Linux vs Windows: The Netbook Question
Jim Getten is planning to buy a netbook. Should he go with Linux or Windows?
That's a good question, and one that I haven't yet decided for myself. Here's how I see it:
Linux is smaller, faster, free, less prone to crashes, and much less likely to get infected with malware.
On the other hand, you already know Windows, so going with Linux requires a learning curve.
Another problem: There's less software available for Linux, and what is available isn't always what you're used to. For instance, if you work primarily in Microsoft Office, Linux will require you to learn an alternative like OpenOffice. That's yet another learning curve.
I recommend you try Linux on your current PC before making your decision. Ubuntu Linux is one popular distribution that's extremely easy to set up and get running. You can boot it directly from the CD (which you burn from a downloaded .iso file), install it from inside Windows, or put it onto a bootable flash drive.
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Linux on 'netbooks'
The 'Windows-only' issue isn't very relevant, if you use the Wine compatibility layer. A little slower, but it works.Windows users might like a distro that uses the IceWM windows manager. A good one is the Vector Linux 6.0 Light Edition:
http://vectorlinux.com/downloads
When installing, use either the XFS, or JFS filesystems (the installer gives you a choice). Also, use the simple Gslapt package manager to install OpenOffice and/or AbiWord--these have compatibility with MS Word.
Another good distro, this one using the Xfce environment, is PC/OS:
http://www.pc-os.org/2009/08/pcos-20093-released.html