Linux... where do I start?

[lisalover1]

The command line is noticably more intuitive than most OS's; you'll notice that after a few uses. You'll use it every so often, and with the help of some tutorials, you'll get used to it. A common misconception about Linux is that you have to use the command line for everything. This is quite untrue; you can do almost all tasks in a Linux system via the GUI. Programs like Wine are useful, but almost all the time, the application you'll be running through it has a FOSS [free and open source] alternative that's possibly even superior.

[the7k]

Just thought I'd throw my two cents in...

I use Ubuntu all the time. Using it right now. Wouldn't have it any other way.

However, I do highly recommend you partition it up to have a more common OS (Say, Windows XP) on your hard-drive as well, and simply dual-boot it so that you can go into WinXP when you have to. Until Kodak makes drivers for Linux, Steam runs perfectly in Wine or a CPS1/2/NeoGeo emulator gets made for Linux that can rip graphics just as good as WinKawaks can, I kinda have to have WinXP every now and then.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

I just threw Mandriva 2009.1 Spring on my second hard drive and I've got to say. They have totally just blown Ubuntu out of the water with this release imho. Everything is just so perfect now. So incredibly easy to use, fast, fluent, its absolutely wonderful as a operating enviroment. In fact, its so nice I would actually switch to it as my main OS again except for the fact that there is no Linksys Wireless drivers for any Linux distro, even the user made ones wont work for me, so I have to use my Powerbook G4 to bridge the internet connection through ethernet on my desktop to the airport in the PB. If I had a bigger desk this would be fine but right now there is a mess of cables on my floor next to my computer.

Anyway, I highly recommend you at least give the newest version of Mandriva, along with Ubuntu.

[arion]

For a total beginner like myself i have had some good use of Linux Puppy. The reason i started using that distro is because you can use the cd to boot and instead of doing a hard disk install it just needs to create a save file that can be saved just about anywhere and the size can be from 32mb to 1.25gb.

Oh and the iso is just around 100mb

http://www.puppylinux.org/

[GSZX1337]

In fact, its so nice I would actually switch to it as my main OS again except for the fact that there is no Linksys Wireless drivers for any Linux distro, even the user made ones wont work for me

Have you tired using the Windows drivers with ndiswrapper?

[Hatta]

CTRL-ALT-BACKSPACE restarts X, which will relaunch your gnome, kde, etc session. Akin to rebooting but faster, I guess you could say

CTRL-ALT-F2 will switch you to another text terminal without killing X, which may also be useful sometimes. You can even start a new X session without killing the old one by using 'startx -- :1'. Then you can switch between two different GUIs with CTRL-ALT-F7 and CTRL-ALT-F8.

If you're really locked up though, there's also the "magic sysrq key". Though it may or may not be built into your kernel by default.

Another couple more questions though, how difficult is it to operate from the command line?

It's really pretty easy. If you've ever programmed anything (even VB) it will be very easy. Like lisalover said, point and click will get you pretty far in fact.

And finally, how important are programs like Whine going to be?

Depends on what you want to do with it. Since you already have an XP box, I'll say it's not very important. If you're willing to adapt to new software, there's a solution on linux for almost anything you want to do. It's not always 100% as capable as the windows solution, especially in the case of professional software (like Photoshop), but you'll be surprised what you can do with free software. You can run software like Photoshop or Autocad on Wine if you need to, but it takes some work to make it run.

Mostly Wine is good for games. It doesn't run all games, and the ones that it does may require some work to get going. There's a database of supported games, that has a lot of tips on how to get them working. Older games generally work better than newer games, but not always. Civ 4 works perfectly, Civ 2 does not. I've recently played Rise of Nations, Call of Duty (the first), Star Trek: Borg, and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy through Wine. I had no luck with Star Trek: Generations. But I hear that's probably a good thing.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

In fact, its so nice I would actually switch to it as my main OS again except for the fact that there is no Linksys Wireless drivers for any Linux distro, even the user made ones wont work for me

Have you tired using the Windows drivers with ndiswrapper?

Yes and I couldn't get it to work even with my friend who is a "Linux expert" going through the motions.