My name is Kamilah I live in Kearny, New Jersey, I am tring the Linux Operating system for frist time. I am doing this because my Compaq Presario is running windows xp pro, and only has 128md ram, I hear that Linux can run on much less, I plan to install on a usb drive.

Let me know is this is the right thing to do.

Thank you all for any and all help you give
may God Bless you and yours always

Linux can run in 128 MB but your performance will be much better with more RAM. Even if you do decide to run Linux I would recommend purchasing more RAM if possible. it is rather cheap these days.

http://www.Knoppix.com/
http://www.linux-live.org/

LiveCD or LiveUSB.
Boot from a LiveCD.
This will help you get your feet wet with a known good Linux/GNU system.
Get the latest LiveCD (say from Knoppix), boot from CD and enjoy.

Again, using the Knoppix LiveCD as an example;
Boot from CD, Knoppix will scan hardware and setup for KDE GUI operation.
You now have a fully functional Linux Operating System with the KDE GUI.
You are running from a CD so you can always boot, no harddrive needed only memory.

Once booted you can mount harddrives and look at Windows partitions, rename files, change the administrator password, fix the registry, erase files infected with virus, start a web server, start a ftp server, surf the internet, write Word documents with OpenOffice.

Unless you change the harddrive, nothing is permanent.
For more control, try a LiveUSB boot and finally wipe Windows away and install a good Linux/GNU distribution (Fedora, Unbuntu, Gentoo).

My cousin has a computer with 128 MB ram and WinXP, her life is not easy

It depends on what you mean by "Linux can run on less" - a very basic system can. If you want what you're used to with Win, it CANNOT, rather, from my experiences it takes more. But the whole issue is complicated becaue when Win runs out of RAM, it uses your disk as a substitute WITHOUT TELLING you. Linux has to be specifucally told to and hwo much.

For some reason I'm keeping on telling people to use Dreamlinux even though I've never used it myself, if your PC has a CD drive, try it - www.dreamlinux.com.br . I think it's because it looks so nice.

To put it on USB disk, your BIOS has to support USB dsik booting. Make sure it does.