Windows Explorer also gets new features and changes, like task pane useful file actions shown in the left hand sidebarfile thumbnails, sorting, grouping etc. The Start menu gets two columns, and now it is completely customizable by the user. The appearance of windows shell elements such as desktops, taskbar, start menu, get a better design with transparent icons and shadow drops. Windows XP has a lot of updates in the user interface compared to Windows ME andmaking it easier to use and navigate through files and programs. While these features are not available in the Home version.
Professional version of the operating system have more features such as backup program, encrypted file systems EFS feature, remote control, offline files, IIS, etc. Prior to Windows 7 market dominance, Windows XP was the most widely used desktop operating system in the world for many years. The Home version was targeted to home PC users, while the Professional version was designed for business and professionals. Windows XP was released to the public on October 25,the first two versions released by the company were Home and Professional.
