So Dell and HP are offering XP instead of Vista. Even with all the tweaks Microsoft has made to desktop operating system — making it more intuitive, more secure and just generally having cool stuff — means that you need more memory and faster graphics.
Meanwhile, Windows XP users are getting a surprise. Computer makers — including Dell, HP and Lenovo (IBM) — have found a loophole in the HP licensing scheme. Under the Windows Vista licensing terms, XP can be provided for free under the terms of a downgrade license for select versions of the operating system. That means any of the computer makers can install XP professional for free on some machines and in many cases this downgrade licensing option can be kept on as an operating system until 2009 or maybe even extended to 2010 in the case of windows XP home edition on.