Well Ive heard about Ubuntu and I want to give it a try except I have never used linux or anything but windows xp and windows vista.. so Is it a good idea?
and also i have vista install currently.. and if i want to dual boot Ubuntu.. how/could i do this without having to reinstall vista to partition my drive? Is it possible to do this?
PS:I know this is a PC2Mac Fourm Community but ya'll seem pretty smart to know this answer..
Thanks to all and whoever answers and helps
u dont have to dual boot. ubuntu is natively a live cd with the option to install. so run the live cd...you like it..then install....this way you dont have to screw with Vista or partittios yet. make sure you want it first.
I think before you go start playing with Ubuntu, you should download or at least get your hands on the Live CD from their website.
Pop it into your Cd drive reboot your PC, it should boot up to the new OS. You can then play to your hearts content as see if you like it.
Once your finished, just remove the CD, reboot your PC and Windows will come back up again.
The Live CD does not affect any part of your PC so you can use it as many time as you like until your ready to install Ubuntu permanently. That is whole different game if your wanting to dual boot.
I would suggest you take a look at the beginners forum over at the Ubuntu website as it has some good hints and tip.
You'll have fun using it, trust me. 
wow thx for the fast replies ppl, so is Ubuntu a good choice? for a change from windows? or is there other OS's that are better?Recommendations? and is there a downside to Ubuntu or anything else you name?
wait! there`s a very nice way to run or try ubuntu, there`s this program called Wubi, google it, and download, it will not make a partition, It will make a folder on windows, so you can save your settings. and yes ubuntu is the best os from linux, I am running ubuntu right now while writing this! and very soon, It will trow windows away and replace it with ubuntu.
so Wubi is good to use? and virus free and such I hope
Absolutely! Its virus free! It was featured on Download.com I tried it, and I liked ubuntu and now completely installed it like two days ago.
so if i do end up liking it can i use Wubi to install it completly?
Well, no, but Wubi will download the ISO image to burn into a disc, you would just take the ISO out of the Wubi folder on windows and burn it into a disc.
ahh.. well if i end up liking it im gonna need help making partitions..
Not a problem, the installation will tell you how to make a partition, very easy. in fact you will just have to tell the installation how much GBs you want to partition. you can still run windows and Ubuntu, its dual boot option.
how many GBs would be good for it... i have 250GBs total and 183GBs left after vista and all my programs installed..
woa, thats alot, well, it depends, if you try Ubuntu and like it and use it as your main OS, I would use 100GBs.
yea well ill see if i like it and all.. and see if i like it.. is there a list of good programs for Ubuntu and one last question.. can it run windows programs? and stuff
nayy. Partition your disk 3 days, 1windows(40ish) (for when you realize how frusterating linux is), 1 Ubuntu(10ish), 1 media(rest) (for music, videos, documents, ect, so each OS can feed from there)
running windows apps: http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/ubuntu-he...ams-ubuntu.html / http://www.winehq.org/site/docs/wineusr-guide/index
its possible to run Windows programs on Ubuntu, I am a bit confused about that now, but theres a large selection of Programs for Ubuntu.
coldwerturkey is right, you should have an "in-between" partition for your files, and make that partition fat32. i read somewhere that ubuntu considers ntfs file systems read only.
its possible to run Windows programs on Ubuntu, I am a bit confused about that now, but theres a large selection of Programs for Ubuntu.
Try installing Wine, its basicly a utility that lets you run a windows application (from an already installed windows partition) in linux.
sudo apt-get install wine
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