Switching to Linux: What do i need?
 

Hello people!
I have been using different Windows platforms for quite a while now! But now i want to switch to a linux based operating system; possibly fedora!
Please tell me what i shall need for the OS:
Will i be able to read/ write MS Office (Word, PPT, Excel etc) files?
Will i need drivers for my laptop?
Please Help!

Welcome to Linux Questions!

You could try downloading an iso image and burning a DVD for Fedora from here

A better way is a "Live" Fedora CD/DVD you can boot the system and run it from the CD/DVD without disturbing your system while you check it out... here.

It'll come with all the drivers you need already there. It doesn't come with Microsoft Office but if you check the Distrowatch web page above you get all the office/image manipulation/mail/browser software you need within the Fedora Distribution. Unlike Windows where you have to buy all the separate programs, Linux Distributions have them included and will update them along with the Linux kernel software as and when available.

Also check out Linux is not Windows.before committing yourself.

Play Bonny! :hattip:

Here is a website with several links to resources for the New-to-Linux.

I would suggest you to get a blank hard drive, put it in your computer and install Fedora there. If you decide that you dont like and you want to go back to Windows you can just put back the old hard drive and no damages has been done.

And I say that because lots of people think they are ready to do the switch then they wipe out their hard drive to find out Linux is no Windows so they don't like it and it will cost them money to have Windows re install it.

You can find an internal hard drive to a very low price or buy one already use, Fedora will run fine

I wish you the best luck and happy 2013.

Libre Office (or Open Office) are very comparable to MS Office (I actually like them better). They both can read/write MS documents. As far as drivers, it depends on your computer model and the distro you install. If you are making a full switch (which I wouldn't recommend for a first time Linux user), IMO, Linux Mint would be the easiest transition to make, although it is Debian based, unlike Fedora. The cool thing with Linux though is that if you don't like the distro, you can always download another one and switch it out for free.

I also agree that wiping your Windows hard drive completely wouldn't be wise. You may want to use it if you play online games and prefer iTunes (even though Linux has some very good media players such as Banshee that have most of the same capabilities). Another good thing that I liked about Mint is that if you decide to partition your hard drive (which is what I would recommend as the best thing to do), Mint makes the process very easy and painless.

Hoped this answered some of your questions.