Editing Windows XP (section)

==Development==
{{Main|Development of Windows XP}}

In the late 1990s, initial development of what would become Windows XP was focused on two individual products: "[[Windows Odyssey|Odyssey]]", which was reportedly intended to succeed the future [[Windows 2000]] and "[[Microsoft Neptune|Neptune]]", which was reportedly a consumer-oriented operating system using the [[Windows NT]] architecture, succeeding the [[MS-DOS]]-based [[Windows 98]].<ref name="cnet-consolidate">{{cite web | url=https://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-consolidates-Windows-development-efforts/2100-1040_3-236021.html | title=Microsoft consolidates Windows development efforts | publisher=CNET Networks | work=CNET | access-date=January 23, 2014 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201144705/http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-consolidates-Windows-development-efforts/2100-1040_3-236021.html | archive-date=February 1, 2014 | df=mdy-all |date=January 24, 2000|first1=Stephanie|last1=Miles}}</ref>

However, the projects proved to be [[Development hell|too ambitious]]. In January 2000, shortly prior to the official release of Windows 2000, technology writer Paul Thurrott reported that Microsoft had shelved both Neptune and Odyssey in favor of a new product codenamed "Whistler", named after [[Whistler, British Columbia]], as many Microsoft employees skied at the [[Whistler-Blackcomb]] ski resort.<ref name=":0">{{cite web | url=https://www.winsupersite.com/faq/longhorn.asp | title=Windows "Longhorn" FAQ | publisher=Penton Media | work=Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows | date=June 22, 2005 | access-date=April 4, 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404091719/http://www.winsupersite.com/faq/longhorn.asp | archive-date=April 4, 2008 | df=mdy-all | author=<!--N/A--> }}</ref> The goal of Whistler was to unify both the consumer and business-oriented Windows lines under a single, Windows NT platform. Thurrott stated that Neptune had become "a black hole when all the features that were cut from Windows Me were simply re-tagged as Neptune features. And since Neptune and Odyssey would be based on the same code-base anyway, it made sense to combine them into a single project".<ref name="supersite-roadtoxp">{{cite web | url=https://winsupersite.com/article/product-review/the-road-to-gold-the-development-of-windows-xp-reviewed | title=The Road to Gold: The development of Windows XP Reviewed | publisher=Penton Media | work=Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows | access-date=January 23, 2014 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202144509/http://winsupersite.com/article/product-review/the-road-to-gold-the-development-of-windows-xp-reviewed | archive-date=February 2, 2014 | df=mdy-all |date=October 6, 2010|first1=Paul|last1=Thurrott}}</ref>

At [[Professional Developers Conference|PDC]] on July 13, 2000, Microsoft announced that Whistler would be released during the second half of 2001, and also unveiled the first preview build, 2250, which featured an early implementation of Windows XP's visual styles system and interface changes to Windows Explorer and the Control Panel.<ref name="witpro-betabegins">{{cite web | url=https://www.itprotoday.com/windows-server/introducing-whistler-preview-build-2250 | title=Introducing the Whistler Preview, Build 2250 | publisher=Penton Media | work=Windows IT Pro | access-date=June 9, 2018 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142613/http://www.itprotoday.com/windows-server/introducing-whistler-preview-build-2250 | archive-date=June 12, 2018 | df=mdy-all |first1=Paul|last1=Thurrott|date=July 17, 2000}}</ref>

Microsoft released the first public beta build of Whistler, build 2296, on October 31, 2000. Subsequent builds gradually introduced features that users of the release version of Windows XP would recognize, such as [[Internet Explorer 6.0]], the [[Microsoft Product Activation]] system, and the ''[[Bliss (image)|Bliss]]'' desktop background.<ref name="supersite-roadtoxp2">{{cite web | url=https://winsupersite.com/article/product-review/the-road-to-gold-part-two | title=The Road to Gold (Part Two) | publisher=Penton Media | work=Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows | access-date=January 23, 2014 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202144533/http://winsupersite.com/article/product-review/the-road-to-gold-part-two | archive-date=February 2, 2014 | df=mdy-all |date=October 6, 2010|first1=Paul|last1=Thurrott}}</ref>

Whistler was officially unveiled during a media event on February 5, 2001, under the name Windows XP, where XP stands for "eXPerience".<ref name="cnet-xpnamed">{{cite web | url=https://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-to-christen-Windows%2C-Office-with-new-name/2009-1001_3-252047.html | title=Microsoft to christen Windows, Office with new name | publisher=CNET Networks | work=CNET | access-date=January 23, 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201144708/http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-to-christen-Windows%2C-Office-with-new-name/2009-1001_3-252047.html | archive-date=February 1, 2014 | df=mdy-all |date=February 5, 2001|author=<!--N/A-->}}</ref>

===Release===
In June 2001, Microsoft indicated that it was planning to spend at least US$1&nbsp;billion on marketing and promoting Windows XP, in conjunction with [[Intel]] and other PC makers.<ref name="cnet-marketing1bn">{{cite web | url=https://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-269032.html | title=Windows XP marketing tab to hit $1&nbsp;billion | publisher=CNET Networks | work=CNET | access-date=January 23, 2014 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201144711/http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-269032.html | archive-date=February 1, 2014 | df=mdy-all |date=January 2, 2002|author=<!--N/A-->}}</ref> The theme of the campaign, "Yes You Can", was designed to emphasize the platform's overall capabilities. Microsoft had originally planned to use the slogan "Prepare to Fly", but it was replaced because of sensitivity issues in the wake of the [[September 11 attacks]].<ref name="Change-XP-slogan">{{cite web |url=https://www.computerworld.co.nz/article/511861/microsoft_changes_xp_slogan_wake_us_attacks/ |title=Microsoft changes XP slogan in wake of US attacks |work=Computerworld NZ |publisher=IDG |access-date=August 7, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905135939/http://www.computerworld.co.nz/article/511861/microsoft_changes_xp_slogan_wake_us_attacks/ |archive-date=September 5, 2015}}</ref>

On August 24, 2001, Windows XP build 2600 was [[released to manufacturing]] (RTM). During a ceremonial media event at [[Microsoft Redmond Campus]], copies of the RTM build were given to representatives of several major PC manufacturers in briefcases, who then flew off on decorated helicopters. While PC manufacturers would be able to release devices running XP beginning on September 24, 2001, XP was expected to reach general retail availability on October 25, 2001. On the same day, Microsoft also announced the final retail pricing of XP's two main editions, "Home" (as a replacement for [[Windows Me]] for home computing) and "Professional" (as a replacement for [[Windows 2000]] for high-end users).<ref name="supersite-roadtoxp3">{{cite web |url=https://winsupersite.com/article/product-review/the-road-to-gold-part-three | title=The Road to Gold (Part Three) | publisher=Penton Media | work=Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows | access-date=March 11, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829035957/http://winsupersite.com/article/product-review/the-road-to-gold-part-three |archive-date=August 29, 2017 | url-status=dead|date=October 15, 2001|first1=Paul|last1=Thurrott}}</ref>