First time using Linux

[Jamsers]

You can do dual booting. Just be sure to install any Linux distribution AFTER Windows. That's very important, because if you somehow install Windows after Linux, Windows will overwrite the Linux boot loader (GRUB) and the Windows boot loader doesn't recognize Linux installations, leaving you locked out of Linux. Don't worry about having to deal with all this boot loader business, as long as you let the distribution's installer take care of it, it should be no problem.

Linux Mint would be a great distribution for beginners. A lot of stuff is already pre-installed including most of the stuff that newbies look for like Flash, music and video codecs, and proprietary drivers.

[kreso93]

Use dual booting. That's what I used before I switched my other computer to Linux only. It's a great way to test the OS out, and if you don't like it you can just format the hard drive and it's like nothing was installed on it. Best way to do it is to split your HDD to partitions or get an old HDD to test it out. You can get old used HDD's for cheap or even for free.

[kreso93]

Also, I suggest you to use Linux distro package, it's more user friendlier than other distributions.

[mrnothersan]

If you're a first time user to Linux I would suggest using Ubuntu, as that for me is personally the best OS that you can use. It has lots of features too.

[kreso93]

If you're a first time user to Linux I would suggest using Ubuntu, as that for me is personally the best OS that you can use. It has lots of features too.

Yes, that's what I meant to say. Ubuntu. If you didn't knew, you can order it online for free. It will come to your home address in 3-4 weeks, depending on where you live.

[DarthVader3257]

I'm pretty new to Linux myself. I'm pretty sure you should be able to integrate Linux and Windows somehow, it shouldn't cost way too much. I was thinking about doing so earlier, but I might as well invest completely on just a new Linux laptop. Good luck!

[Christi Harris]

So Linux is better than using Windows? Wow! Where have I been.

[Snrm]

So what exactly am I getting by installing Linux onto my computer? Will it be like learning to use a computer again or is it all pretty straight forward? What do I stand to gain by choosing to install Linux?

[Victor Leigh]

So what exactly am I getting by installing Linux onto my computer? Will it be like learning to use a computer again or is it all pretty straight forward? What do I stand to gain by choosing to install Linux?

What do you gain by choosing to install Linux? Let me count the benefits.

First and foremost, you gain an immediate speed advantage. Linux is an open source platform. So the developers have no vested interest in making a bloated operating system just so that they can get more money from you.

In fact, there are some Linux developers who make it a hobby to see how small a Linux distro they can make. The smallest that I have heard of is just under 50Mb. So what has this small size got to do with speed? One, a smaller operating system means that it can work with less ram. Even if you have a lot of ram, when the operating system uses less ram, it simply means that you have more ram for running other programs. Actually, some Linux distros load up totally into ram. Puppy Linux does this.

The next benefit is something you will enjoy in the long-term. Linux is hardly affected by virus. I suppose that it is possible to write a virus to infiltrate a Linux system. Not that it's going to be easy. Linux has many levels of security which makes hacking it just so much more work. I think the real reason why there are just about no Linux-specific viruses is simply that there's nothing to brag about when you hack into a Linux system. It's an open source system. So no virus makes for a much more pleasant working atmosphere. Right?

There are a lot more other benefits of using Linux but I think just these two alone should be enough incentive to get you started. I am not an expert on Linux but I play with it. So ask any questions you want and I will see if I know the answer.

Over to you.

[Stefano Messicano]

Yes sure, Windows can be leave installed on Pc because Linux recognizes the system leaving it.However for a beginner who uses the first few times Linux is advisable begin with Ubuntu,is simple and intuitive.