Well i am currently running WinXP on my system, but i want to use linux at some point, but i have tried using linux in another computer, and i couldent get printer nor mouse to work just the keybord and it was a pain, i obiously dont know how to use it, but if someone could help me out, on how to learn about it.
thanx

I have used Knoppix before. Knoppix is a Linux that you dont have to install to use it, you just need cd-rom(which I suppose everybody has).
I havent used it that much but i didnt have any problems!!!
I use WinXP because I dont know how to use Linux, too. There are a lot of people how know how to use it and say that is so much better. I dont know that but I know that Win has so many more security holes!!!

Linux is a very complicated but powerful and secure OS, it was designed to be very powerful and secure, and not user friendly, which is contradictory to windows, which was built to be powerful, secure, and user-friendly, it got the user friendly and a little bit of the powerful part down, but is not very secure. I myself use windows, and always will, because it is much more comatible with programs, there are langauges Linux/ Mac wont run.

Windows has many security holes but I will still use it on my own personal computer because as the above poster said, it's compatible with many programs. I would like to try Linux to host a site just to see how it feels.

Linux is good if you have the right distro. It usually depends on what type of user you are. There are so many distros of linux that you can choose one for every need. For a beginner I would suggest Knoppix; pop it into you CD-ROM and be a linux user. If you don't know about linux files system andhow to partition it then this would be your best option to use linux. No installation rerquired. It is made for beginners. But that doesn't mean that you have to use knoppix till you learn about it. There are other distros with live CD's as well. (Live CD is a CD with a OS which need not be installed for use). SuSe 9.1 also has a live CD. SuSe is one of the best Linux distros. But my favourite is Mandrake 10.1 it is the best if you are starting with linux. Cool graphics, easy to install, no problems at all. There is one more: PCQ linux, that too is good.

Although most linux users use Red Hat. It is the most widely used linux. SuSe is one of the best. It has everything you will need.

For power users or when you are well versed with linux and want a bit more from it then I would suggest Gentoo. It is supposed to give the best performance of your hardware. It all depends on what suits you best. Some poeple may not like the graphics and all the funky stuff with linux. Linux was for geek earlier. But proved wrong by the modern world. Linspire formerly Lindows, is supposed to be linux but has the look and feel of windows. So if you are good with windows the I think you will like this one. And don't think of changing over to linux in the future. Linux is now. Linux is happening. The sooner you make the transition the better it is, or else you will fall behind.

One easy way to do that is: Have a dual boot system i.e., have windows on one drive and linux on another. This will help you in making a smoother transition. When you need to do something that is not possible with linux (mainly because you won't be knowing how to do it) you can switch to windows and do all the basic stuff like browsing and emailing with linux. The other problem with linux is the availability of necessary software. Windows that everything you will ever need. In linux there is everything but is hard to find. But linux is more secure. (Again depending on the version of it, there can be newer linux exploits). I myself started out with a dual boot with Xp and Mandrake 9.1. Now I have XP and Red hat. I want to be familiar with Red Hat because it is better when you are thinking about working in the software field. Red Hat is preffered by most commercial companies. Most distros are freely available. Even for download. Which makes it a fierce competitor with windows.

The other method of transition is using Virtual OS. You can run linux within windows. But this is not advised since that would not allow you to make full use of linux. To check out the basic stuff like looks and software etc it is ok.

I might have written some things you already know, but don't forget forum is for everyone. There may be others who need some info that they can find it your post. So when you post make sure you keep that in mind. We are doing this for the community that just for ourselves. I think it is better to write everything at once than keep writing to doubts again and again.

I hope you will start out with linux soon. Waiting to see you join the club.
Hope I could help.

im using Windows ever since, and i also want to feel the Linux environment. itried it for some time, but haven't maximized it. its just a not user friendly, unlike windows. but, i thinkits cool to use it,

I know why it is not user friendly. Windows is Linux's enemy and you have become the friend of windows that make you Linux's enemy.

The best thing to do here is first tell what is you level of knowledge of computer, linux and the distro of linux you are using. If you use something like Mandrake I doubt you will go back to windows if you have all the software required, no matter how hard it is to use.

Mandrake is the simplest of all and most user friendly linux, as far as I know. There may be others but I didn't use all distros of linux.

About how to get around in linux don't worry about that there are enough of us to help you out. Just start using it.