Originally posted by ProfessorU
XP really is more stable. It will boot faster, and you'll have better driver support, and better MS support...
Maybe more stable but what also needs to be considered is compatibility. If you have a stack of older progs you still want to be able to run you can play Russian roulette with MS' statement that XP is "95% compatible" with older programs - the remaining 5% often cover a lot of the programs you have in your stack...

Boot faster..? Well, it certainly shows the desktop a lot quicker - but at that point the system hasn't finished booting...that will take a minute or two more. Until then the system isn't really of much use.

Driver support is important but I don't think manufacturer's driver support (for fx. Win98) will end simply because MS says it will no longer support W98 - too many people still use it. As for the end of MS' own support (lots of policy & $s involved..) - isn't that exactly one of the reasons why VDr and similar boards are so successful?