First Time Linux Install!!!

[rcvalencia9]

I've been using a PC since I was five. I started with DOS and then to those 32 bit OS by Windows. I've been a windows user for my whole life and it won't change. But I want to give Linux a try. I will be doing a dual bot with Windows XP?

My questions:
1) What is the best Linux distro and best for first time users but will be good if not the best distro?
2) Will all of my hardware have drivers for Linux and will all of them work?
3) What's more advisable a single HDD or two separate HDDs for each OS?
4) Can I surf the net using a dial up modem in Linux?

Thanks in advance,
Ram

[MulderMan]

1. The best to start off with is on called Mandrakelinux 10.1 - http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en-gb/

2. In most situations mandrake will have the drivers for all your hardware, or just use generic ones. These days manufacturers are becoming more linux freindly.

3.It really depends on what you are more comfortable with. Partitioning your master drive would be the cheapest options but sometimes it can go wrong. Some people just prefer to have the two drives seperate. Although if your attempting to use both OS's linux will still change the MBR on the master drive so you have the dual boot options.

4. You can dial up in linux.

Hope that helps!

[rcvalencia9]

Thanx MulderMan.

I've heard a lot of distros Suse, Redhat, Fedora, Mandrake, etc...

I have another question can I install windows applications in Linux?

[mikeL]

can I install windows applications in Linux?
You can but you have to install a windows emulator like wine, I've tried it and never got it to work right so I gave up on it.

[bart]

wine is great! but i agree that it is not so easy to setup.. so the best thing to do before using Wine, is to download WineTools (wt) and follow the easy steps explained in the ReadMe file.
If you do it right, you could run a lot of m$ and windoomed applications. On my laptop (amilo 7400M) i've installed i.explorer, dc++, office ecc. just for fun and to see how it works :)

the next thing i want to say about this great application is, that it isn't an emulator (like virtual PC for mac), since the underlying hardware is the same.. so don't be afraid to loose too much cpu power.. so give it a chance.

actually i run on fedora core 3 and with synaptic installed it is a joke to install any programm: just click on the application list ;)