do you consider switching to linux?

Oh that's just sad - I think the GRUB utility that loads the OSes didn't install properly. Anyway, if you want to use Ubuntu as a test drive for a while, you can always install it inside Windows (pop the CD in when you're in Windows and you'll get that option) - it will just install to a folder and you won't have to bother about partitions or other hassles...

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I have considered installing Linux just because I know Windows suck!

I haven't heard the time to download and configure it as I think it would need getting used to? I guess i don't like change that much but just for the sake of it, i think i'll install it just so i can choose the one I want to boot with.

I love the fact that its usage is increasing as I support Open Source and Free over commercial and closed.

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All I can say is that yes you need to spend some time on it to grasp the main concepts and start being productive with it. Once you do that chances are you won't look back I started trying out different distributions of Linux a few years ago but only on a from time to time basis. I always liked the feeling of it, its simplicity as you say, but never spent enough time to understand it under the surface so that what I could do was quite limited. In the meantime I did some trial and error to set up a dual boot, that really helps you understanding not only Linux but also how computers and OS in general operate. A few months ago I decided to do the switch... for real! Installed Ubuntu (which is in my opinion the perfect distro for first time users but also very powerful and well supported) as my main OS and forced myself to do everything I'd do on Windows with it. Surprisingly 99% of things I could do in Windows I could now easily do in Ubuntu, often in a more convenient way. In this regard we have to consider that Linux distributions like Ubuntu but also others get upgraded all the time (at least every year or so) while Windows is mostly stuck to were it was back in 2001 (for Win XP), so the difference in terms of usability and support for the latest computing applications and hardware is most definitely in favour of Linux. With the latest dual core computers installing Windows on top of a Linux OS is a very convenient and usable solution, using VMWare type of applications (I use VirtualBox). So you can still run the few apps that you really need to run on Windows, or just try things out if you develop software / web to ensure compatibility with Windows.

Whether you embrace the open source philosophy is up to you, in any case having the source code of software opens up a whole new range of possibilities for you if you are a programmer. But even if you are not you can be pretty confident someone will for example port a version of your favourite desktop Linux software on your Linux-based mobile device some day, and you know you will be able to use that straight away. Having said so I do think using Linux still requires a moderate dose of adventurous attitude, at least that is required if you really want to take advantage of it. You should be prepared to occasionally type something on the command line and/or edit configuration files. But these tasks are by no means the norm for day to day operation on modern distributions like Ubuntu. You will instead find that they are a natural complement to your desktop experience once you start playing around with it.

So my advice is give it another try if you are so inclined

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i just recently decided to give linux a try so i downloaded the latest version of ubuntu. i really liked the simplicity of it although i really didn't do much exploring. i tried to set it up as a duel boot but i went wrong somewhere because when i would try to boot vista, it wouldn't boot. i had a little trouble with drivers too. anyway, i decided to give up and just reformat and reinstall my apps for vista only. i hope i get the guts to try again soon because i really did like the feel of ubuntu and would be worth it spending my time to learn the os because for a long time now, i wanted to stop supporting ms. maybe one day. my first attempt failed

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I use Ubuntu 9.10 in VMWARE so it doesn't mess up my Windows apps. It is my favorite distro, by far. On my laptop I use the Ubuntu Netbook Remix

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