I recommend trying Ubuntu using Wubi to install within Windows. That way you get full functionality to try it out and you can uninstall it any time. Wubi is included in the ISO which can be extracted using 7zip or another archive manager.

I have that bookmarked....so perhaps...I shall.....

*swallows very slowly as she makes her way towards her bookmark*

Don't worry, it's not as painful as the dentist! The way i installed it is I copied the ISO to my USB stick. You can use a disk, but don't burn it with an ISO burner, just copy it to disk. Open the ISO and copy all the folders and files to a folder on your hard drive. Double click Wubi.exe and follow the wizard. When it reboots during installation, reboot into Ubuntu. If you get problems with sticking during installation, just keep rebooting into Ubuntu and it will sort itself out eventually.

Made the switch! I'm on Ubuntu as we speak...and so far loving it! It's through Wubi, but I can see once I am familiar with it and have all my software needs worked out and know how to use them on linux I will be getting rid of Windows 7 and going to a pure linux environment...

Today I tackle getting Gimp and my tablet installed.

Excellent news Jorden. It might be a good idea to save any work you do on an external drive in case you uninstall Ubuntu at any time. There's a good range of software at the Ubuntu Software Center. You should be able to find the shortcut on your desktop.

Lots of good Linux choices. I dual boot using Unbuntu and Vista.

I've now partitioned my hard drive and installed Fedora for real!!!

woooot!

*goes back to scratching my head trying to get a version of gimp installed in ubuntu later than 2.6*

Don't know if this is any help. http://www.noobslab.com/2012/04/install ... ecise.html

Just to make Windows users jealous - I thought I was going to have to pay through the nose for FL Studio until I discovered Linux Multi Media Studio. (LMMS)