Where do I get Linux?
I’m still using XP and will until it crashes.
“Where do I get Linux?”
Although most Linux versions are free to download from the web, I think non-techies would find it much more convenient and less intimidating to buy the demo/install disks from vendors that charge very little for a single disk. Visit OSDisk.com
Now, which brand of Linux to buy? There are only two brands that I recommend to newcomers, Linuxmint.com and Ubuntu.com. I advise you try Mint first, the current version still strongly resembles Windows XP.
Now, which desktop version of Mint should I try? There are several versions, such as Cinnamon, Mate, Xfce and KDE. For an older computer, Mate or Xfce would probably run best. Your computer should have a minimum of 512mb RAM to run Mint or Ubuntu decently.
For the price of a single copy of Norton Antivirus, you could test drive quite a few Linux versions. If your computer has some weird graphics card that is incompatible with Mint, try Ubuntu. One or the other works on any computer that I have tried.
Once you find a demo that you like, you will see an icon on the desktop to install it. I have found Mint and Ubuntu to be easier to install than Windows!!! An installed copy of Linux runs MUCH faster than running the demo from a DVD.
Although you can install Linux alongside with Windows XP, you need plenty of spare room on the hard drive to do that. Run Windows own utilities to clean up and compress the drive before installing, and also back up anything you wouldn’t want to lose.