I've been hearing very good things about Macs lately. I'd go for it.
Linux. I've been Winblows-free for years.
I know you guys contribute a lot to the Mac and Linux threads, and I'd appreciate it if you could ping your lists and maybe give a fed-up Windows guy some advice on how to get that thing out of my life.
Once you go Mac, you'll never go back..... 8^)
Red Hat Fedora with Open Office. Will run on your current platform easily.
There is an easier solution. Don't use Norton products.
First thing is Norton sucks and why you would be running speeddisk on XP is beyond me.
Despite my constantly chiding Mac users for being gay, I am starting to come around. Now that I don't play computer games anymore (no time) Mac is a theoretical possibility. If Mac's cost less, I would really consider getting one for my next computer.
You should definately go to Linux- it is so easy to install and you can learn all the wonderful command line commandd such as 'grep' 'awk' 'sed' 'cwd' 'pwd' 'ls -al' 'find * -prn'
Microsoft is SO HARD after all. No on can hardly use it! And when you run Norton it crashes - and that is NOT nortons fault~!
your problem was with that crappy program from symantec/norton
Installing Norton Systemworks was your first mistake.
I'll admit it's not as much fun as roasting Bill Gates, but it may bring you closer to the root of your problem...
Knoppix boots from CD and finds/configures all your hardware without disturbing your hard drive unless you want to save a persistent home directory.
The only problem is that, if you are using dial-up, it won't find WinModems (internal PCI modems). If you have an external serial port modem, it will find that just fine. Serial modems are better modems anyway.
If you want more info, Freepmail me.
It largely depends on what you use the machine to do... but if you are a UNIX novice you will definitely need a good deal of ramp-up study to get your bearings. There will be much less acclimatization with a Mac.
Find some old disks and install Win95/98. They finally got most of the bugs out. Alsmost all of the software manufacturers except Microsoft issue versions which will run on those systems.
The Mac will be a lot more user friendly than Linux.
I have to re-install my windows every month or so... I'm a linux novice also! One day I may make the switch.
Give SimplyMepis a try. It is a Linux livecd and is very, very easy to use for a Windows refugee.
Here's a clue: when you switch to your new OS, don't run Speed Disk on it either. A totally superfluous utility, of no value whatsoever.
And do backups of your data. I can't imagine what computer writers are thinking about when they fail to put this at the top of priorities.
I have most of my family's photos digitized (thousands). I burn them to multiple CDs and keep copies at my sister's house. That's pretty much all of what I'd hate to lose, but I also backup email once a year or so.