle then, that Microsoft claims that the product is ready to sell.
The whole PC industry seems to have placed all of its hopes on the new OS, ready to use it's success or failure as a gauge for the future of the whole market. Analysts are already publishing lengthy reports on the possibilities but things are much simpler, as one analyst claims "XP doesn't give users a clear reason to replace their current PCs...It's not as big an advance as Windows 95," but goes on to add that in the longer term "it will create a word-of-mouth momentum, and that may create interest in a new PC."
What Microsoft is aiming for, is the smoothest possible transition to the new OS. As part of that effort they are offering a 35 Mb file which will scan your system and let you know if your pc is Windows XP compatible. (The link is in the download section)