Choosing between XP Pro & XP Home

[Janna]

I have to purchase some new computers for our office and need to decide if we should stick with XP Home or upgrade to Pro.

Here's the deal:

I work for a church (I'm the secretary and get to act as the IT for the most part, as well). I have a decent budget for this, so cost is not a factor - just what will suit our needs.

I am currently looking to purchase two desktops and a laptop. I myself have a desktop (it's a Dell, which sucks but it's working well for now, and in a couple of years when I upgrade I'll get something better) and the Rector has a laptop (also a Dell). (The new computers aren't going to be Dells.)

But then we hit on the problem of operating platform.

My desktop and the Rector's laptop are both running XP Home. (The other computers in the building are all on Windows 98 and are in desperate need of being replaced anyhow.) If the new computers have Pro on them, I'll have to upgrade the two computers we already have.

My main concern is that we need to network all of these computers (the laptops wirelessly), with my desktop acting as the server. I found a web site (http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...p_home_pro.asp) that lists everything that comes with Pro but not with Home, but I don't know enough about networking yet to know if we should upgrade. Basically we all need to be able to access the database of parishioners, which is a program called PowerChurch (http://www.powerchurch.com/). Right now I have one copy of the database on my computer and the finance office has a different copy (and a newer version) on their computer, and all changes/updates have been happening via hardcopy notes etc - which is, of course, horribly inefficient. We've purchased the newest edition of the program and have a license for all the computers we're wanting to network. The goal is to have one centralized version of the database that everyone accesses to make changes and updates. The only question is how feasible this is, I guess.

Any thoughts/tips would be greatly appreciated. (I suppose this is partly a networking question, but I'm primarily concerned with the software angle right now.)

Thanks!

-Janna

[cuog]

going with XP pro for the new computers will probably be a good choice, and you should be able to network the XP Home computers to the pro server with minimal issues.

[macko72]

Professional Edition: Superset of Home Edition
Pro features that aren't in Home Edition
These two titles will help you see difference betwen pro and home and it's in your own link!!!
And my recomedation it's to use XP Pro edition because of enhaced security and easier to connect and establish networks and it is very stabile!!!

[rjfvillarosa]

How many computers are likely to access the data base at the same time?

[Janna]

1. I'm wanting to use my desktop (XP Home) as the server for the network.

2. I don't know enough about networking to be able to tell if the list of stuff on the link I listed is actually stuff we *need*. (Which I said in my initial post, but thanks anyway.)

3. Max three, but usually two if it's more than one accessing the db at the same time.

See, this is the thing - the database is mainly used by the finance office. I use it for a parish list, and the clergy want to be able to use it for contact information, but mostly finance needs it for tracking accounts and offerings and the like.

So I guess - do I need to get an actual SERVER then?

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by Janna So I guess - do I need to get an actual SERVER then?

That was about to be my next question, but if it is only three and usually not more than two XP pro should be fine, you might find the odd bottle neck when someone else is accessing the data but I am sure you can live with that, networking with XP pro is a walk in the park, really easy.

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by Janna If the new computers have Pro on them, I'll have to upgrade the two computers we already have.

Not really, you can network with 98 very easily.
Can you tell us roughly how the machines will be laid out, how many in total, internet access and the actual wall construction material if any of the machines will be in different rooms?

[Janna]

I am getting a new desktop for the reception office, which is next door to my office. Currently I have a wireless internet access; the reception computer has the main hardwire to the 'net.

I am getting a new desktop for the finance office, which is upstairs and is hardwired to the 'net because there are steel beams in the ceiling.

The Rector uses a laptop with wireless access; her office is down the hall from mine.

The Associate Priest will be getting a laptop with wireless capabilities, but he will be hardwired when he's in his office as it's upstairs.

I and the Rector are both using XP Home right now.

My computer will (hopefully) be the server, unless it's better to get a whole new machine to be the server. Just seems kinda silly to do that.

The configuration (ie, where the machines are) will be changing at some point in the future, as we're going to renovate the offices within the next couple of years.

Anyhow, I think we're going to do the Pro thing and upgrade and all that. But thanks!

-Janna

[glc]

I would put Pro on whatever is going to be the server computer. The rest can be anything. Reason for this is you are going to want to disable simple filesharing on the server and use username/password based access security.

I would make the server one of the LEAST used workstations - and understand that any computer trying to use the shared database wireless will have to be VERY patient waiting for it to load.