Introduction

When Microsoft introduced Windows 95, they released at the same time a valuable pack of utilities and enhancements called ‘Microsoft Plus’. Since then, each major release of Windows for consumers is accompanied by a dedicated ‘Microsoft Plus’ pack. Windows XP doesn’t escape the rule. Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP, is described as the “ultimate companion for the latest operating system coming from Redmond.” Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP extends the features of Windows XP in three distinct areas: Digital Media, Games and Themes/ScreenSavers. The past taught us that Plus! packs aren’t as revolutionary and essential as they are advertised by the marketing staff from the software behemoth. So let’s see what you can expect from Plus! for Windows XP.

Installation

   Installing Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP is painless. You can perform a full or custom installation where you’ll be able to choose the components to install. The full setup is a bit long due to the huge amount of files to copy. As we’ll see later in this review, Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP contains games, screensavers, and visualizations that require a lot of 3D power. As a result, the setup will install these applications only if your computer has a video card with at least 8MB of memory.