Like the dial tone on a telephone, the underlying architecture of a computer operating system isn't generally paid much attention unless something goes wrong. And then, of course, it's the sole focus. "Stability and support are very important when an enterprise is run on one specific type of software," says Kevin King, Management Information Systems director for the Supreme Court of the state of Oklahoma. "One outage can shut down the entire operation." Support features that are anything less than stellar, he explains, represent a risk he's not willing to take. "When we're not running, people cannot avail themselves of the courts," he says.

Knowing that Microsoft was focused on delivering an extremely reliable platform and improved product support for Microsoft Windows XP Professional, King jumped at the opportunity to upgrade the Oklahoma Court Information System (OCIS) enterprise -- which consists of more than 1,900 users at 53 locations spanning 70,000 square miles -- to the professional version of the newest Windows operating system, which will hit stores Oct. 25. A core development goal for Windows XP was to provide both home and professional users with a new standard in efficient and dependable computing, improving product support by reducing the need for it.

Even though the upgrade to Windows XP is not yet complete, King says he's already seen benefits. The performance and stability improvements in Windows XP, he says, have contributed to improved productivity for his users, who are experiencing far fewer application errors that result in lost work or the need to reboot. "Even in the midst of the upgrade, we didn't have a single increase in help desk calls," he says. "In fact, since we began the rollout we've seen a steady decline in calls." But when support is needed, Windows XP users can access an integrated Help and Support Center built into the desktop. With one click, customers easily find comprehensive self-help resources, diagnostic tools and assisted support services. And getting online service is easier, thanks to two new assisted-service features, Remote Assistance and Chat.