Editing Windows XP (section)

==Editions==
{{Main|Windows XP editions}}

[[File:XP-Editions.svg|thumb|280px|Diagram representing the main editions of Windows XP. It is based on the category of the edition (grey) and codebase (black arrow).]]

Windows XP was released in two major editions on launch: ''Home Edition'' and ''Professional Edition''. Both editions were made available at retail as pre-loaded software on new computers and as boxed copies. Boxed copies were sold as "Upgrade" or "Full" licenses; the "Upgrade" versions were slightly cheaper, but require an existing version of Windows to install. The "Full" version can be installed on systems without an operating system or existing version of Windows.<ref name=cnet-marketing1bn/> The two editions of XP were aimed at different markets: ''Home Edition'' is explicitly intended for consumer use and disables or removes certain advanced and enterprise-oriented features present on ''Professional'', such as the ability to join a [[Windows domain]], [[Internet Information Services]], and [[Multilingual User Interface]]. Windows 98 or Me can be upgraded to either ''Home Edition'' or ''Professional'' and [[Windows NT 4.0]] or 2000 can only be upgraded to ''Professional''.<ref name=technet-differences>{{cite web|title=Differences with Windows XP Home Edition|url=https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457127.aspx|work=TechNet|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=January 26, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209183913/http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457127.aspx|archive-date=February 9, 2014|date=September 11, 2009|author=<!--N/A-->}}</ref> Windows' [[software license agreement]] for pre-loaded licenses allows the software to be "returned" to the OEM for a refund if the user does not wish to use it.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.networkworld.com/news/2006/110706-dell-windows.html | title=Dell customer gets Windows refund | publisher=IDG | work=LinuxWorld | date=November 6, 2006 | access-date=September 13, 2008 | first=Don | last=Marti | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080927111046/http://www.networkworld.com/news/2006/110706-dell-windows.html | archive-date=September 27, 2008 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> Despite the refusal of some manufacturers to honor the entitlement, it has been enforced by courts in some countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pages.citebite.com/s2u3d5wajak|title=HP must reimburse Italian PC buyer the amount paid for Microsoft software|publisher=Heise online|date=October 29, 2007|access-date=September 13, 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015203020/http://pages.citebite.com/s2u3d5wajak|archive-date=October 15, 2008|author=<!--N/A-->}}</ref>

Two specialized variants of XP were introduced in 2002 for certain types of hardware, exclusively through [[OEM]] channels as pre-loaded software. ''[[Windows XP Media Center Edition]]'' was initially designed for high-end [[home theater PC]]s with [[TV tuner]]s (marketed under the term "Media Center PC"), offering expanded multimedia functionality, an [[electronic program guide]], and [[digital video recorder]] (DVR) support through the [[Windows Media Center]] application.<ref name="cnet-xpmceannounce">{{cite web | url=http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-reveals-media-XP-details/2100-1016_3-944063.html | title=Microsoft reveals media XP details | publisher=CNET Networks | work=CNET | access-date=January 26, 2014 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207142141/http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-reveals-media-XP-details/2100-1016_3-944063.html | archive-date=February 7, 2015 | df=mdy-all |first1=Joe|last1=Wilcox|date=July 16, 2002}}</ref> Microsoft also unveiled ''[[Windows XP Tablet PC Edition]]'', which contains additional [[Stylus (computing)|pen input]] features, and is optimized for mobile devices meeting its [[Microsoft Tablet PC|Tablet PC]] specifications.<ref name="cnet-tabletpcdrive">{{cite web | url=http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-launches-tablet-PC-drive/2100-1005_3-964903.html | title=Microsoft launches tablet PC drive | publisher=CNET Networks | work=CNET | access-date=January 26, 2014 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207141635/http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-launches-tablet-PC-drive/2100-1005_3-964903.html | archive-date=February 7, 2015 | df=mdy-all |date=November 7, 2002|first1=Joe|last1=Wilcox|first2=Sandeep|last2=Junnarkar}}</ref> Two different [[64-bit]] editions of XP were made available. The first, ''Windows XP 64-Bit Edition'', was intended for [[IA-64]] ([[Itanium]]) systems; as IA-64 usage declined on workstations in favor of [[AMD]]'s [[x86-64]] architecture, the Itanium edition was discontinued in January 2005.<ref name=computerworld-xpitaniumdiscontinued>{{cite web|title=Microsoft nixes Windows XP for Itanium|url=https://www.computerworld.com/s/article/98716/Microsoft_nixes_Windows_XP_for_Itanium?taxonomyId=125|work=Computerworld|publisher=[[IDG]]|access-date=January 26, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202171023/http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/98716/Microsoft_nixes_Windows_XP_for_Itanium?taxonomyId=125|archive-date=February 2, 2014|date=January 5, 2005|first1=Joris|last1=Evers}}</ref> A new 64-bit edition supporting the x86-64 architecture, called ''Windows XP Professional x64 Edition'', was released in April 2005.<ref name="release-date-x64">{{cite press release |url=https://news.microsoft.com/2005/04/25/microsoft-raises-the-speed-limit-with-the-availability-of-64-bit-editions-of-windows-server-2003-and-windows-xp-professional/ |title=Microsoft Raises the Speed Limit with the Availability of 64-Bit Editions of Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP Professional |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=April 25, 2005 |access-date=September 10, 2015 |archive-date=February 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225210214/http://news.microsoft.com/2005/04/25/microsoft-raises-the-speed-limit-with-the-availability-of-64-bit-editions-of-windows-server-2003-and-windows-xp-professional/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Microsoft also targeted [[emerging market]]s with the 2004 introduction of ''[[Windows XP Starter Edition]]'', a special variant of ''Home Edition'' intended for low-cost PCs. The OS is primarily aimed at first-time computer owners, containing heavy [[Software localization|localization]] (including wallpapers and screen savers incorporating images of local landmarks), and a "My Support" area which contains video tutorials on basic computing tasks. It also removes certain "complex" features, and does not allow users to run more than three applications at a time. After a pilot program in India and Thailand, ''Starter'' was released in other emerging markets throughout 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://winsupersite.com/windows-xp/windows-xp-starter-edition|title=Windows XP Starter Edition|first=Paul|last=Thurrott|date=January 3, 2005|access-date=April 12, 2008|work=Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows|publisher=[[Penton Media]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130828180310/http://winsupersite.com/windows-xp/windows-xp-starter-edition|archive-date=August 28, 2013}}</ref> In 2006, Microsoft also unveiled the [[FlexGo]] initiative, which would also target emerging markets with [[subsidized]] PCs on a pre-paid, subscription basis.<ref name=cnet-payasyougo>{{cite web|title=Microsoft pitches pay-as-you-go PCs|url=http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-pitches-pay-as-you-go-PCs/2100-1003_3-6074589.html|work=CNET|publisher=CNET Networks|access-date=January 26, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207143018/http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-pitches-pay-as-you-go-PCs/2100-1003_3-6074589.html|archive-date=February 7, 2015|date=May 23, 2006|first1=Ina|last1=Fried}}</ref>

