[XboxGuy15]

I'm a big microsoft guy. I love the Xbox and Windows. I know a lot of people hate Windows, but I think its simplicity helps a lot of people. I disagree with the whole open-source argument. (this isn't the point of my post)

Now, my friends have been slowly chipping away at me. First they got me to use Firefox (the tabbed browsing did it in), then Thunderbird. Now they are trying to get me to switch to Linux (they want me to use Ubuntu). But there is a few questions I need answered.

1. I have a large (and I mean large) amount of e-mails that I absolutly need. If I switch to Linux, will I be able to read them?

2. I have some .rtf files that I use, can I still use and edit them in Linux.

3. I like to use PSP (Paint Shop Pro) to edit images. I know all about GIMP, but I really don't like it much. Can I use PSP in Linux (as well has Macromedia Fireworks and Dreamweaver)?

[uhaligani]

There are quite a few flavours of Linux. First let me say I have not used any for over a year. Before that I tried all the major players. I failed to keep any of them running for, at the most, a couple of weeks, before they became very unstable, but I was an avid experimenter. I finally gave up because of too many incompatabilities in the hardware. I have a low quality Soundcard (onboard Soundmax, which runs perfectly in XP and Vista. I never, through my tests, got it to run in Linux.
However, your question. I,ve read some praise for Ubuntu. I received a complementary CD in the post when they first started, it fared no better than other offers. The one which really impressed me was Xandros. It set up without hassle and then, via an internet connection which it had also setup itself, offered me a download of about 9Gbs of software!
There are a couple of programs out there which offer you the chance to use you Windows programs (Vmware etc). Xandros has one built in (crossover) which allows you, after configuration, to us MS office (including Outlook Express). But many of the so called "open source" programs are quite insignificant in their uses, and are for the most part available for MS windows, in other packages, anyway. Open office is pretty much the same as Ms Office anyway and I believe will allow you to import quite a lot of Office stuff. If, however, you wish to take the alternative offer and use Crossover or Vmware, are you sure you really want to change to Linux? Anyway, If you are a computer enthusiast and want to try something new - have a go!!

Just added this after reading the follow up. Xandros did find all my hardware except my camera and scanner. The incompatibilities I mentioned for the other releases were, in fact, the scanner and camera, but included the SoundMax.

[guitarmaniac]

I've been using Linux for about two months now and I LOVE it!

Don't let that last post discourage you from using ubuntu.
Just because ubuntu didnt detect all his hardware doesnt mean it wont detect yours.
It's number one at distrowatch.com last time I checked.
Give it a try, it leaves M$ for dead.
Also there is the issue of desktops, the two major ones are GNOME and KDE.
I prefer GNOME but a lot of people hate it.
ubuntu uses GNOME but if you prefer KDE I'd try SimplyMepis or Kubuntu.
Hope this helped.

guitarmaniac.

[CouchMaster]

The only solution to discussions like this is to have both in a dual boot configuration - now you can run all of your favorite Windows apps. and use Linux for hardcore Internet Surfing/email stuff etc.; where you might pickup those little nasties that abound in cyber space. Not that Linux is bullet proof but I've done some stuff with it that would have killed Windows - DEAD IN IT'S TRACKS! And, a small footprint Linux like Puppy, or DamnSmallLinux, is reinstalled in a few minutes.
And, if that's not enough, Puppy is the fastest thing you've ever seen as a live CD - so you really don't even need to setup a dual boot if you don't want too! Just run it for heavy surfing...

[qldit]

Good Afternoon XboxGuy15, yes I would second Couch's dual boot suggestion.

If you download and burn a bootable CD (the Puppy 2.0.1 Seamonkey ISO about 70 megs)
Use a suitable ISO burning program.

This will create a live Linux CD that will boot and load completely into RAM as a Ramdrive.
Looks and feels a bit like W-95
There are all kinds of wizards to assist you to do various things and information to assist any problems.
The help forum is extremely active and problem queries are quickly addressed.

This program contains a partitioning tool when it is running, to allow you to partition your drive, (similar to Partition Magic) and prepare it or alter it to accept a Linux install if you wanted to do this.

Installing this program is done from an up and running system, not the old idea of struggling through a torture path.

It can be installed on a flashdrive and run from there if desired so it is pretty flexible.

If you have an old ten or fifteen gig hard drive you can easily set it up as a dual boot machine.
Simply run Puppy, run GParted, partition the drive suitably, like if it were a ten gig drive, you can make the first partition a Linux Ext3 file system of say three gigs, then a Swap partition of say one gig and then the rest as NTFS for Windows.
Save those partitions and format the swap partition.

Install W-XP or whatever to the NTFS area using normal routine, you will see the partitions in the windows pre-install area which will also format that partition.
Check operation of windows is proper.

Next, boot on the Puppy disk and confirm Puppy is running properly in Ramdrive.
To install Puppy to the hard drive....
Simply start > setup > Puppy universal installer and the installer will run, follow the destructions, remember that the designation for a drive in this system is different to windows, HDA means the first hard drive position, and HDA1 is the first partition on that drive.
So the install will progress and complete, this will take five minutes or so, you will then be asked if you wish to install a boot manager (GRUB) GRand Unified Bootloader, and following the defaults for this action will duly set the thing up.
The only difference will be installing the GRUB to the MBR which will need selection, this virtually completes the path and a few enters will complete that install and should give a satisfactory install message.

At this point you can select reboot and should see a GRUB menu screen asking which system you would like to boot.
It is easy to alter the wording of this menu if desired. YES MASTER looks good!

To get online use the respective ethernet or whatever wizard.
Set your firewall using the firewall wizard.
Set your burner and CD read drives uuusing the respective set up wizard.

All programs are carefully selected to cater for everyone with the best available.
There is not much you won't be able to do with this system.
You do need to learn to mount drives under different circumstances (using a tool) and unmounting them when completed.
Music CDs run without needing to be mounted but data disks all need mounting.
This is actually a good idea once you learn your way around, you are in control of everything that happens.
The taskbar contains processor activity indicator, free memory readout, internet activity and a clock with calendar. As well as four different desktops and other items.
Use only one mouse click, left or right.
Don't worry too much about malware programs.
http://www.puppyos.com/
Of the different eighty odd programs I have tried in the past six years, this one is by far the most exciting, and Sea Monkey is a good selection for exploring and mail.
Cheers, qldit.

[lynch]

I love these threads!