My basic answer is this. If you select the windows classic theme in windows XP, all is good and well, and almost all of the old Weighted and Filed Dice will just fall right into place, like they always have. Its also always a good idea when you first install your new xp system to turn off almost all of the default xp settings and set up a proper network.
I mean, do you really need remote assistance on an arcade cabinet?
Microsoft's philosopy on everything xp and since xp has just been to turn on everything by default and leave you at the mercy of anyone who knows that.
I strongly suggest to anyone running xp that they spend an hour or two just going through the control panel and turning things off and setting things up the way they want them.
and if your using windows 7, you really need to do a couple days worth of turning off and also turning on. Also i dont reccomend Vista to anyone anywhere. It was Microsofts attempt to leave Legacy support in any form back in the dust and force users to move on.
In windows 7 they have since added an entire code engine to it that allows you to run legacy stuff like Sim City 2000.
Windows 7 is basically Vista, With Legacy support. Also in windows 7 somewhere they decided to abandon the Windows Classic interface.
Ive heard a ton of lies and rumors about it and the basics are this.
By turning on windows classic theme in windows 7, you dont automatically get the classic Win98/Me interface. One of the most initially disturbing things about windows 7 is that the File; edit; view; favorites; tools; help, (you get it im sure) menu is completely gone in windows 7 by default.
Its just gone. Its a last ditch attempt by the powers that be to force users to like Aero.
However, if you check the right boxes in Windows explorer, you can in fact restore it to all windows.
You have to work a bit for it, but unlike what ive heard by a bunch of liars who are selling "windows 7 "Xp Interface Upgrades" for unknown dollars all over the place, the basic Deal is this. It Is all still there in Windows 7. (or there again, anyway, For Vista Users).
i spent two full weeks after i first turned my new pc on, But it looks just like Xp and previous in almost all respects, and ive also turned almost all of the default security nightmares off. also, By default, Windows 7 is set up to perform an orderly shutdown when you hit the power button. Its one of the few defaults that you dont need to change.
For Xp however, you need to set it up to perform a proper shutdown whenever you hit the power button. it is not set up that way by default.
as you go beyond xp, DO NOT bother with Windows Vista at all, its just not compatible.