As a result of [[unfair competition]] lawsuits in Europe and South Korea, which both alleged that Microsoft had improperly leveraged its status in the PC market to favor its own bundled software, Microsoft was ordered to release special editions of XP in these markets that excluded certain applications. In March 2004, after the [[European Commission]] [[European Union Microsoft competition case|fined]] Microsoft €497&nbsp;million (US$603&nbsp;million), Microsoft was ordered to release "N" editions of XP that excluded Windows Media Player, encouraging users to pick and download their own [[Media player (application software)|media player]] software.<ref name="WinXPSBBC">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4388349.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Microsoft and EU reach agreement|date=March 28, 2005|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150922061907/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4388349.stm|archive-date=September 22, 2015|author=<!--N/A-->}}</ref> As it was sold at the same price as the edition with Windows Media Player included, certain OEMs (such as [[Dell]], who offered it for a short period, along with [[Hewlett-Packard]], [[Lenovo]] and [[Fujitsu Siemens]]) chose not to offer it. Consumer interest was minuscule, with roughly 1,500 units shipped to [[OEMs]], and no reported sales to consumers.<ref name="WinXPSSeattlePi">{{cite news | url=https://www.seattlepi.com/business/205093_msftfolo24.html <!-- 451 Unavailable For Legal Reasons --> | title=Europe gets 'reduced' Windows | publisher=[[Hearst Corporation]] | work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | date=December 24, 2004 | first1=Todd | last1=Bishop | access-date=November 30, 2018 | archive-date=October 6, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006095524/https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Europe-gets-reduced-Windows-1162710.php | url-status=live }}</ref> In December 2005, the [[Fair Trade Commission (South Korea)|Korean Fair Trade Commission]] ordered Microsoft to make available editions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 that do not contain Windows Media Player or Windows Messenger.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20051207-5702.html | title=South Korea fines Microsoft for antitrust abuses | publisher=Condé Nast Publications | work=Ars Technica | date=December 7, 2005 | access-date=April 12, 2008 | first=Nate | last=Anderson | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422014515/http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20051207-5702.html | archive-date=April 22, 2008 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> The "K" and "KN" editions of Windows XP were released in August 2006, and are only available in English and Korean, and also contain links to third-party [[instant messenger]] and media player software.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://support.microsoft.com/kb/922474 |title = Changes to Windows XP Home Edition K and Windows XP Professional K from earlier versions of Windows XP (MSKB 922474) |date = September 15, 2006 |access-date = January 26, 2014 |work = Microsoft Support |publisher = Microsoft |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131219020559/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922474 |archive-date = December 19, 2013 |df = mdy-all |author = <!-- N/A -->}}</ref>