Windows XP

**Windows XP**

Microsoft Windows XP
Codename Preliminary name	Whistler
Kernel version	NT 5.1, NT 5.2
CPU architecture	x86 (NT 5.1), x64 (NT 5.2)
Release date	25/10/2001
Support end	Extended Support Period until 8 April 2014
Preceded by	2000 / Neptune
Succeeded by	Longhorn / Vista

Windows XP (Codenamed Whistler) is an operating system produced by Microsoft, the successor to Windows Millennium and 2000. XP stands for eXPerience. It's Server counterpart, Windows Server 2003 was released around two years later.

A 64-bit version of Windows XP was released some time after Windows Server 2003 was released, and it was based off Windows Server 2003's NT 5.2 Kernel.

Consumer NT Version

Windows XP finally bridged the gap between the Windows 9x (Based on DOS) and the Windows NT line of Windows Operating Systems, ending the Windows 9x line. This finally brought the stability of the Windows NT Kernel to consumer Windows versions.

Editions

Starter
Professional
Home Edition
Media Center Edition
Embedded

Improvements

Visual Styles: A theming engine was designed by Microsoft which included the new Luna interface. The Watercolor interface was scrapped during development, as Microsoft had experimented with two different interfaces prior to Luna.