Windows XPIn 2001, Microsoft introduced Windows XP (codenamed "Whistler"). The merger of the Windows NT/2000 and Windows 95/98/Me lines occurred with Windows XP. Windows XP uses the Windows NT 5.1 kernel, marking the entry of the Windows NT core into the consumer market, to replace the old 16/32-bit branch. Windows XP is the longest version of Windows ever released between updates, running from 2001 until 2007, when Windows Vista was released to consumers. The Windows XP line of operating systems was superseded by Windows Vista on January 30, 2007. Windows XP is available in several versions: • "Windows XP Home Edition", for home desktops and laptops (notebooks) • "Windows XP Home Edition" N ", as above, but without a default installation of Windows Media Player, as required by a European Union ruling• "Windows XP Professional", for business and expert users• "Windows XP Professional N", as above, but without a default installation Windows Media Player installation, as required by a European Union ruling • Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE), released in November 2002 for desktops and notebooks with a focus on home entertainmento Windows XP Media Center Edition 2003o Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, released October 12, 2004.• "Windows XP Tablet PC Edition", for tablet PCs (PCs with touch screens)or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005• Windows XP Embedded, for embedded systems• "Windows XP Starter Edition", for new computer users in developing countries• Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, released April 25, 2005 for home systems and workstations using 64-bit processors based on the instruction set x86-64 (AMD calls it AMD64, Intel calls it Intel 64)• Windows XP 64-bit Edition, is a version for the Intel Itanium processor line; maintains 32-bit compatibility exclusively through a software emulator. It is more or less similar to Windows XP Professional in features. It was discontinued in September 2005 when the last Itanium workstation vendor stopped shipping Itanium systems marketed as "Workstations".o Windows XP 64-bit Edition 2003, based on the Windows NT 5.2 code base.Windows XP has many features not present in previous versions of Windows. Windows XP provides new and/or improved drivers and user interfaces for devices compared to Windows Me and 98. In older versions of Windows, when users update a device driver, the new driver may be less efficient or functional than the original. Reinstalling the old driver can be a hassle and to avoid this dilemma, Windows XP keeps a copy of an old driver when a new version is installed.