This OS applies a new, Windows Me-like interface to its corporate-strength Windows 2000 code base, then adds a dash of MSN Explorer to spiff up icons and add a login page at start-up. XP´s occasionally too-cute new interface--called Luna--takes a new, task-oriented approach: Microsoft tries to guess what you want to do, then offers easy new commands in every folder. (You can, for example, publish photos online, create quick playlists of music or videos, or perform general file-management tasks directly from each folder.)

Microsoft plans to ship the first two versions of Windows XP--Home Edition and Professional--in the second half of this year. Server versions based on the same code will follow, but won´t be branded as Windows XP. Will XP be worth the upgrade? Eventually. We found this beta had potential, but it also had a serious learning curve and a difficult upgrade path. Not sure whether to take the plunge come the final version? Read on.