[markomalley]

THE LAST Windows update you will need.

I suggest you try a little Windows application called Linux Live USB Creator (or LiLi for short). It allows you to install what's known as a "live" Linux distribution on a USB stick. Then you can boot your computer with that USB stick and try the distribution out to see how well it will actually work on your machine. The nice thing is that you can try out any number of distributions until you find the one you like.

There are any number of ways Linux is bundled together into distribution packages (or "distributions" for short). Here is a site (Distrowatch) where you can read about different Linux OS's and download the ISO's and burn them to a disk for testing and installing.

(For me, the best one for my desktop machine is Linux Mint -- link above -- and the best one for my old eeePC netbook is Peppermint. But that doesn't mean there's one that would work for you better)

One other nice feature with Linux, you can install the OS along-side your existing Windows installation, creating a "dual boot" machine. You are asked, whenever you boot up your machine, which OS you would like to boot up. I did that for several years, and would alternatively go between Windows one of several Linux distros. The last install I did, I didn't waste my time any longer with Windoze.

[BlueDragon]

Thank you for continuing the public service announcement.

No, really. Thanks.

[cuban leaf]

Most of the software I use (And that’s a lot) runs on Windows. I use Office 365, Sonar recording studio software, Cubase (same) and a couple of games. I tried Ubuntu about five years ago and decided I just wanted to use my computer as a comodity. It works and I don’t need to tinker with it.

I still see Linux as for computer hobbyists or folks who run servers, etc. For the average computer user - who uses their computer as a simple tool to do their job, Linux is not practical.

And I’ve been in IT since 1983 and build my own computers.

[matthew fuller]

What size USB stick do you recommend? What level hardware requirements do I need?

[Dalberg-Acton]

I was not able to get Mint 64 bit, xfce or cinnamon, to install on my computer. I got an error on boot that said the OS was missing. Tried the 32 bit version and it worked perfectly. I am going to try and stay away from MS products.