Windows XP and Windows .NET Server
Windows Media and Internet technologies
Microsoft Office XP
Industry trade shows  NEW!

Older platforms
Windows 2000
Windows Millennium Edition ("Windows Me") & Windows 9x

Windows XP and Windows .NET Server Family ("Whistler")
Windows 2000 was barely out the door when Microsoft began work on two separate follow-ups, each with a specific mission: A project named "Odyssey" would usher in the next generation of Windows 2000 for businesses, while "Neptune" would be the first version of Windows 2000 for home users. A December 1999 strategy decision decided to combine these two projects together, however, and "Whistler" was born. Newly renamed Windows XP, the desktop versions of Whistler are a major upgrade that will ship in Home, Professional and 64-bit Editions. Meanwhile, Windows .NET Server (Whistler Server) is on a different development path; it will ship in Web Server, Standard Server, Advanced Server, Datacenter Server, Advanced Server 64-bit, and DataCenter 64-bit and Embedded Editions.

Windows .NET Server pre-release
Windows .NET Server Beta 3
Whistler build 2257 Preview
Introducing the Whistler Preview, build 2250

Windows XP
Windows XP Home and Professional Editions reviewed
Plus! for Windows XP reviewed 
Windows XP PowerToys reviewed
Windows XP: The Road to Gold
Windows XP Book Reviews

Whistler pre-release
Windows XP Release Candidate 1 (RC1) reviewed
Windows XP Build 2465 Gallery
Windows XP Beta 2 reviewed
Whistler builds 2410/2416 reviewed
Whistler Beta 1 reviewed
Whistler build 2257 Preview
Introducing the Whistler Preview, build 2250
Windows.NET "Whistler" Preview

Also: Find out much, much more about Windows XP in my Technology Showcases and my all new FAQ!

Windows Media & Internet technologies
Microsoft is busy updating its leading Web browser, with a new version 6 release that will accompany the next version of Windows. Meanwhile, Internet Explorer (IE) 5.01 shipped with Windows 2000 and IE 5.5 shipped a few months later with Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me). Additionally, IE 5.01, IE 5.5, and IE 5.5 SP1 are available as free upgrades to IE 4.x+. In the following reviews, I take a look at these releases and other related Internet technologies, such as Microsoft's new media player.

Windows Media Player 7 reviewed
IE 5.x install guide
Internet Explorer 5.5 Platform Preview reviewed
Internet Explorer 5.01 reviewed
Internet Explorer 5.0 reviewed

 
Office XP was released to manufacturing in early March 2000 and released to the public in May 2001. It features a subscription software service, Smart Tags, Task panes, and numerous simplification and reliability improvements that will help shape this release into a compelling upgrade to Office 2000. Because of the size and scope of Office XP, I've broken my review of this product down into individual reviews of each component, which I am releasing over time.

Office XP
Microsoft Office XP Review - Overview
Microsoft Office XP Review - Part one: Introduction
Microsoft Office XP Review - Part two: Installation
Microsoft Office XP Review - Part three: What's New?
Microsoft Office XP Review - Part four: Word 2002
Microsoft Office XP Review - Part five: Outlook 2002
Microsoft Office 10 Preview

Also: In Tech Showcases
Top Ten Tips for FrontPage 2002

Preview Office versions
Microsoft Office 2000 reviewed
Microsoft Office 2000 Service Release 1 (SR-1) reviewed
Outlook 98 reviewed

Industry trade shows
2002 CES review and photo gallery   NEW!
COMDEX Fall 2001 review and photo gallery
Office XP Launch Event (May 31, 2001)
2001 CES review and photo gallery
Fall COMDEX 2000 review and photo gallery
PC Expo 2000 review and photo gallery
Fall COMDEX 99 review
PC Expo 99 Show Report
Fall COMDEX 98 show report
SQL Server 7 Workshop
Fall COMDEX 97 Show report

Windows 2000
Over two years in development, Windows 2000 has ushered in a new era of distributed business computing. Microsoft says that Windows 2000 is an ideal platform for the next generation of business computing and addresses the full range of customers' computing needs, from laptops and desktops to high-end, clustered servers. The operating system helps organizations Internet-enable their business with a reliable, manageable infrastructure that is optimized for existing and emerging hardware. In addition, new benchmark results illustrate the specific performance benefits that customers will receive with Windows 2000. Find out whether the reality lives up to the hype in my evaluations of Microsoft's premier operating system.

Windows Millennium Edition ("Windows Me") & Windows 9x
Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me) is the first deliverable from the Consumer Windows Division, and the final release in the venerable Windows 9x product line. Its focus lies in advancing technologies for home computer users in four key areas: PC Health/"It Just Works", digital media and entertainment, the online experience, and home networking. In these exclusive and exhaustive reviews, I examine Windows Millennium Edition ("Windows Me") over the course of its development.