I tell my class that when compared to windows ease of use is about the
same. what programs do you use so we can respond to your question.

I like to refer to windows as to a man with AIDS; every virus may mean
the end of him. I refer to Linux as the man that never catches a cold
let alone anything else. If I liked my identity I would switch.

I refer to Linux as a test for any user and Windows as the one most
people use. Most programs that windows uses with not run on Ubuntu with
some knowledge.

That is the ultimate question. I suggest you download the CD and run it.
You can actually use Ubuntu off of your CDROM drive without installing. It
is going to be slower than the installed version but you can try it out and
see the apps and use them.

If you are comfortable using XP you should have few problems with normal
day to day use of Ubuntu. The biggest differences you will find are

* Security is taken far more seriously in Linux than in Windows. Many
Windows users don't like this as it 'gets in the way' but it makes the
system far less likely to be compromised (do not believe the myths that
Linux is immune to malware, it isn't, no computer system is. It's just
that Windows is *so* much easier to exploit that the script kiddies
don't bother with Linux)

* Support in Linux is provided in an *entirely* different way to
Windows with almost total reliance on community support rather than
commercial and an emphasis on teaching you how to learn and understand
the system so that you can help to support yourself, rather than
step-by-step instructions-for-idiots that teach you next to nothing

* The way software is installed and managed is radically different, but
much easier once you get used to it

* There is quite a bit of hardware that will not work in Linux, but the
situation *is* getting slowly better

* There is more use of the command line to perform tasks. Indeed, many
power users *only* use the command line and don't even install a
graphical desktop

* If you're a gamer, you'll find few of the games that you play are
available for Linux - again, this situation is slowly improving

There are Linux versions of most of the programs you are familiar with
in Windows and for those which don't have a Linux version, there's the
Wine project, which allows (some) Windows programs to be run in Linux.

All in all, having switched from XP to Ubuntu myself just over five
years ago, I'd say you'd have few really serious problems making the
transition. However, I would strongly suggest one of the 'try before
you buy' options such as dual booting, Wubi or simply running it for a
bit off the live CD to make sure your hardware works and to get the feel
for it before you totally wipe out Windows (noting that the live CD is
slower than a proper install as is, I believe, Wubi)

To echo what the others have said you'll find you can do much of what
you did on Windows but there will be some things that will need a
different approach. General stuff like e-mail / web surfing etc is
just the same and working with photo's is as easy / easier too. Things
like iTunes and working an iPod are troublesome but not impossible as
long as you realize that it won't look or work in the same way.

Overall many of us find that the plusses far outweigh the minuses but
you won't know personally until you give it a go. The Live CD will
give you an idea, and Wubi will allow a sort of dual-boot with a
slightly less able Ubuntu installation but more workable than the Live
CD.

Once you decide to take the plunge then a full install will open up
the full 'Ubuntu Experience' and where you go from there is up to you.
It's perfectly possible to have WinXP loaded using Virtual Box and get
into iTunes that way if needed - and WinXP works better that way than
natively though it won't run high power games that way.

If you do decide to switch there's plenty of help around to get you up
and running plus deal with problems as they arrive. Some things will
not work - Lexmark printers being notable in that respect but all
makes of peripherals will have some models of printer / camera etc
that will not work under Ubuntu no matter what you do.

I believe someone already mentioned it, but the standard ubuntu install cd also
works as a live CD. You just pop it in, boot the computer from the CD, then
select "try ubuntu without making c,hanges to your computer." It will be slower
than a full install, and slower than a puppy linux live cd, but will give you a
better idea of what the ubuntu OS is like before you commit to it. Ubuntu is,
in my experience, quite different than puppy linux. However, i do like puppy
quite well for my much older hardware.

Thanks for all the replies. Your responses amke me want to try it out. I am
not a gamer. I don't think I use any real exotic programs. My wife downloads
PFDs for her business. I was also interested in time management and goal
setting programs. Use use some audio programs and watch youtube type stuff.
Does Linux have anythign like Audacity for recording audio? I live about 45
from Anchorage (actually in Wasilla, Sarah's home town) where there is a Linux
group but can't make it for a few weeks. I understand that no computer is
immune from infections but realize that Linux has a very good track record and
I'm tired of infections. Is my 750 MBs of RAM sufficient to run Linux?

ubuntu has audacity..................

Audacity is available for Linux.

If your computer will boot from USB, install Ubuntu on a thumb drive. This
way, you will be able to make changes and install software to play with it. I
don't think you will be able to form a realistic opinion of Linux until you have
run it for several weeks as an actual installation. Wiping away your previous
OS is a big step that you don't want to do unless you are quite sure. Getting
you PC back to running WIndows is going to be a weekend project - even if it is
all on backup.

Wiping away your previous OS is a big step that you don't want to
do unless you are quite sure.

