@ Clifford,
Yes, as others have said it would be best to join a Linux community. I've only been using it for around three months, so what I know is mostly from trial and error. And, if you have a separate hard drive you can use, then this should be the obvious choice. My only real advice is, read up on it before you just dive in. It always helps to have a good understanding of something, and how that something works, before you jump into it.
I wish I would of the first time I ran Vista. I messed with stuff try get it to run smoother and use less resources, and shortly after I had transfered all of my DVD's to my hard drive for back ups , it crashed and burned beyond repair. Or at least my ability to repair it lol.
@catilley1092
Sorry to hear you lost so much trying out Linux. But it is always good computing to back up all files and cover your own a$$, as much as possible whenever trying something new to you, that can have risk as anything else does.
As for the Linux news letter, I never got that one, but I know a good deal of Linux users are OS Snob's. That's what I call them at least. OS fan boys would probably be better. Every OS has them, Mac users are the worst. I read somewhere that some Mac users think just because they own a high end machine, that works so well, that it some how makes them better people. Like there is a magical power embedded in the Mac, that transfers it evil powers to any one who use's it. Nonsense is all I have to say. It comes with any OS, Windows, Linux, or Mac, there is always a group of people talking the system up to be some godly creation. Just like in the gaming world, PS3 and Xbox 360 owners are a prime example.
I had my own fair share of Linux nightmares at first, Grub problems and the whole nine yards. I knew I was doing something wrong though. I had noticed other people on the forums who had the same exact computer as I did, running it with no problems at all. So I did my home work, spent hours and hours reading up on it and found out it was all my fault. I didn't understand how things worked on a Linux system because I didn't do my home work on it first.
@ Everyone else lol.
I have always been a alternative kind of person, I like having options. I grew up using Windows and I know it and I am comfortable with it. I know now after years and years of trial and error, sweat and tears, the do's and the don'ts. I have crashed numerous computers running windows, because I didn't have a good understanding of what I was doing. Whether it was messing with the registry or.dll files, It was my fault for not having read up on it more before I started playing around. That's just how I learn, it's what suites me and my needs. Everyone varies, some people are just happy with windows, they need nothing else nor have the desire to learn any other way. Other are curious, and what to explore other means of using a computer then Windows.
It's really just a matter of what you want, and what you need. If Windows "Does" everything you want, and you are happy using it, and it run's well on your machine, then by all means, stick with what works for you.
On the other hand, if you are bored with Windows, or have a old computer that doesn't run Windows well, or want to turn a old tower into a server, or just want to experience something new, don't be afraid to try something else out. There is other OS's out there other then Windows, Mac, and Linux. I myself just chose Linux, because I had heard about it for so many years, it got the best of my curiosity.
