I am considering installing this on my new laptop (I don't want to use Vista). My preliminary searches suggest that I will be able to use it to get TV through a USB tuner (obviously subject to the hardware, which I think is ok). Is that right and are there any gross limitations that you can think of that I should know that would put me off the idea?

As long as you have the hardware for a TV tuner, you should be fine. Im to assume your USB tuner card came with software.

Myself I would go with XP on a laptop, especially if it has wireless because the built-in wireless functionality in XP is much easier to deal with than it is in 2000. Also XP boots significantly faster than 2000.

That said, 2000 is a rock solid OS, and if the drivers for the tuner are 2000 compatible you should be fine.

I see no reason to reward Microsoft to the tune of AU$450 for giving me a program with an unacceptable EULA and (from what I have read about it) unacceptable features. In addition, it appears that XP has been removed completely from the shops so I don't think that I can get it, anyway.

The laptop could have wireless (I don't know) but I don't use wireless at all and booting time doesn't really bother me - I press the button and then go off and get my cuppa, so I am never sitting there waiting for it to load...

I haven't got a tuner yet, but I've read about it and its something I might like to try out. I searched some tuners, and there are ones that say they'll work on Windows 2000, so they should supply what is necessary.

Thanks to you both for replies.

XP can still be purchased and I suspect that you could find a pretty good deal on it about now due to Vista's arrival. I do have to agree with you though and still use my W2k Pro. As for booting time...a minute and a half is all that long to wait, by the time I start the computer and go over and pour my coffee it's up and ready.

No, not in Australia it can't. It's not only been discontinued, but all copies have been recalled.

M$ will phase out the OEM version of XP by next January but builders will still be able to purchase XP for another year. I haven't seen any reference to Australia recalling XP, can you provide us with a link to read about this?

Sorry, I wrote that quickly, it isn't well expressed. I'm not talking about the OEM version, but the retail version - I'm not a system builder. I was told by an employee of a supplier that he'd recalled all copies. Another site I looked at on-line (which I can't now find) said that it had been discontinued and that there'd be no further supply. The supplier of my laptop refuses to supply XP and (rather strangely, I thought) seemed to be trying to convince me to install Vista. Copies have also disappeared from the other mainstream shops. MS' intent is referred to in this article <a href="http://www.pcauthority.com.au/news.aspx?CIaNID=49814" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.pcauthority.com.au/news.aspx?CIaNID=49814</a> "The vendor also said that is has no plans to do the same in the consumer market however." What's happened is that it has been pulled from the shops. (I gather that there may not be too many OEM's out there either, another guy at a shop told me they had 2 OEM's and, after that, there'd be no more.)

Edit: I've just been told by another supplier that, as soon as Vista came out, Microsoft "took back all the copies that we had".