Well it's like this -

I've had a bunch of Linux people tell me how evil Windows is. I agree with them completely - but what it comes down to is how can Linux be a powerful tool without powerful software? Can I really replace the programs I use all the time (Dreamweaver/ColdFusion, Illustrator, PhotoShop, CoolEdit, various drum machines, KaZaA, MSN/Hotmail, Winamp, not to mention all of my mouse/scanner/media drivers) using Linux?

Basically - I'd love to but I'd rather not wipe my system on this bet it'll be better you know? So .. I'm hoping to find a good reason to use Linux!

Read this:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...y+to+use+Linux

Almost everything made for windows, exists a linux version, freely. There's "wine" too, which allows you to run some windows applications, but it's a beta product in earlier stages...

If you really aren't sure then buy a second HDD and dual boot with windows.

or, you could even just get Partition Magic and resize your current partition and install linux on the same Hard drive

dual booting linux+win* is the only way to know why...

yeah, then just use a bootloader like lilo or grub (included in most distros)...

I am also a new Linux user and asked the same question ( I had an extra hard drive sitting around) only I asked it after I had been playing with it for awhile. My answer to you is to NOT!! wipe your hard drive and switch to Linux. Get another hard drive. Anyone who tells you you can get by just on Linux is leading you astray. IMHO Linux is for the very advanced and the new users.
For my wife who is in between the two I wouldn't but Linux on her machine with a gun to my head !!
If I had a parent who just wanted email , a text editor and to surf the net Linux is the way to go. It's very full featured right out of the box. But updating it is not easy and most of the programs you use at work are windows based so bringing it home to work on would not work as well. It is getting better.
If you are a programer Linux is the bomb. The open source makes it easy to do aplication programing for. I would suggest getting a hot swap bay and swaping between hard drives that way. I found it very hard to get Linux to boot off of the second hard drive when I had both the Windows hard drive and the Linux hard drive conected to the computer at the same time. Lilo would see both systems but I couldn't get it to work. If you are going to have two OS's on one computer I'd put them on one hard drive . I started by loading Linux on an old pentium pro 200 I had sitting around in moth balls.
I now have linux running on the Pentium Pro 200 , an AMD K-6 2 450 and an AMD 2500+ barton core. I love my KVM switch.
I've tried RD 7.2 and 9 and Mandrake 8 and 9.1 . I like RH 7.2 and Mandrake 9.1 the best. Have fun and learn .. K

wow chill out buddy

you having problems booting two drives doesnt mean that Linux or the bootloaders have a problem. you did something wrong buddy. there are many and i mean many who can boot of two hdd.

yeah, you can always use that 2nd hard drive... if you can't get it working, then something's wrong with your config for it, but that linux can't be on the 2nd hard drive...

WHEN U RUN LINUX U WILL COME TO KNOW IT IS LIKE A PART OF YOUR LIFE.U WILL SURELY ENJOY IT A ND U CAN FIND THE LINUX DRIVERS OF ALL HARDWARE ALSO

quote
"but that linux can't be on the 2nd hard drive... "
get real here, I have three different distros of linux, all on my third HD with winXP on the first, the second is for storage or to try out other OS's.

My first sentence stated that I was new to Linux. I know I was doing something wrong when I couldn't get Linux to boot off of the second hard drive . My workaround was the hot swap bay and/or loading Linux and the other system on the same hard drive. I'm still learning and thought for a Newbie like me . Which it appears this person is , my .02 worth might help getting started. Messing with Lilo or grub to start off is a pain IMHO. I just think getting started and working from there to learn .

I have mandrake 9.1. Linux is supposed to be "uncrashable" but it has crashed almost half a dozen times in this week alone. HOw do you linux ppl account for that?

Are you absolutely sure the kernel has crashed and the command line is no longer working? Perhaps it is just X that is broken or a crashed program. Newbies can be confused about such things.

Bad memory is the most common cause of crashes in Linux. Bad/flakey hardware can also cause crashes, especially unreliable hard drives.

What is your hardware and examine /var/log/messages for error messages that can help diagnose problems.

and we have to remember... it's just a preference. most of the people here prefer linux, while a lot of other people like windows better... if you aren't liking likux, then it just might not be for you