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Ten suggestions for Windows/Apple users looking to migrate to Linux.

1. Check both hardware (this will ensure minimal headaches) and software compatibility lists and look into emulators such as Wine or Code Weavers Cross over office.

1A. Read this post on the Ubuntu forums thoroughly

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=282018&highlight=Partitioning

2. Use a distribution that will allow you to migrate you files from windows (i.e. Ubuntu)

3. Always remember to max out the available Physical memory (ram) (I.E. A dell dimension 4600c can handel a maximum of 2gb Physical memory. (so max it out )) This only implies to those of us whom either Do a lot of grapphics Design and desktop publishing which can get sticky with a minimum amount of ram installed.

4. Burn your first iso image at a maximum speed of 12x to 6x and make sure you are using a cd burning software which allows for data verification to insure your iso us correctly burned.

5. Check the burned CD in more than one computer!

6. Avoid computer models know to have driver issues (I.E. Hp pavilion a6230n)

7. Try multiple distributions before settling on one.

8. Be ready to commit your self to hours of Googling and reading 100+page forum threads.

9. Please don't hesitate to use the search function on forums.

10 Have a boat load of fun

All your points are sound, but I'd note that #3 isn't necessary. Maximizing the specs on any PC will tend to optimize your experience with any OS/software, but some of the strengths of Linux are its scalability and lower resource requirements compared to some other OS choices. So one needn't invest in more hardware, since Linux usually runs at least as well (and usually better) than a Windows installation on the same setup. If you have an old PC, you can use the latest version of certain Linux distros, but not of Windows.

In my opinion Linux have to sort out the the problems for new users, I don't want to go through pages and pages of forums before I can actually use it, if they want people to use it make them able to install it! I know its free and it looks good and I want to use it but I have given up for now.

Right on Linux Hawk! Linux is all about teething problems that the community helps to soothe. Many people, myself included, use linux to repurpose older hardware rather than install on new computers so extra memory and other resources are a real boone. Slower hard drives make memory swapping slow especially when you are using productivity apps and games. Your mileage will vary depending on the application, so in my experience (however little) it is always better to maximize the resource thats going to be the most critical for example better/faster/reliable network cards for network critical tasks, same applies to processor, hard drive, memory, sound and so on.