How to switch over to Linux and use free, open source software.
This guide will help you switch to free, open source software, whether you have been a victim of piracy, simply do not want to pay for software, or even if you are a curious computer user, then Linux may be the right choice for you.
When one refers to Linux, we are usually referring to the kernel, or the “heart” of the operating system, there are several different distributions which offer different aims, but all can be used by a normal home user. The distribution of choice for new users today is Ubuntu, it is user-friendly, and many people do not have the same problems they face with other distributions, where help can be hard to find.
If you use your computer at home, then you have a choice of either Ubuntu, Kubuntu or Xubuntu, these are basically Ubuntu, but each uses a different “desktop environment”. Ubuntu, which uses Gnome, is the best choice for new users. Others looking for customization and eye-candy will want to use Kubuntu which is based on KDE.
If you have children at home, there is also a flavor available for you! Edubuntu has tools which help kids from 5+ learn many things from the computer. If you are an arty type and use your computer for graphics designing and photo/movie/audio editing, Ubuntu Studio is the best choice, it comes with replacements for Windows software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom and many other software.
If you use some windows-only software and do not want to switch because you need it, not to worry! Wine is a program that lets you run many windows applications on Linux, with development going on constantly, bug are fixed quite quickly, offering you a stable and secure system.
To switch, simply go to Ubuntu and download the distribution of your choice. If you have a Pentium or other processor, choose “i386”, but if you are confident that your processor is 64-bit then choose the “AMD64” version.
For help on installing Ubuntu, go to these two pages:
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