So this is it, some time today, I'm going to wipe Windows off my machine and replace it with Linux Fedora. Any sage advice out there? I hear that Linux is just plain better in every respect, but the real driver here is that I have basically a really cheap laptop, and I want to just try something different.
depends whats your purpose for using a PC, might as well get familiar with the linux terminal basic commands. where u heard that linux is better in every aspect though ? with that note, u can also TRY linux as virtual operating system using VirtualBox (it'll work inside windows), this way u can see how it look and feel before wiping windows completly.
Don't put Linux on your main machine if you don't know if you're up to the task. I recommend trying it first as a virtual machine or on a spare laptop/PC.
As others mentioned, it's best to try a virtual machine first (+1 to virtualbox). Linux has a narrower range of available apps than Windows.
Yes. Don't start with Fedora, its a more cutting edge distro and hence prone to more issues. I would recommend starting out with Linux Mint.
If you like Netflix, use Google Chrome on your distro. Chrome is the only browser that supports Netflix correctly. (Mozilla is working on getting Firefox to work, but they are intentionally behind because of political reasons: they hate DRM, and they are only doing this because they have to in order to stay relevant in the browser space.) Recommended distros to start with: Ubuntu (any, but I prefer the Kubuntu flavor. The only major difference to get used to is single-clicking on icons instead of double-clicking), Linux Mint Cinnamon, or Fedora. Distros not recommended to start with: Arch Linux or anything derived from it (like Manjaro), Gentoo (or anything derived from it.) ~ Adrienne
Whatever you want to try, don't forget the obligatory backup. Mint is a great distribution for a beginner. Got everything Ubuntu has to offer, minus a lot of nasty stuff (if you care about your privacy, for instance). Debian is also nice, but not for beginners. Linux is mature enough nowadays, but you'd probably want to try the dual boot first, see if you miss anything. There is play on Linux, and WIne, and whatnot, but we don't know your needs, or what programs you use daily. You might want to check a bit the history and background of GNU, Linux, and Free Software, unless you are trying just because of that...
Your choice of operating system should be determined by what you want to do with your machine. If there are particular applications you depend on (say Photoshop) or if you're into PC gaming in a huge way then Linux may not be for you. Though with the advent of Steam, the gaming thing is less of an issue. It's important to understand that Linux isn't a single thing, like Windows or MacOS. It comes in various forms known as "distributions" or "distros". Which distro you choose matters. A lot. For beginners I'd recommend a distro like Linux Mint or Ubuntu. These are straight forward, popular and (relatively) easy to install. Starting out with something like Arch Linux or Slackware is a recipe for disaster. If you like a bit, but not too much, of a challenge you might check out SuSE, Mandriva or even Fedora. There are oodles of distros so shop around. Remember too that Linux is really very different from an OS like Windows and they work quite differently. If you approach Linux expecting it to be like Windows your experience will be frustrating and unrewarding. You need to unlearn a lot of Windows or (to a lesser extent) OSX stuff when you move across to Linux. We (rather pompously) call this "acquiring the UNIX Nature." Someone above suggested trying Linux out in a virtual machine like VirtualBox. This is excellent advice. I heartily recommend it.
