Installing Linux

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Okay, I've been hearing a lot about how awesome Linux/Unix is in comparison with Windows, so two questions
1) Will there be any difficulties in syncing up with other windows programs/computers, for example does open office work on a Linux.
2) I currently run Windows XP. How hard is it to replace it with Linux/Unix?
There will undoubtedly be more questions as I learn more about what I'm doing.

1: Yes and no. Linux can be difficult until you get used to it because things aren't installed the same. For most people I think the real issue will not be that Linux is any more difficult so much as it is different and trying to get out of the Windows mindset long enough to grasp the concept. Openoffice will work on Linux and in fact is likely to be an option when you are installing it.

2: Not really, the install is graphical and quite similar to Windows install.

So in the interest of saving memory, should I/can I delete the Windows OS?

Three Questions:

1 - What size is your hard drive?
2 - What do you use your computer for?
3 - What programs (if any) do you use that you absolutely have to have?

1) Open Office comes from the linux world. Firefox will rad your windows partition to get your favorites lists

2) Dont replace, share. It will be possible to dual boot; you will have a choice when you start the computer. Linux, such as say Ubuntu(which I recomend), is tiny, and you could install it in less than 10 gigs of space. 40 gigs would be a huge drive for most people.

By sharing(dual booting) you will get the best of both worlds.

Try a live CD first. You can learn the basics there, later installing if you like.

If at all possible, try linux first on an alternate machine. Its good and reassuring to still have internet access if something goes wrong.

As Fuzzy suggested try a live cd first or try installing Linux in a virtual machine. You could use VirtualBox (which you can get for free) for this. That way you won't need an alternate machine for testing Linux.

I'd recommend a dual boot.

Try Ubuntu Linux (or even the Google Operating System which is based on Ubuntu).

Linux isn't great as a games platform and it's pcmcia support is bad.

If you're using the internet, gmail, open office etc... then you'll find linux to be faster and just as effective - more effective really - than windows.

If you're into Gaming or DVD Authoring... maybe think again - or dual boot.

You might like WUBI.

http://wubi-installer.org

From Linux, you can access your Windows stuff by going to /host.

1: 160 GB of memory
2: I use it for moderate gaming, word processing, extensive web surfing. It doesn't have a CD drive so I can't play non-internet games. (although I am thinking about buying an external drive)
3: I need Google chrome, or a better web browser, a word processor that can sync with word, and I'd very much enjoy keeping Maplestory. I don't need anti-virus software if I have Linux do I, so not that anymore. Oh, and some sort of MP3 reader/displayer such as winamp. Paint analogue perhaps, although I don't use it much or extensively.

A couple of points, Rafter613.

If you don't have a CD drive, you may be able to persuade someone else to let you run the live CD briefly on their machine, and use that to get yourself a copy of Ubuntu on a USB memory stick. It's a simple "click on the menu item" to do so. You can not only then boot from that stick, but you can write back to it (unlike a live CD).

The Maplestory news seems bad. I just looked, and as of Dec 2008, WineHQ say "rubbish" for it. Wine is "Wine Is No Emulator", and is often the way to run Windows programs directly on Linux. In this case, Maplestory apparently requires 3D acceleration, and Wine doesn't handle that properly enough.

So... I'd suggest you try out a memory stick with Ubuntu. Then use that to install it as dual boot (another one click sort of operation), and maybe later think about re-installing Windows (a week or so of rebooting) under VirtualBox (when the reboots don't matter), to save ever rebooting (except once a month, or so, when a new kernel comes out, which you can't resist upgrading to).

PS. Everything else you mentioned, you'll find you have masses of choice with. E.g I quite like KolourPaint, for straightforward artwork, but gpaint is simpler, then gifsicle is nice for animated GIFs, though Gimp is better at everything, and there's Scribus for font handling, and Fig for geometry, and so on, etc, ad (nearly) infinitum. Each takes two minutes to download/install, another ten minutes to decide if you like it or not. None cost you anything.

Then I would agree with others about a dual-boot as you a) have plenty of space and b) don't seem to be a heavy gamer (games can swallow hard drive space).



I don't believe that Google Chrome is out for Linux yet, but there is always Firefox and Opera that I would recommend.

While it is true that Linux is much more safe in terms of viruses, that isn't a reason to be complacent--I can't think of the anti-virus software off the top of my head, but there is one.

As far as .mp3s go, I would probably say that Amarok would suit your needs just fine.

Open Office is free and I believe Star Office is not very expensive (haven't looked recently).




As far as your situation, here is my recommendation (which mirrors a lot of what was already said):

1 - Spring for a CD drive
2 - Leave Windows on your system and download one of the various LiveCDs out there (Knoppix, Fedora 8 etc.)
3 - Familiarize yourself with your LiveCD version before starting
4 - Use your LiveCD to install (instructions can be found on the site that you get one from) to a hard drive as a dual boot system


If in the future you choose to migrate fully to Linux, you can do that or you can keep a dual boot system.


Personally, I prefer Fedora as I've managed to find great user support from fedoraforum.org and it works very well.

Depends what you're trying to sync up. I've generally been able to get along in the world using Linux without extensive compatibility issues, but then I was a lifelong Mac user so perhaps I was just used to the extra step to ensure Windows compatibility. OpenOffice will run on Linux; it will also more likely than not be bundled with any Linux distro you choose to install.


Depends on what distro you go with. A good one to start off with (generally very easy to deal with) is Ubuntu, as others on this thread have already recommended.

yup...don't delete your Windows OS until you can do what you want in Linux. Always leave yourself an out. I've seen too many stunned/upset faces of people who lost important data (but then I'm in IT... to recommend cutting the cord too early.

As much as I wish everyone could just run Ubuntu, it isn't wise to make the quick conversion without a dual boot. Switching back and forth is a pain, but Linux is superior for web browsing by far. Eventually, you'll wean yourself of Windows.

Yeah, dual-booting is good. I still triple-boot, even though Linux is sufficient for everything I really need to do.

Alright, so I guess I'll try installing Ubuntu. I'm currently using a netbook, and the product specs say 1GB of memory, and 160 GB of "hybrid storage HDD". The computer is actually sold with Linux preinstalled, but I bought the windows version. So you sure I can run linux/windows dual-boot?