No.
assuming you have spare space on your hard drive
install ubuntu as dual boot
then it will ask you on boot windows or ubuntu.
http://www.libreoffice.org/ will do all pdf stuff,
or scribus for DTP.

You can carry on using windows whilst you learn how to use ubuntu software
center etc.

ubuntu should be able to read everything from your windows my documents
folder.

Lots of good ideas. I will start slowly checking out these ideas. It was very
interesting that Linux has no registry. I have used CCleaner and now I use
Eusing. I know those temp files can add up fast.

Steve, who knows. I may already have said "Hi" to your niece. I will keep
saying "Hi' to everyone in Wasilla and hopefully I will connect with her. There
are lots of nice hikes and mountains to climb here.

Have been a Windows user for 25 years. I recently
downloaded and installed the Zorin 4 version of Ubuntu. It allows operation from
the CD but also can easily be installed as a dual boot so that I can either boot
up to Zorin or to my original version of Windows XP. This is installed on a
laptop that is about 8 years old. It has a 2 gig processor and 768 mgs of ram.
It has become very clunky at running Windows XP. To clean it up I totaly erased
the hard drive a few months ago and reinstalled XP and everything else. It ran
better for a month or two and then started slowing down again. That is why I
installed the Zorin Ubuntu Linux. So far I am happy with it. It has a look
similar to Windows so it is not an entirely new learning experience for me.

Thanks for telling me about your experience. Our RAM is similar. Your
processor is much faster than mine but I don't think that makes as much
difference as the RAM. I am dreading reinstalling XP and that is one reason why
I am thinking of Linux.

I dont know if linux has any programs like audacity... But it does actually have
audacity. It can be a little finicky initially trying to get the sound piped
correctly into the program via the Jack server, but once that is done, you
should be right at home.

I personnally think your 700 MB or ram should be fine, but you may want to try
lubuntu if you are finding that things seem too slwo. Lubuntu is a separate
ubuntu installation that has a lighter window manager that is less resource
intense. But if you install Ubuntu and want to switch to the lighter package,
you can do that simply by installing the lighter window manager (no need to
reinstall the whole OS!). I was previously running the full ubuntu desktop on a
3GHz P-IV with 512 MB ram and there were no noticable problems . Also running
ubuntu on a 1GHz PIII with 384 MB ram, and that is very slow/performance
impacted.

Lots of Linux distros run OK at 256 MB RAM, others run OK at 128 MB RAM.
You do not have to keep using the default GUI in ubuntu if you find it too
slow, you can install some that are faster than windows XP. LXDE is one example
of a fast and quite comfortable DE.
I prefer XFCE.

I would have to ask if you ever did any maintenance on the XP side like
running ccleaner, It would be better to try Ubuntu on it by using a Live
CD first in my view and install it after that.

Linux pays attention to upper and lower case. "Documents" is not the same as
"documents". It also has an aversion to upper case for some things, such as
computer names and wireless SSIDs.

The big factor is applications. I have a friend who maintains a huge web site in
Front Page, and he's really screwed: he can't switch to Linux, and Microsoft
dropped Front Page as a product several years ago. He says FP won't run in
64-bit Windows. He also does video editing, and all the latest Windows video
editing programs require 64-bit Windows.

If you are a Photoshop power-user, you are probably stuck with Windows. A
program called GIMP does all the photo editing I need, but I recognize that
Photoshop can do more.

Windows tends to slow down because of the buildup of temp files, and the
registry becoming immense. Linux has no registry.

Windows tends to 'clog-up' the system after some time even when regularly
running 'clean-up apps' because of accumulating 'cruft' with the result
that the machine gradually runs slower.

Linux does not have that problem ;it just keep running at the same speed .
Also it is very easy to remove/purge software no longer required to run the
system,as it is to install new software.

Linux runs well on up to 10 yrs old hardware.

Suggest you make the switch ,provided you are inquisitive and prepared to
learn.

Linux will run on older hardware, but it can not overcome hardware
limitations. I have to make this point because new users often have the
misconception that Linux will have their 5 year old machine to
performing like a new machine.

Linux/Ubuntu is certainly better than running XP on an older machine for
security reasons alone. Yes, there are plenty of free applications that
make it more useful on an older machine than Windows. What new users
have to keep in mind is that Linux/Ubuntu can not run faster than a
machine's hardware will allow.

As with Windows, in Linux/Ubuntu the larger an application is, the
slower that it will run on older machines. While e-mail and web surfing
can be done on older machines, the ability to utilize streaming video,
photo editing (Gimp) and using OpenOffice gets more limited with the age
of a machine.

I've put Linux/Ubuntu/AntiX on 10 year old machines. They work, but
they are less functional than a netbook.

I'm only saying this to keep new users' expectations within the realm of
reality.

Where do you get this idea ?
Both with clog up if you do not attend to some sensible housework on them.

My Windows systems are running fine and have for years and Ubuntu is as
weel but then I do not constantly load and unload stuff on Either.