發展史
原名為NGWS的Microsoft Net。最主要的變革是將產品轉以服務的方式提供，推出各種集中式主機（Hosted）版本與服務，以供瀏覽器直接存取，產品預計在2002年之後才會陸續推出，不過其產品架構仍是以Windows為主。
儘管微軟董事長宣稱這將是企業從DOS轉向Windows之後的另一個里程碑，但相較於現各軟體廠商早將軟體轉向服務概念，相繼推出以瀏覽器讀取的Web版本，同時ASP（Application Service Provider）廠商也如雨後春筍般出現的時候，微軟此舉並沒有任何創新的動作，順應潮流的情況大於開創新局。
流向市場版本
在Windows XP正式版發布之前，Whistler先後有Beta 1、Beta 2版本。它們先後交付於全球數萬名測試者測試。2000年10月，Whistler Beta 1版發布；2001年2月5日，微軟將Whistler正式更名為Windows XP，並在2001年3月25日推出了其Beta 2版（中文版版本號為2462）。到了2001年11月9日，Windows XP RTM版正式流向市場，發布了“專業版”(Professional)和“家庭版”(Home Editon)兩個版本，從而取代了Whistler以往所有的測試版。Windows Server 2003的開發代號為Windows Whistler Server。Windows XP的開發代號為Whistler。
目前Windows Whistler 在 BetaArchive、OSCollect和WinWorldPC網站仍可下載。
組件版本
Microsoft Windows Media Player：8.0 Beta
Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer：6.0 Beta
DirectX：8.0
Outlook Express：6.00 Beta
Common Controls ：6.00
NET Framework：無
（註：每一版的版本號都會有所不同）
歷代版本
Pre-Beta
•SD Windows 2000 Professional 2202.1.ntvbl06.000202-1835
•Whistler Build 2211.1.main.000309-1512
•Whistler Build 2223.1.main.000411-2307
Technical Beta
•Whistler Build 2250.1.main.000628-2110
•Whistler Build 2257.1.idx01.000810-2103
•Whistler Build 2267.1.idx01.000910-1316
•Whistler Build 2276.1.lab02_n.000928-2023
•Whistler Build 2287.1.beta1.001012-1640
Beta 1
•Whistler Build 2296.1.beta1.001024-1157
Pre-Beta 2
•Whistler Build 2410.main.001208-1937
•Whistler Build 2416.idx01.010104-1958
•Whistler Build 2419.idx02.010113-1154
•Whistler Build 2428.idx01.010129-1827
•Whistler Build 2430.main.010130-1821
•Whistler Build 2432.main.010203-1757
•Whistler Build 2433.main.010206-1822
•Whistler Build 2439 (full buildtag unknown)
•Whistler Build 2446.main.010224-2228
•Whistler Build 2454.main.010306-1653
•Whistler Build 2457.main.010309-1904
•Whistler Build 2458.main.010310-1552
Beta 2
•Whistler Build 2462.main.010315-1739
•Whistler Build 2463.main.010328-1824
•Windows XP Build 2465.idx01.010412-2007
Pre-RC1
•Windows XP Build 2469.idx02.010508-1228
•Windows XP Build 2474.main.010508-1907
•Windows XP Build 2475.idx01.010514-2023
•Windows XP Build 2481.main.010523-1905
•Windows XP Build 2485.main.010530-2130
•Windows XP Build 2486.main.010602-1927
•Windows XP Build 2494.main.010613-1739
•Windows XP Build 2495.main.010614-1724
•Windows XP Build 2498.main.010618-1744
•Windows XP Build 2499.main.010619-1834
•Windows XP Build 2502.main.010622-1750
•Windows XP Build 2504.main.010625-1923
RC1
•Windows XP Build 2505.main.010626-1514
•Windows XP Build 2509.main.010702-1146
Pre-RC2
•Windows XP Build 2517.main.010713-1717
•Windows XP Build 2520.main.010717-1624
RC2
•Windows XP Build 2525.xpclient.010723-1719
•Windows XP Build 2526 (Embedded)
•Windows XP Build 2526.xpclient.010724-1758
•Windows XP Build 2531.xpclient.010730-1640
•Windows XP Build 2532.xpclient.010731-1658
Pre-RTM
•Windows XP Build 2535.xpclient.010803-1621
•Windows XP Build 2542.xpclient.010811-1534
RTM
•Windows XP Build 2600.xpclient.010817-1148
Service Pack 1 Beta
•Windows XP Build 2600.1050.xpsp1.020529-1810
•Windows XP Build 2600.1065.xpsp1.020625-1800
Service Pack 1
•Windows XP Build 2600.1106.xpsp1.020828-1920
Service Pack 2 Beta
•Windows XP Build 2600.1185.xpsp2.030313-1931
•Windows XP Build 2600.1204.xpsp2.030410-1604
•Windows XP Build 2600.1213.xpsp2.030424-1654
•Windows XP Build 2600.2082.xpsp.040216-1810
•Windows XP Build 2600.2096.xpsp_sp2_rc1.040311-2315
•Windows XP Build 2600.2135.xpsp.040518-1812
•Windows XP Build 2600.2138.xpsp.040522-1636
•Windows XP Build 2600.2149.xpsp_sp2_rc2.040610-1520
•Windows XP Build 2600.2162.xpsp_sp2_idx.040709-1830
•Windows XP Build 2600.2179.xpsp_sp2_rtm.040802-1419
Service Pack 2
•Windows XP Build 2600.2180.xpsp_sp2.040803-2158
Service Pack 3 Beta
•Windows XP Build 2600.3180.xpsp.070718-2058
•Windows XP Build 2600.3205.xpsp.070831-1912
•Windows XP Build 2600.3244.xpsp.071030-1537
•Windows XP Build 2600.3264.xpsp.071130-1425
•Windows XP Build 2600.3282.xpsp.071227-0220
•Windows XP Build 2600.3300.xpsp.080125-2028
•Windows XP Build 2600.3311.xpsp.080212-0005
•Windows XP Build 2600.5503.xpsp.080306-1604
•Windows XP Build 2600.5508.xpsp.080320-0409
Service Pack 3
•Windows XP Build 2600.5512.xpsp.080413-2111
