Wikipedia:Today's featured article/June 5, 2005

Windows XP is the latest desktop version of the Microsoft Windows operating system. Released on October 25, 2001, Windows XP has brought to the consumer line of Windows new features not available before, such as stronger stability and efficiency due to its pure 32-bit kernel, instead of the hybrid 16-bit/32-bit in consumer versions of prior Windows versions. It also contains work-arounds to avoid the "DLL hell" that plagued older consumer versions of Windows, which stemmed from inefficient software management. It also contains a graphical user interface (GUI) that Microsoft touts as more user-friendly than the older versions of Windows. Windows XP has had many security issues; as of June 2005, there have been two service packs released to address security problems with Windows XP. Windows XP has also been the first consumer version of Windows to use product activation to combat software piracy, and this restriction did not sit well with some privacy activists, and indeed many home users. Spyware and adware&mdash;unwanted programs that can cause system instability, display advertisements, and track a user's activities for marketing purposes&mdash;are a continuing problem on Windows XP and other versions of Windows.

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