I would download the Mepis ISO (http://www.mepis.org/node/1462) file and give it a try as a live CD. You could check out the sound card, browsing the Internet, etc. all without reformatting the HD.
Mepis is built on top of Ubuntu, but it uses the KDE UI. I think KDE is a bit more like Windows in it's conventions than GNOME is (Ubuntu comes with GNOME) but they're both good UIs. For email: Thunderbird For Internet browsing: Firefox For file browsing: Konqueror For video: Kino (it's rough around the edges but the price is right) For audio recording: Audacity For audio playback: Amarok For word processing: OpenOffice.org For spreadsheets: OpenOffice.org For HTML Editing: Quanta+ (my favorite HTML editor ever!!!) For CD video and data burning: K3B For DVD video and data burning: K3B For keeping everything updated: Synaptic and the command line tool "apt-get" Linux <> Windows however. That's a key thing to remember. But I really, really like Linux. Some things are a challenge, but freedom is worth that challenge! I would think that trying out a live CD is much better than plunking down some $$$ for new hardware, if the hardware is still good. I even took my live CDs with me to BestBuy and tried them out on the laptops in the store before I purchased. I ended up giving the store sales kid the CD to try out at home. He'd never seen Linux before. Kids these days!!! Sheesh. <g> Chet Gardiner wrote: > I've had it! > > My windoze PC is going south (AFTER LESS THAN TWO F*CKIN' YEARS!!!!)... > While it's at it it's taken out my calendar file. It runs like a slug > (XP home on a HP a810n desktop. The first thing that went was burning > DVDs. Now it won't recognize ANY external USB devices (my main backup > drive and Printer -- goody!) > > I will NO LONGER work in Windows. I'm tired of being a Tech Support > programmer (it SUCKS). > > I'm prepared to buy a new machine for my main desktop. So, should I go > Linuz on a PC or Apple -- WINDOZE IS NOT AN OPTION!!! > > I do lots of email. I do some video and lots of audio processing. The > Audio processing is at a PROFESSIONAL level -- two-track WAV multi-track > mixes to CD. I do some word processing (but often have to read word > files)... I need iTunes too. > > I guess I'm landing on Apple but what about it??? > > My reservation about Apple is a response to not being able to get rid of > the requirement to enter the main password to "unlock the keychain" on > my girlfriend's iMac. We upgraded the memory, installed Tiger (10.4.8) > and ran the keychain first aid and no joy. I found another keychain > file in the top level library folder (called system) -- deleted it and > then it worked -- no need to enter keychain password... Until next > bootup then --- back to the nonsense. > > All OS's suck. Some suck more than others!!! > > > [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: ProFox@leafe.com Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
