Linux.com

[quote]Is linux more stable in the long and short term than windows? [/quote] Yes, definitely so. [quote]Is installing linux easy? [/quote] Yes, conditionally. The distros vary in the way they are installed but the more popular ones, Ubuntu, Fedora, OpenSuse, etc.use a GUI which is no more difficult to use than a Windows installation, but they are different. One should familiarize himself thoroughly with the instructions provided at the website where you obtain whatever distro you choose prior to attempting an installation . Additionally, you can run a "liveCD" within your Windows system before committing to installation. A liveCD acts like any CD based program and you can explore its functionality and compatibility with your hardware without actually installing it to the hard disk and it makes no changes to your hard disk. [quote]Will linux recognise my DVD, usb ports, graphics card ect?[/quote] Yes, again conditionally. Rarely, you may have difficulty acquiring drivers for some few devices. Make a list of all your hardware, and check the distro site for any known problems before installation. [quote]Basically I'm nervous about having to "start again" with my computer, and if I can say goodbye to windows, which I find both good and bad, without having to fear for my beloved laptop then I will.[/quote] A very nice feature of most Linux OS is the ability to dual boot with your Windows OS. That means you can keep your Windows OS (which I highly recommend) and install Linux in a different partition. Either system will then function independently of the other. This should quell your fears about installing Linux.

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