Introduction
Linux is different from the programmes that you use to produce documents, spreadsheets, presentations, manipulate images, watch videos etc. Linux is an operating system – equivalent to Windows, rather than the programmes you run on it. So when you switch on your computer, you get a Linux system rather than Windows.
You don’t need virus protection with Linux – This avoids the cost and the space requirements of anti-virus software which can take up significant portions of memory and processor speed. This makes a computer run much more quickly than it would with Windows, plus the software is more efficient, so it will run on & rejuvenate old computers. It’s a good way of getting another 5 years’ life out of an old laptop. And of course, it’s free.
One more thing – open source operating systems or programmes never harvest your data.
What to do
Getting Linux onto a datastick
You can have a go at using Linux, but without getting rid of Windows, by downloading it onto a datastick and booting from that. When you take the datastick out, you’re back on Windows. This way, you can get used to it, but still hang on to Windows as a safety net. Click here.
Learning to use Linux
Tips on how to use Linux, and to download the software you need to use with it. Click here.
Installing Linux on your hard drive
Linux will work faster if it’s installed on your hard drive. This is how to do it. You can still keep Windows until you’re ready to do without it, and you can switch between one and the other. Click here.
Getting a laptop with Linux
How to get yourself a laptop, but without Windows (so that you don’t have to give any money to Microsoft). The laptop can be blank, and you can install Linux yourself, or it might already have Linux installed. Click here.