Because it is the one type of software
that all desktop-computer users must use, the desktop
operating system is often the key to a computer�s
complexity and associated costs. In designing Windows� 2000
Professional, Microsoft first researched how different types
of users interact with the operating system. The goal of the
research was to gather information about how users take
advantage of the functionality and power of the desktop
computer as a business tool.
After studying the results and carefully
examining customer feedback, Microsoft made many changes to
the Windows operating system. The result is Windows 2000
Professional, a business desktop operating system that was
specifically created to help make users more productive and
reduce total cost of ownership. Specific improvements
include the following, which are detailed in this paper:
