I am about to install Linux for the first time :) The machine I am going to install it on currently has MS Windows 98 installed :(

Here's my question: should I delete Windows 98 BEFORE I install Linux - OR - should I install Linux and THEN delete Windows 98.

Please reply with experience and/or compelling arguments. Thanks in advance.

Well, if you don't have anything important on your windows machine or have the time, I find it easiest to first install Windows, make the necessary partitions and then install Linux, writing LILO to the MBR during install to make things easy. From there it is a piece of cake. If you install Windows after Linux, then it overwrites the LILO and makes it sometimes difficult or more things complicated getting them both to boot from LILO. More steps involved to get LILO working if you go that route, thats if you want LILO to control what you boot with.

If you want a dual boot system leave Windoze on there put in another drive for linux and install linux to that one and the install process will ususally find windows for you and handle everything beautifully! If you want to rid your system of a nasty virus wipe it clean and start fresh with linux! :)

I only run windoze on my laptop for a few things that I have to have it for. Like the PLD (Programmable Logic Device) compiler that I have for my Comptuer Hardware Engineering classes only will work under Windoze. Then I am also a software major and we have to write Windoze executables for our software... So in that aspect also its easier to do the compilation on a windows machine... But other than that a Linux box can do EVERYTHING a windows box can (for normal system use) and it does it faster with fewer problems and more uptime!

I'd like to think the latter on your comments about linux. In my experiences it is nothing but trouble. I was getting sick of windows because I thought it was crappy. I never knew how good I had it. I went out and bought mandrake 7.2, actually mandoesitsuck 7.2, and everything about it sucks ,except the gui which I enjoy, but that does no good when it sucks anyways.

I have just installed Red Hat 6.1, after having FIPSed my HD in order to keep Windows 98.
Everything seems to work well, except that I have not been able to print, to hear music or to make my modem work.

Thanks for the help - install went OK
 

I actually decided that I didn't need to keep windows or any of the data on my machine at all - so I did an FTP install of Linux Server and it wiped my HD clean. Everything went flawlessly - really appreciate your responses.