Linux Anyone? / or any other Microsoft alternative suggestions?

I'm at a point where replacing XP (microsoft) with something else sounds somewhat appetising. Anyone out there know how easy or difficult it is to use Linux XP? Will I be able to transfer pic's and documents that I have now over to another OS easily?

 

You might find this thread interesting, it also has a good Linux link. http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=106946

Steve

 

Been there; done that!
I've used a number of different "Live" distros and have had three or four installed distros. I like Linux; even considering the way it is developed and improved, it appreaed to be more stable than windoz.

The trouble with Linux - in my opinion - is that, for the individual home user to be successful with it, he/she needs to know how to administer it; and, for a non-geek, that ain't easy. I took a class (full quarter) at the local community college to learn the basics.

One nice thing about Linux, there is a lot of free software. And a lot of it is very good.

I presently use "The Gimp" as my image editor; it is free; and it is good. I originally found it when using Linux. The Gimp is also available for windows.
(gimp: Graphical Image Manipulation Program)

Because of hardware support and some propriority software problems, I finally returned to windoz.