Microsoft to intruduce temporary version of Windows before next major release named Longhorn.. Microsoft considering update dubbed 'XP Reloaded' | CNET News.com I've noticed this about all commercial operating systems, since DOS that is (DOS was fine). They all get "tired" after a while. OS/2 icons would start to disappear after a few months. You could run utilities to fix for a while, but generally you had to re-install to get good performance again. Same with all version of Windows, particularly since they came up with that *BRILLIANT* registry concept. Then they came out with unofficial registry clean-up tools, then as of 2000 they tell you not to run those or you will screw your system. They leave it to third parties like Norton to provide this type of clean-up tool, but then when the tools don't work, or even make your system worse, Microsoft can say "it's not our problem you ran a third party tool", and the toolmaker says "it's not our problem Microsoft keeps changing things and not telling us". Apples OS X is the same way. I've already had to start running a cleanup tool about once a week or the system gets noticeably slower. If I let it go a month the disk drive starts bashing it's heads up against the enclosure trying to access cylinders that don't exist. It's as though you are working with the temperamental robot in "Lost In Space". Going where *YOU* want to go, but only when its in the right mood. I'm not much for conspiracy theories, but the only other explanation is that the people working on Linux and the BSD systems are a LOT smarter, because those systems don't have these problems, ever. You can upgrade when you feel like it, IF you feel like it, and pay little or nothing (Debian) for the privilege. Maybe this will get better as more people move from "JUNKware" to software. I hope so. I really don't mind paying for software, I just don't want to own any more junk. By the way I'm fairly sure that this release has more to do with revenue projections than technology. MS is in a revenue dry spell of its own creation. This has happened before (Remember Windows ME?) and it will keep happening as long as people put up with it. Maybe there is something Darwinian going on here. Windows: the OS for people who really have no business using computers.