I would be intersested in knowing how many people do more then dual boot. I have a friend of mine who thinks because I have a 160 gig drive having less then like 5 disros is a waste. Me myself I would be happy with one.

This has been done so many times, however, I can say this... Use what works for you... Like the great Freddie Spencer said:

"I want to ride what I can win on, be it, 4 wheels, 2 wheels or 1 Wheel"

Use what works for you... If you have a windows app and there is not Linux equiv then duel boot windows... No-one here ever said your a traitor for using windows. There are a lot of great applications for both OS's and others... Use what you need to get the job done.

KC

Actually I'm only using Linux, but I'm working with FeniX Systems, so I have it installed, and also THREE partitions with differentes GoblinX installed... to work... I have also Slackware installed...
But about my three GoblinX, one I use to common jobs, like internet navigation, create images, another I use to compile packages, compile kernel, and tests... and one more...

I typically have in the region of 9-12 distributions and a number of *BSD's (NetBSD & FreeBSD) running concurrently across a variety of drives (some are different versions/configurations of the same distro though... ) - I've got installs on partitions as small as 800 mb roughly (the installs being as small as 400-500 mb) - I don't see a problem with utilising one distro or a number of them concurrently - there's plenty of choice and flexibility, as ever

Only linux on my PC. I decided when I bought it, that I would not "contaminate" with Microshaft software.

I have several Linux distributions as well as NetBSD and FreeBSD. These days I mainly use Mandriva and FreeBSD.

I just have the one, it does everything I need it to and it does it well. Also I need the space on my hard drive for documents and work, not to waste on X number of distros.

But as has been said you should do whatever you want, if you want or feel the need to concurrently install 5 distros then do so, if you don't then don't.

I'm dual booting Slackware and Gentoo because I wanted to try out Gentoo, but still use Slack as I'm more used to it .

I've 80 GB, I have now LFS (some 3 kernels, probably I'll remove the redundant), ASPLinux (FC as for the main library set, better in package set, and its's Russian - though it's not the only (or even significant) advantage), Gentoo (One day I'll set it up), and I have to keep Windows for now, unfortunately...

I have all kinds of stuff on my PCs.
While I don't think everyone is required to use mutiple didtributions, I think they are wise to have some partitions available to test a distribution they think might be good (rather than replace their current and discover they shouldn't have), or do a clean install of the new version of their prefered distribution without losing their current working version.

I voted for swapping drives as I have a machine where the drives sit in a cradle and I can swap them at ease
on that machine
Windows 95, Mandrake 7.0 , fedora 3, Debian 3.1

however on another machine is a 80 g drive with win on a separate 20 g drive - Mandrake 10 and Debian 3.1

floppy

What's the point in having multiple linuxes?
HD space is too valuable to waste it in such a foolishness.

When I got a Linux distro I decided to just buy a whole new computer for it. I went to a recycled computer store and bought a laptop with 30 Gigs (I like to have lots of space!). I also didn't want to go through the bother of making a dual boot when I could just delete one. Yes, I'm lazy...

Although I would like to tryout other kinds of distros, but knowing me I would go the expensive way and buy a hard drive for each distro and then use my Dell laptop, because of the easy access for the hard drive on the side.

Different distributions can be used for different tasks. If you work in the Linux support industry you need to have basic knowledge of some of the major Linux distros. Also if you have the diskspace, then why not tinker with various Linux distros, after all you are the one who paid for the disk space.

When I bought my 200gig SATA, I devoted it all to Windows. Then I started playing with Linux, then used it more than windows. My partitions are all over the place, when I can be bothered it would be like this. Windows(20GB). Linux(40GB). NTFS(10GB). FAT32 the rest. The FAT drive lets me save Windows/Linux stuff so it can be shared. I also have a 20GB IDE disc which is a tester. I put anything I want on it, the MBR is cosntantly overwritten. If the shit hits the fan on that drive, I change my BIOS to boot to my working SATA.

Currently, I have Windows and Gentoo on one hard drive. Then Arch on my small hard drive. If I didn't have that small hard drive to play around on, I wouldn't be using Gentoo. If you like to tinker, I'd definitely advise you to have a tri-boot. Windows, Linux, Test(Another Linux or BSD). Saying "Less than 5 is a waste" is really dependent on what you're trying to achieve. Every Linux user I've come accross(at uni) either dual boots Windows and Linux or is purely Linux. Whenever they want to test a distro, they try it on a spare partition then keep/delete it. I can't understand why anyone would need 5 distros. If you're thinking "hmm maybe I should have 5" then you really don't need 5. I'd imagine those who need 5 have a specific reason and do not need to make their mind up.

I've setup lots of distros now, with all the same software, all working the same with, doing the same things. There is no difference once it's all working.