please give me advice!

Im not the biggest fan of windows. So i started looking into Linux and i have few questions not covered by the FAQ i just read.

For those who have linux:
1)just how easy is it to use?
2)I can read directions and figure things out but if i make a mistake will it make my entire pc inoperable?
3)say i have both linux and windows- if there is a problem with one will i be unable to use the other one?
4)will it make things alot slower having two OS's on one hard drive?
5)say i want to uninstall linux, is it easy? or does it take some work? (i dont mind work as long as i have directions!)
6)if i do screw up(uninstalling), can it be easily fixed?

sorry for all the questions but i like getting as much information as i can before making decisions!! thanks much for all responses! :wave

 

Its as easy or difficult as you wish it to be. Some distros are incredibly easy, some are quite advanced.

Yes. Quite easily. Linux requires you to mess with the "guts" more than Windows, but a little common sense, backing up, and knowing how to restore said backup minimizes risk.

Sure. If you were to mess up the bootloader, neither would boot, but its easily fixable.

Not at all.

Its generally as simple as formatting the nix partitions and rebuilding the master boot record.

Sure, you could format everything and start fresh if it gets really bad. I had an old install of Fedora absolutely decimated my MBR, I had to write zeros to get the drive usable again. But thats a very uncommon circumstance.

I'm sure ytou have more questions, so feel free to ask I have a lot of respect for anyone who dislikes windows that tries to do something about it and leave Microsoft behind

 

Very well put, Adrynalyne.

FWIW, I'm of the opinion that if you had started out using Linux instead of Windows, you'd probably be as knowledgeable about that OS, or possibly even moreso.

There is an abundance of resources for Linux users.

 

Thanks for the info Adryn and Im always out to help the "little" guy LOL

I do have a few more questions though,

1)with someone as little knowledge as I have about Linux.. I saw in the FAQ there were a few "varieties" of distribution, which one should i get?
2)when downloading.. does it comes with the apps, drivers and basic programs? or do i d/l those seperatly?
3)will i need any special software/hardware specifically made for Linux?
4)if i screw things up and have to reformat (totally).. can i use my XP to re-format the whole hard drive or will i need one for LIinux?
5)anything else you think i need to know so i dont screw up my brand new computer (I have a tendency to screw things up.. not intentionally..im just a klutz LOL)

Again thanks much!

 

I'd reccomend a beginner distro, such as Kubuntu. I reccomend Kubuntu over Ubuntu, because it uses KDE, and will be the most familiar to you, coming from Windows.
Another popular one is called PCLinuxOS 2007. It also is very easy to use, and from the little I played with it, is pretty polished. There is Sabayon, which isn't quite as easy, but is more cutting edge, and is pretty heavy on eyecandy and things to impress others

If its a large distro, or beginner distro, then it will have almost everything you need, sans kitchen sink More advanced distros come with almost nothing. Software installation is a breeze in the beginner distros, usually.

Software yes, hardware, no. There is WINE, for running Windows apps in Linux though. It doesn't work with all of them.

Yes! The XP CD will be fine.

Take your time. Read the HowTos on installing before diving in. The biggest thing is take your time, and remember, its only software. Nothing a hop, skip, and format cannot fix Assuming you have copies of your software on disk

Try the distros I mentioned. Every one of them is a liveCD/DVD. You can run it off CD/DVD and see if you like it before commiting it to your hard disk.