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Ubuntu

I've used it through version 10. It's ok, and you can do a lot of things with it. It's very secure and almost virus proof. You can write and create documents using Open Office, manage files, and most other tasks. It can be buggy though, so make sure that if you install it that you have all the necessary drivers.
It can be downloaded and installed on a CD or DVD. You can then run it from a Windows machine, boot from the CD/DVD and do sort of a test run without having to install it on your hard drive. It'll run from your CD/DVD drive. Check out Ubuntu's web site for all the details!
 
Keep in mind everything I'm saying is from experience trying to help people who aren't geeks with computer science degrees. I don't want to start any flame wars because Linux is so much more secure or usable for a small segment of our population.

Yes, I've used most derivations of Linux/Unix and even had my own distribution for a while. I'm a die hard Linux fan and wouldn't normally recommend it unless you are a geek or a software developer. None of them are nearly as user friendly as Windows or Mac and getting support as a layperson is almost impossible. Open office is there and is a great app but I can't count the number of times my wife was upset with me because she didn't have 'real' office. I eventually relented and installed Office for Mac but you won't even have that option if you go the Linux route.

More people know and understand windows than mac or linux so your community base will be broader. Linux is always being evolved, which means constant changes and frequent bugs if you stay up to date. (That could be a wash compared to windows but refer to previous point on getting help to those issues.) More fully featured apps are available and supported by other organizations. At some point, your doc created by OpenOffice will not be compatible with someone else's genuine office install and will cause issues. Same goes for a lot of different apps.
The last issue, and most important for some of us: You can't play Grand Theft Auto or most current generation video games on Linux. If you ever have an inkling to play anything newer than SimCity 2000, you will need to rethink using Linux.

Take my opinion for what it is, an opinion but know that its based on about 20 years of trying to support non-geek friends and family using windows, mac and the eventual linux install.
 
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Dan.1977p I also support your opinion, Ubuntu (and other linux dist.) may have their strengths, but still is not for non-geek users for all the reasons you stated and I will add one.

There is still a lot of hardware add-ons not supported, typically only hardware that the linux followers like, even those can have interesting support, as sometimes linux coders tend to implement code as they feel should operate, not always per specifications. That is not intended as a negative comment about linux, as that is also one of linux strengths, "approved specifications" are not always the correct way to go.

My background might even go back farther, as I started well before Windows. There has been times I installed linux and thought that is was the best choice for the application, but that was when there was full trained support available for the user base and that base was typically rather small.
 
Thank you for the replies I appreciate it. I may give it a try as a stand alone on its own DVD and see what its like.
 
Thank you for the replies I appreciate it. I may give it a try as a stand alone on its own DVD and see what its like.

Don't forget that you can boot it up into a LiveCD and test run it before installing it. Ubuntu has brought the Linux desktop platform to the mainstream and they do a really good job of it. There will be things that you will miss...some programs will run under "WINE" which allows Windows programs to run on Linux machines.

As with most things, riding included, there will be a learning curve to navigate as you become more comfortable and proficient!

Enjoy!
 
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