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Hi, I just wanted to say that a good way to experience Linux without having to forgo Windows entirely, is to install Oracle’s virtual machine (VM) which operates as an entirely separate computing environment within Windows and then installing the distro of your choice. That would allow one to “play” with Linux, but, retain a Windows environment.

Or as stated several times by several members you can just run a live cd of linux without affecting your Windows installation. No need to install a VM.:cool:

Maybe you aren’t aware that there are versions of Linux that are considered ‘LTS’ for Long Term Support. Plus you don’t have to upgrade to a newer version, if it works and you like it, keep it! 😀

My feeling is that Linux will never be popular because it doesn’t get pre-loaded onto PC’s. If it were, and more people were exposed to it, the useage would go up considerably imho.

For something that is Open Source and free, to work as smoothly as it does is a credit to the developers. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to convert you or anyone to even try any version of Linux! If you don’t have the interest, then by all means stay with M$ and watch them botch, release after release in hopes of getting it right. Just look at Win 7, it works just fine, but that doesn’t suit M$.. so here comes v10 … Oh wait what happened to 8 and 8.1?? Epic fails both of them.

Cheers

https://system76.com Has Linux pre-loaded Laptops.
https://www.gnu.org/links/companies.html lists Companies that sell computers with GNU/Linux preinstalled
:o:They do exist but you have to google them.

Maybe you aren’t aware that there are versions of Linux that are considered ‘LTS’ for Long Term Support. Plus you don’t have to upgrade to a newer version, if it works and you like it, keep it! 😀

My feeling is that Linux will never be popular because it doesn’t get pre-loaded onto PC’s. If it were, and more people were exposed to it, the useage would go up considerably imho.

For something that is Open Source and free, to work as smoothly as it does is a credit to the developers. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to convert you or anyone to even try any version of Linux! If you don’t have the interest, then by all means stay with M$ and watch them botch, release after release in hopes of getting it right. Just look at Win 7, it works just fine, but that doesn’t suit M$.. so here comes v10 … Oh wait what happened to 8 and 8.1?? Epic fails both of them.

Cheers

I was a Microsoft Support Technician for 31 years and I recently switched to Linux Mint.
Remember: Windows Millenium, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Win 8, Win 8.1 all failures to one degree or another.
Where was Windows 9 it failed before launch!
Now Microsoft wants to force feed us Windows 10.
They are a commercial company and profits are driven by sales.
They have to kill old products (even good ones) and sell new ones.
As you made clear, Linux is nothing like Windows.
If you like the version you have you can keep using it.
And yes there are many LTS versions Linux Mint is just one of them.
Dell does sell some PCs with Linux pre-installed but you need to go look for them.
I believe HP does too.
The problem is that Microsoft discourages them from advertising it.
Microsoft gives the PC manufaturer huge discounts to pre-load their PCs with Microsoft products and the perception to drop their discounts if they push Linux or any other O.S.
Being the 300 pound gorilla that they are gives them clout no one else has.
This effectively controls the market in their favor.
Microsoft is not above creating a monopoly.
Remember the browser wars?
Now they just go about it differently, they buy shares of their competitors (Apple) but no one owns Linux.
They can’t buy Linux shares to control them so they rersort to other methods.

To Windows Secrets staff:
It appears to me that there is a growing need for a “Linux Secrets” magazine.
There is no reason the two magazine could not exist side by side.
It appears that the need is there, judging from the conversations in this forum topic.
Just a thought to ponder.::rolleyes:

A pain by any other name is still a pain!
There will always be many solutions to a problem.
No one solution is perfect!
Therefore you pick the one best suited to your individual needs, hence the many distros.
This is not a weakness but rather a strength.

Regarding “An Introduction to Linux for Windows users”

I am a long time reader of Windows Secrets, a Computer A plus certificate holder, worked as a Computer Technician and Network Administrator for several Information Technology Companies.
In 2014 I went to the “dark side” Linux, because I got tired of Microsoft forcing its idea of computing down my throat and its never-ending Tuesday Windows Updates. I’m retired now and live in a rural setting.
The only Internet access I have available to me is via Satellite. With only 5MB per month and two computers to keep updated, I used all my bandwidth before a month was over.
This prompted me to search out a better solution. I searched and tested several distros of Linux and settled upon Linux Mint 17.
I’ve been running Mint now for several months and love it. I have found it to be every bit as good as Windows, actually better than Windows. I promote Mint at every chance I get.
Mint’s software manager has 71797 packages are currently available in 12 categories. I replaced every Microsoft or Windows software with one of the 71797 open source software packages from Mint. I won’t list them all but the list I have installed is quite extensive. Some of the are Linux versions of Windows programs.
Linux Mint’s Update Manager is far superior to Windows update in that it updates every software package installed on your computer. The downloads are measured in KB rather than MB as Microsoft Updates regularly are. In fact, since migrating to Mint I have not even come close to reaching my bandwidth allocation.
In my humble opinion Linux Mint is the perfect desktop operating system for people wishing to dump Microsoft. It is completely graphical. User friendly. Free! Also support is provided by user forums, tutorials, and even a free course from EdX for those wanting to understand the command line side of Linux.
Linux Mint is now at version 17.1 http://www.linuxmint.com/
You can download it for free, burn it to CD or USB stick, and run it live without destroying your Windows installation. Then after you made your decision either install it permanently ( first backing up your data ) or formatting your USB stick or throwing away your CD. The choice is all yours and at no cost to you! I used a 8 GB USB stick that I made bootable because with it I could install some of Mint’s software packages to test them. Whatever you might decide I’m sure you will be pleasantly surprised with Mint.

Regarding “Rescuing files from an infected drive” I believe an even safer way to recover Paul’s photos would be to disconnect his current drive, connect his infected drive and boot from a Linux boot CD. This way there is no possible way to infect his current drive. Then copy his photos from the infected drive to a re-writable CD and scan them for infections, deleting any infected photos.
Finally revert to his normal set up.