For some time now, Microsoft has released its operating system products in several different categories, each offering different levels of complexity, customization and features. While XP Home and XP Professional are similar in many ways, there are a number of features the Professional edition offers that Home does not.
Security
As XP Professional is geared toward business use, it offers a more complex set of security features, including an encrypted file system and the ability to control many different aspects of user access.
Networking
The Professional edition offers expanded networking capabilities compared to the Home edition, which is limited to basic workgroup-style networking.
Sharing
XP Home offers basic file and printer sharing services, while Professional allows much more control over who can access your system and exactly what actions they can take.
Remote Desktop
XP Professional features the Remote Desktop feature, which allows someone to access your computer remotely for technical assistance and see exactly what you see on the screen.
Backup and System Recovery
The Professional version of the operating system also includes backup and system recovery features, to help restore PCs after crashes, viruses or other data mishaps. Home lacks these built-in features.