Linux and Windows: The Best of Both Worlds

Linux - the popular open source operating system - is growing in popularity as a desktop operating system. Should you switch from Windows to Linux? Maybe you don't have to. I'll show you some techniques that allow you to keep running Windows on your PC, yet still run Linux too.

Why try Linux? Some people want a new operating system but don't want to switch to Vista, and other people just enjoy using an open source operating system (perhaps because it is free). People switch to Linux for many reasons. If you make a living as a Web developer or in any related field, Linux is a "must have" on your resume. If you are a software developer, you'll find a wealth of tools aimed at developers. Linux systems tend to be easier to secure against malicious attacks and viruses, too. However, some people don't

Linux used to have a reputation as a toy for geeks and nerds. Modern Linux distributions, however, are easy to use and install and have a wealth of applications available (and most of them are free). But getting started with Linux can be intimidating. You don't want to damage your PC and if you don't like Linux - or can't live without a particular Windows program, what can you do?

As an example, consider my situation. As a professional software developer, I love Linux. But I still need to run a few Windows programs (notably the program that prints postage on my PC). Of course, a lot of the world uses Windows programs like Microsoft Office and other similar programs.

While you can get replacements for these on Linux, sometimes there is no substitute for the real thing. So every time I try to switch completely to Linux, I wind up eventually going back to Windows. That's why I've experimented with several techniques for using Windows and Linux so that I don't have to choose.