Another problem with FAT32 on an XP box, is that XP has a maximum size of 32 MB for FAT32 partitions, which is generally much smaller than the size of the drive on newer machines, and the maximum file size is 4 gig. OK, so you say partition it. But the problem there is that many of us with XP computers are using them for such things as video editing, and burning DVDs of home movies. One video capture file for burning a DVD can be about 25 gig, with another 20-25 gig needed for the AVI file, before you're ready to start converting to MPEG and burning DVDs. For that kind of storage real estate, a bunch of chunked-up FAT32 partitions won't cut it, and the files are too big to be saved in FAT32 (again, for WinXP). There is a very real, and very legitimate need for XP users to use NTFS, and this is only one example.

Sure, it's an MS WinXP problem, but if your video editing and burning software are Windows applications, then you have to live within those limitations. With drives getting bigger and files getting bigger, it's a problem that won't go away. If Linux wants to win converts from XP users, it had better find a way to deal with NTFS, because yammering on about how much better FAT32 is than NTFS (and I'm still not convinced of this, BTW - I see the inability of Linux to deal with NTFS as a Linux problem, not an NTFS problem, IMNSHO) won't make the sale.