i am new to linux and am currently experimenting with a couple of versions, (suse, knoppix) and am thinking installing either mandrake or redhat9 (strike) on my hard-drive, i have 2 q's really 1: which is the best for a newb, 2: how do i run windows app. from linux, i have winXP if it helps any

These 2 things have been discussed many times in great detail here The search button @ the upper right is a great tool for finding things in the forum.

But while I'm here: It is my opinion, and the opinion of a good percentage of people that Mandrake is the best distro for a newbie. I am using 9.1 right now, and it is great. Easily installable, detects and works with most hardware and is pretty forgiving on people new to linux.

There is a windows emulator called Wine (search around) that makes it possible to run some windows apps in linux, but not without great effort. I don't even bother with it. Most new distros will come with a ton of apps that should be able to meet all your needs, and several websites with hundreds more exist for other that you might need with "free" open source applications. http://freshmeat.net/ is a good spot. Have fun!

Hmm. I was born in Brockton. N. Byron ave.

Yeah, I would suggest either Mandrake or Redhat, they are considered the 'Windows of linux'

For running windows apps on linux there are many ways

1. wine - www.winehq.com it'll run your normal windows programs even games, some not well, but i heard people say they run good.

2. WineX - www.transgaming.com Simular to wine but uses the DirectX API and is really good for playing games, Mandrake 9.1 gaming edition comes with WineX out of the box I believe, however, WineX is not free unless you get it from the CVS.

3. VMware - www.vmware.com - runs windows over linux on a virtual disk. I don't think it supports directx nor sound, i myself haven't been able to get it to work correctly. Not free either, but has a 30day free trial.

4. win4lin - www.netraverse.com - simular to vmware I don't know how it works though, never tried it. This is also not free, but i think there is a trial or something.

I use win4lin to run windows ME as a process under linux. It is great for windows 95, 98, or ME. It doesn't work for windows XP though, because it works by running a DOS emulator that windows runs on top of. XP doesn't have DOS anymore.

Vmware will allow you to install windows XP under linux, but it is pricey.

If there are only a few applications you need, you should check out Codeweavers (www.codeweavers.com). Codeweaver's crossover office product will allow you to install and run MS office, photoshop, quicken, and a few other applications. It is based on wine, but a lot easier to set up and use. I have tested it.

i thank you all very much for all your help and info. this has by far been the most helpful mes. board I've posted on, (and I've posted an a few of them, including the techtv boards). if any one else has any tips or info about linux that you think maybe helpful or informative you can e-mail me at: Rollin02301@aol.com. also, i would like to know if their is a way to run aol on linux so i don't have to run windows to access my aol account. again, thank you all for your support.

Just to get your AOL email?? Do you have broadband? If so, you can check your email via the "normal" web.....